Lafarge India decides to invest $25 million in new plasterboard plant

< P align = justify > < FONT face = Verdana > NEW DELHI, May 24-French conglomerate Lafarge on Thursday announced its joint venture in India to invest Rs 1 crore (US $24.6 million) to build a factory to produce plasterboard. "Our investment is not only focused on < FONT face = Verdana > its current market, but also on its development prospects." Isidoro Miranda, executive deputy director of Lafarge, said at a news conference in New Delhi.

< P align = justify > < FONT face = Verdana > The plant in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan will begin production in the first quarter of 2008. Because of its fire resistance and moisture resistance, gypsum board has replaced most of the plywood production. If the plasterboard market grows by 15% as expected by 2010, Lafarge will invest again. The new plant is expected to produce 10 million square meters of gypsum board.

< P align = justify > < FONT face = Verdana > LafargeBoro Asia is a 50/50 joint venture between Boro Limited of Australia and Lafarge Group of France. Lafargeboro Asia Gypsum Group ( "Lafargeboro Asia") < FONT face = Verdana >. Since its inception in June 2000, Lafarge Boro Asia has grown to become the largest producer and supplier of plasterboard and plasterboard related products in Asia (other than Japan). Lafargeboro's Asian operations < FONT face = Verdana > span China, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, with products exported to many countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

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