“I suggested [French-held Lafarge, which owns the remaining stake in the company] buy the stake a while ago and they said they had to make calculations and an evaluation of the company; there were negotiations, but one of my nephews handled this rather than me,” Becali told ZF. His statement comes as Lafarge is selling its gypsum operations in Europe and South America, including Romanian division Lafarge Arcom Gips, which had a EUR25.8 million turnover in 2009.
Becali says he has not received any dividends from the company so far, but Lafarge Arcom Gips features in the records of the Finance Ministry with cumulated losses of over EUR2 million between 2007 and 2009. The businessman took over construction company Arcom, through which he controls 10% in Lafarge Arcom Gips, in 2007 for over EUR25 million.
The Lafarge group, with operations on the cement, aggregates, concrete and gypsum markets, is negotiating with Belgian industrial group Etex the sale of gypsum operations in Europe and South America, with the transaction to bring them around EUR1 billion, according to a press release by the group.
Lafarge representatives could not be contacted by edition close to explain how the sale of the gypsum division would affect the Romanian business or if there would be negotiations with Arcom on the sale of the 10% stake in Lafarge Arcom Gips.
Becali says he would sell his 10% stake in Lafarge Arcom Gips for EUR5 million, although he values the company at around EUR100 million.
Lafarge posted EUR273.15 million in turnover in 2009 on the Romanian market through Lafarge Agregate Betoane, Lafarge Arcom Gips, Lafarge Betoane, Lafarge Ciment and Lafarge Comnord, according to ZF calculations based on Trade Registry data.
The turnover of local gypsum division Lafarge Arcom Gips amounted to EUR25.8 million in 2009, i.e. 9.4% of the group’s overall turnover on the Romanian market, while losses amounted to nearly EUR442,000.