Marshalls Regulatory News (MSLH)

4 Jan 2005 14:00

Hanson PLC04 January 2005 January 4, 2005 Hanson acquires Marshalls' Clay Products division Hanson PLC, the international building materials company, has today completedthe acquisition of Marshalls Clay Products Ltd from Marshalls plc for a totalconsideration of £65 million. Marshalls Clay Products is a UK manufacturer of clay bricks and pavers operatingfrom four facilities in the north of England. It produces approximately 160million brick equivalents p.a. and employs around 350 people. In the year toDecember 31, 2004, Hanson expects Marshalls Clay Products' earnings beforeinterest and tax to be approximately £7.0 million (before group charges). The acquisition will be integrated into Hanson Building Products UK, a divisionof Hanson PLC, which is one of the UK's leading suppliers of clay bricks,concrete blocks, pre-cast concrete flooring and bagged aggregates. Combining thetwo businesses will significantly enhance earnings through operational andadministrative savings. David Szymanski, Managing Director of Hanson Building Products UK, said: "We arevery pleased to be acquiring Marshalls Clay Products. It brings good long-termclay reserves, fits well with our product range and will strengthen our customeroffering in extruded bricks and clay pavers." Commenting on the acquisition, Alan Murray, Chief Executive of Hanson PLC, said:"This acquisition is consistent with our strategy of growth through bolt-onacquisitions. Marshalls Clay Products is a profitable and cash generativebusiness and will enhance our position in one of our core markets. We willcontinue to pursue further value adding acquisition opportunities." Further information on Hanson can be found at www.hanson.biz Inquiries: Nick Swift / Carol Ann Walsh Hanson PLC +44 (0)20 7245 1245 Notes: 1. Hanson is one of the world's leading heavy building materials companies. Itis the largest producer of aggregates - crushed rock, sand and gravel - and oneof the largest producers of concrete products, clay bricks and ready-mixedconcrete in the world. Its other principal products include asphalt andconcrete roof tiles and its operations are in North America, the UK, Australia,Continental Europe and Asia Pacific. 2. Hanson Building Products UK supplies bricks, manholes, blocks, flooring,precast concrete and packed aggregates products throughout the UK. 3. Hanson operates an e-mail distribution service for press releases and othercorporate information. Registration for this service, which includes e-mailalerts five days prior to results announcements and publication of companyreports, is via its website (www.hanson.biz). 4. High-resolution Hanson images are available to download from Hanson's websiteand from www.newscast.co.uk. Forward-looking statements made in this press release involve risks anduncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from thosecontemplated by such statements. Factors that could cause such differences areset out in detail in Hanson's 20-F filing with the Securities and ExchangeCommission of the United State of America and include, but are not limited to,the general strength or weakness of the construction industry in North America,the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Asia and Australia; changes ingovernment policy or legislation in the regions and territories in which Hansonoperates such as the approval of SAFETEA as the successor to TEA-21 in theUnited States of America or the introduction of the Aggregates Levy in theUnited Kingdom; costs of materials including cement, bitumen, energy, and fuel;inclement weather conditions during peak construction periods; the availabilityof and access to resources in geographic areas of customer demand; the pricingpolicies of competitors; and changes in exchange rates. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange