Hanson ceased trading on the London stock exchange at the end of last week, as German materials firm HeidelbergCement completed its 拢8bn acquisition.
HeidelbergCement鈥檚 subsidiary Lehigh UK paid 拢11 a share for Hanson, spelling the end of independence for the UK鈥檚 largest materials company. Six directors resigned from Hanson鈥檚 board this week after the deal was confirmed.
The combined company is now the second largest materials company in the world, behind Lafarge. The takeover was cleared by the European Commission earlier this month.
Heidelberg makes cement and ready-mixed concrete, and sells throughout Europe. Hanson, which earlier this year acquired bricklayer Irvine-Whitlock, focuses on aggregates and is mainly active in Britain. The companies both have operations in the United States, too.
Pre-tax profit at Hanson fell 6% to 拢181.8m in the six months to 30 June, after the company was hit by the US housing slump. The company had a turnover of 拢4.1bn in 2006. Heidelberg will site the headquarters of the combined company in Germany.
鈥� Steel contractor Severfield-Rowen has agreed to acquire Fisher Engineering, a Northern Ireland construction steel fabricator for 拢90m.
Postscript
For more on the Heidelberg deal go to
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