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The sale will happen as Heidelburg desperately need the money and you won't get a better time to sell but I doubt there will be a buyer for the whole of the UK and USA brick and concrete divisions. I think Hanson will have to sell it off in bits. Ibstock and Wienerberger are very interested in the UK brick works but I doubt the competition commission will allow either to buy the plants, especially Ibstock. Michelmersh have a better chance given there smaller size and probably can raise enough funds to buy all of the UK hanson brickworks. Maybe Michelmersh and Wienerberger will acquire a few plants between them?
A source has informed me Martin Warner was at Hanson Measham last month.
its no secret that Heidelburg have had the Hanson Brick works up for sale for some time: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/37d32aba-85e6-11de-98de-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2tYtIH2su Earlier this month, I managed to get hold of this memo: Proposed sale prompts management changes A number of changes are being made to management reporting lines as we prepare our building products businesses for possible divestment later this year. The proposed sale is part of a Group-wide programme announced by HeidelbergCement at the end of last year as a key part of its strategy to reduce debt. One of the options being evaluated is to bundle our assets with the building products operations in the US and Canada to create a combined business with turnover of more than $1 billion. Included in the process will be our mainstream brick, aircrete and aggregate block operations, along with Floors and Precast, Formpave, Structherm and Irvine-Whitlock. As a result, the design solutions business unit, currently managed within the cement division, will be moved into building products with managing director Matthew Clay reporting to Stephen Harrison. At the same time Irvine Whitlock will move from asphalt and contracting to building products, with managing director Paul Dewick also reporting to Stephen Harrison. Bath Stone, which is currently managed within design solutions but is to be retained, will be moved into aggregates. On the finance side, Ben Guyatt will move from his post as head of strategy and development to become finance director of the enlarged building products business line, reporting to Stephen. Further announcements on Ben’s replacement and changes to reporting lines in the finance teams will be made in due course. I do not expect these management changes, which are effective immediately, to have any effect on our day-to-day operations. They are designed to ensure a smooth transition of the businesses as and when any sale is agreed. To facilitate and oversee the sale process, a project team has been set up, co-sponsored by myself and finance director David Clarke. Ben Guyatt will lead this team, which will call on specialist input from our finance and corporate services functions. At present I can give no indication of when, or indeed if, a sale will be completed, but you can be assured that employees will be kept fully informed throughout the process. Patrick O’Shea Chief Executive Officer HANSON BRICK IS BEING SOLD THIS YEAR.
Will MBH buy any plants, such as Measham??
Ibstock have put up prices 9% and Hanson 18% apparently due to thw upturn.
I know for a fact Michelmersh now have on average a 20 week wait for bricks at this time and they are putting prices up.
have around 20 week lead time on many of their brick range. They are flat out.
will the cancellation of the homebuy scheme see a dip?? Good news is brick prices are going up across the board.
alsk
All of the major brick works in the UK - Ibstock, Hanson and Wienerberger are running flat out to keep with demand from developers. Some brick works now have waiting times on certain bricks. How long this housebuilding boom will last remains to be seen.