Tanzania's Amsons Group launches Sh23.1b bid to acquire Bamburi cement

Business
By Brian Ngugi | Jul 11, 2024
Bamburi Cement trucks collect cement from a Silo storage facility in Industrial Area, Nairobi. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Tanzania's leading manufacturing and energy giant, Amsons Group, has issued a binding offer to acquire up to a 100 per cent stake in Kenya's Bamburi Cement PLC for a total sum of Sh23.1 billion.

Amsons, through its Kenyan subsidiary Amsons Industries (K) Ltd, has issued a notice of intention to launch a public takeover offer to acquire up to 100 per cent of Bamburi's shares at 65 Kenyan shillings per share.

"We have great plans to deepen our investment in Kenya and in Bamburi," said Amsons Group Managing Director Edha Nahdi in a statement issued on Wednesday evening.

"The proposed cross-border acquisition will further strengthen our position in the East African cement sector as part of our regional economic development and market integration strategy."

Amsons, a family-owned business founded in 2006, has diversified from its roots in bulk oil and petroleum products to become a manufacturing and energy conglomerate with over $1 billion in annual revenue. Its cement operations include a 6,000 metric tonnes/day facility and the recently acquired Mbeya Cement in Tanzania.

The acquisition of Bamburi would mark Amsons' formal entry into the Kenyan market, where the group plans to make further investments in the coming months, according to Nahdi.

Holcim, which currently owns a 65 per cent stake in Bamburi, said the deal "advances Holcim's strategy of extending our leadership in our core markets as the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions."

"With Amsons Group, we are pleased to have found a strategic and trusted partner best positioned to develop Bamburi Cement PLC's business in the long term," said Holcim's Regional Head of Asia, Middle East and Africa, Martin Kriegner in the statement.

The proposed $180 million acquisition would mark a significant milestone for Amsons as it seeks to invest in one of Kenya's iconic blue-chip companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

Share this story
Fisheries Bill: Fisherfolk bet on Senate to stem overfishing
Coastal fisherfolk are urging the Senate to amend the Fisheries Bill to allow temporary closure of fishing areas to replenish declining stocks and curb overfishing.
Coffee weekly auction fetches Sh896 million
Kenya’s weekly coffee auction earned Sh896 million from 15,906 bags, with Grade AB dominating sales and top-quality coffee fetching as much as USD 461 per 50kg bag.
How car tyre shingles could help transform roofing style
Tyres can withstand heat, rain, heavy impacts, and don't rot or discolour like ordinary mabati, and have a long lifespan
Why Nanyuki town is overstretched by influx of investors, visitors
Concerns are growing over overstretched services around Nanyuki's urban setup, owing to the influx of visitors and a surge in population.
Political anxiety casts shadow on Kenya's investment outlook
A Central Bank of Kenya survey indicates that there are major concerns over political instability emerging as a dark cloud over an otherwise cautiously optimistic economic outlook.
.
RECOMMENDED NEWS