Cement sales volumes had a positive impact of 7 percentage points in sales growth, while prices and product mix brought a plus of 0.9 points.
Romania experienced positive volumes trends across all activities, both throughout the year and in the fourth quarter, the company said in its report.
Lafarge estimates a growth of 1-4% of the cement market in Romania this year, while estimates for Central and Eastern Europe range from a decline of 1% and 2% growth.
Lafarge sales in Central and Eastern Europe dropped 2% last year, to EUR1.27 billion. Cement sales volumes declined 6%, to 13.2 million tons, concrete sales volumes declined 1%, to 1.5 million cubic meters, while aggregate materials sales saw a 7% growth, to 22.3 million tons.
The company’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) declined 22% in the region, to EUR255 million.
On a group level, sales increased 3% last year, to EUR15.8 billion, while the company’s net profit dropped 27%, to EUR432 million.
Lafarge’s competitors on the Romanian market are Germany’s HeidelbergCement and Switzerland’s Holcim.