CRH Moves Closer to Buying Ashland

CRH's U subsidiary, Oldcastle Materials, has go intoed into an exclusivity agreement with Ashland, which may lead to CRH acquiring Ashland Paving and Construction. APAC is headquartered in Atlanta and has operations in 14 southern and mid-continent states, producing 32 million tons of aggregates and 32 million tons of asphalt annually. In the 12 month ending March 2006 APAC sales amounted to $28 billion with profit before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of approximately $200 million. In the United States, CRH's materials division is the number-one asphalt farmer the fourth-largest aggregates producer, and a top-10 ready-mixed congeal producer. The division operates in 32 states, primarily in the Northeast, Midwest and West. In the 12 month ending December 2005 it reported sales of $39 billion and EBITDA of $613 million.

Hanson out and outs Materials Service Deal

In June Hanson complet the acquisition of