A division of Lafarge S.A., the world's leading cement manufacturer, Lafarge North America specializes in the production of 4 major products: cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard.
According to Director of U.S. Communications Joelle Lipski-Rockwood, the company is seeking to utilize locations where all 4 primary materials can be found; the 6 sites the company is selling are primarily used for the mining of aggregate materials.
"The Georgia businesses were good businesses...they just didn't fit into Lafarge's long-term plans," she said.
Buyers for the sites have already been determined, with one company buying the Flowery Branch and Jackson County quarries, and another buyer purchasing the 4 remaining locations, which operate in Clayton County, Douglasville, Cumming and Ball Ground.
Lipski-Rockwood was unable to reveal which companies would be buying the sites, but said, "We looked for buyers where these quarries would be considered a priority for them."
She said a binding agreement for the sale has already been signed by the parties involved, and that the sale was expected to be completed in the next few months. She added: "These types of deals go through regulatory approval, so that timeline can be anywhere from 30 to 90 days, depending on that process."
The total enterprise value for the transaction is $160 million, although that amount represents less than 1% of Lafarge's total North American sales in 2011.
Approximately 80 employees will be affected by the sale, but Lipski-Rockwood said the deal in place was structured to protect many of the workers.
"Most of the employees affected with the businesses will be transitioning with the buyers," she said.
Lafarge North America Inc. operates in 41 states, with more than 270 industrial and distribution sites and 4,200 employees.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/1/257032