Leaders of Saint-Gobain have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Hume Cemboard Industries Sdn Bhd (HCBI), a manufacturer of cement boards for façades, partitions and ceilings in Malaysia. The HCBI team operate one manufacturing facility and employ 280 people in the west of Malaysia with revenues of around €20m, according to HCBI’s representatives.
“This lightweight board offering is a benchmark solution widely used for a broad range of applications, offering fast-growth potential,” said Saint-Gobain’s representative. “This acquisition perfectly complements our existing offering, in particular of plasterboard in Malaysia.
“In Vietnam, we have experienced strong success with the combination of these boards, thanks to similar customer bases, applications and channels. In Malaysia, this acquisition promptly follows that of Best Crete in construction chemicals (resin-based flooring solutions).”
Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions and expected in the third quarter of 2023. This acquisition is in line with Saint-Gobain’s strategic plan, ‘Grow and Impact’.
The plan aims to both strengthen the group’s leadership and accelerate its growth by enriching its range of solutions for light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain’s reps have said.
Earlier this month, leaders of Saint-Gobain Glass assigned Lee Glover to the role of net zero and sustainability manager. The move further demonstrated the firm’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, according to Saint-Gobain’s representatives. One of Lee’s first achievements has been to take delivery of 17 tonnes of post-consumer glass that was transported by electric vehicle. Read more about Lee’s appointment here.
