The Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) has cleared the notification for decision in relation to the proposed merger between Holcim Ltd. and Lafarge S.A. The CCCS concluded that the transaction, if carried into effect, will not infringe the section 54 prohibition of the Competition Act, which prohibits mergers that have resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition in Singapore.
Holcim Singapore manufactures and supplies ready-mix concrete and also imports grey cement (a raw material used for ready-mix concrete and dry-mix mortar production). Similarly, Lafarge Singapore imports and supplies grey cement to third parties in Singapore. The company, through its subsidiary and joint venture partner, manufactures and supplies ready-mix concrete in Singapore.
For the purposes of the merger assessment, CCS has determined that Holcim and Lafarge compete in the market for the manufacture and supply of ready-mix concrete in Singapore and the market for the regional supply of grey cement to Singapore. There is no manufacture of grey cement in Singapore. Due to the bulk nature of grey cement, almost all of it is sourced regionally from countries such as Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea.
Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling