Holcim looks at EUR 400 million greenfield factory in Cluj

Cluj county representatives have already negotiated with Holcim and helped the company receive a certificate of urbanism for a site close to Mihai Viteazu.
“The investment Holcim is planning will create the biggest cement production unit in Europe and is an important investment for Cluj county,” said Alin Paunel Tise, head of the Cluj county council.
Holcim already runs three factories in Romania, in Turda, Campulung and Alesd, along with concrete and aggregates production units. The company announced it would invest EUR 135 million this year in modernizing existing production units, setting up new ones and expanding its truck fleet.
The company's existing production unit in Campulung has recently undergone a reshuffle which needed around EUR 120 million in investment, and is now working at full capacity. The other two units are yet to be modernized. Company representatives have previously said the production increase would cover only domestic sales.
Cement producer Holcim Romania reported a EUR 296.6 million turnover in 2007 and a profit of EUR 34.3 million the same year. Holcim Romania had made EUR 391 million of investments by 2006. Its competitors locally are Lafarge and Heidelbergcement, which both run three cement production units in the country.
Haidelbergcement has also announced plans to build a new production unit in Romania.
Corina Saceanu