Optiroc acquires Spanish producer of lightweight aggregates

April 6, 1998 Optiroc acquires Spanish producer of lightweight aggregates The Scancem Group subsidiary Optiroc Group has reached an agreement to acquire all shares in the Spanish lightweight aggregates producer Aridos Ligeros S.A. (Arlita). The company is currently owned by a number of private investors in Spain via their companies. Arlita, with sales of approximately SEK 80 M and 55 employees, has an annual production capacity of about 400,000 cubic meters. The company has one production unit located outside Madrid and the products are primarily used for insulation, lightweight concrete and geotechnical applications. "Optiroc Group has had a substantial growth during the last three years, not least within lightweight aggregates where our acquisition of Arlita is a natural step in our growth strategy on the Iberian peninsula", says Optiroc Group's president Cornelis Altena."We already produce lightweight aggregates and lightweight aggregate blocks in Portugal. And we also manufacture lightweight aggregates in the Nordic countries and in Germany and Estonia." "We have also developed our international competitivenes in the premixed products area", Cornelis Altena continues. "I do hope that the Swedish Competition Authority does not appeal the verdict - unanimously in our favor - of the Stockholm District Court concerning our acquisition of Stråbruken. A continued process will only result in further losses of competence, money and international power of competition." For further information please call Cornelis Altena, President of the Optiroc Group, telephone +46 8 625 61 15 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1998/04/06/19990104BIT00290/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1998/04/06/19990104BIT00290/bit0002.pdf