World cement giants said to be in merger talks
Cement giants Holcim and Lafarge are exploring the possibility of a merger that to form a company that would have a combined market value of over $50bn, reports Bloomberg.
Citing people familiar with the matter Bloomberg, say the discussions are ongoing and are at an early stage. However, the talks may yet collapse due to fears over antitrust regulations.
The combination of the two companies' production operations could slash costs and reduce over-capacities in the market. The cement industry has taken something of a beating in wake of the world financial crisis and tepid recovery which has diminished demand for building materials.