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Contributor: PR Newswire Europe
Monday, May 16 2022 - 04:54
AsiaNet
Adani to Acquire Holcim's Stake in Ambuja Cements and ACC Limited
AHMEDABAD, India, May 15, 2022 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

Largest Ever Acquisition in India's Infra and Materials space valued at USD 
10.5 billion

Editor's Synopsis

Acquisition propels Adani into the cement business, and will establish its new 
materials, metal and mining vertical
With this, Adani is now India's second largest cement manufacturer (capacity 
~70 MTPA)
AHMEDABAD, India, May 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Adani Family, through an 
offshore special purpose vehicle, announced that it had entered into definitive 
agreements for the acquisition of Switzerland-based Holcim Ltd's entire stake 
in two of India's leading cement companies – Ambuja Cements Ltd and ACC Ltd.

Holcim, through its subsidiaries, holds 63.19% in Ambuja Cements and 54.53% in 
ACC (of which 50.05% is held through Ambuja Cements). The value for the Holcim 
stake and open offer consideration for Ambuja Cements and ACC is USD ~10.5 
billion, which makes this the largest ever acquisition by Adani, and India's 
largest ever M&A transaction in the infrastructure and materials space.

"Our move into the cement business is yet another validation of our belief in 
our nation's growth story," said Mr Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group. 
"Not only is India expected to remain one of the world's largest demand-driven 
economies for several decades, India also continues to be the world's second 
largest cement market and yet has less than half of the global average per 
capita cement consumption. In statistical comparison, China's cement 
consumption is over 7x that of India's. When these factors are combined with 
the several adjacencies of our existing businesses that include the Adani 
Group's ports and logistics business, energy business, and real estate 
business, we believe that we will be able to build a uniquely integrated and 
differentiated business model and set ourselves up for significant capacity 
expansion."

Mr Adani added, "Holcim's global leadership in cement production and 
sustainability best practices brings to us some of the cutting-edge 
technologies that will allow us to accelerate the path to greener cement 
production. In addition, Ambuja Cements and ACC are two of the strongest brands 
recognized across India. When augmented with our renewable power generation 
footprint, we gain a big headstart in the decarbonization journey that is a 
must for cement production. This combination of all our capabilities makes me 
confident that we will be able to establish the cleanest and most sustainable 
cement manufacturing processes that will meet or exceed global benchmarks."

"I am delighted that the Adani Group is acquiring our business in India to lead 
its next era of growth," said Mr Jan Jenisch, CEO of Holcim Limited. "Mr Gautam 
Adani is a highly recognized business leader in India who shares our deep 
commitment to sustainability, people and communities. I would like to thank our 
10,000 Indian colleagues who have played an essential role in the development 
of our business over the years with their relentless dedication and expertise. 
I am confident that the Adani Group is the perfect home for them as well as our 
customers to continue to thrive." 

With India's cement consumption at just 242 kg per capita, as compared to the 
global average of 525 kg per capita, there is significant potential for the 
growth of the cement sector in India. The tailwinds of rapid urbanization, the 
growing middle class and affordable housing together with the post-pandemic 
recovery in construction and other infrastructure sectors are expected to 
continue driving the growth of the cement sector over the next several decades.

Ambuja Cements and ACC currently have a combined installed production capacity 
of ~70 MTPA. The two companies are among the strongest brands in India with 
immense depth of manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure, represented by 
their 23 cement plants, 14 grinding stations, 80 ready-mix concrete plants and 
over 50,000 channel partners across India.

Both Ambuja and ACC will benefit from synergies with the integrated Adani 
infrastructure platform, especially in the areas of raw material, renewable 
power and logistics, where Adani Portfolio companies have vast experience and 
deep expertise. This will enable higher margins and return on capital employed 
for the two companies. The Companies will also benefit from Adani's focus on 
ESG, Circular Economy and Capital Management Philosophy. The businesses will 
continue to be deeply aligned to UN Sustainability Development Goals with clear 
focus on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean 
Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate 
Action).

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and conditions.



About Adani

Headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, Adani is the largest and fastest-growing 
portfolio of diversified businesses in India with interests in Logistics 
(seaports, airports, logistics, shipping and rail), Resources, Power Generation 
and Distribution, Renewable Energy, Gas and Infrastructure, Agro (commodities, 
edible oil, food products, cold storage and grain silos), Real Estate, Public 
Transport Infrastructure, Defence & Aerospace, and other sectors.

Adani owes its success and leadership position to its core philosophy of 
'Nation Building' and 'Growth with Goodness' – a guiding principle for 
sustainable growth. The Group is committed to protecting the environment and 
improving communities through its CSR programmes based on the principles of 
sustainability, diversity and shared values. For more information, please visit 
www.adani.com

Media inquiries: Roy Paul I roy.paul@adani.com I 91-79-25556628

About Holcim

Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in 
innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener 
cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. 
With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero 
company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success.

The company is driving the circular economy as a world leader in recycling to 
build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world's most 
trusted brands in the building sector including ACC, Aggregate Industries, 
Ambuja Cement, Disensa, Firestone Building Products, Geocycle, Holcim and 
Lafarge. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about 
building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: 
Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products. More 
information is available on www.holcim.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1818258/Adani_Enterprise_Limited_1.jpg
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1716106/Adani_Group_Logo.jpg

Source: Adani Enterprise Limited
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