2024, Holcim Group's full-year net sales were CHF 26.407 billion, up 1.3% year-on-year in local currency. In 2024, recurring EBIT reached a record high of CHF 5.049 billion, an increase of 10.8% on the previous year in local currency terms. The strong foreign exchange impact was more than offset by Holcim's performance, with full-year recurring EBIT up 6.1% in Swiss francs from a year earlier.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, recurring EBIT increased by 9.9% in local currencies to a record 1.165 billion Swiss francs compared with the same period last year. Net sales for the fourth quarter reached CHF 6,473 million, an increase of 1.6% in local currency compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. Through a differentiated value strategy
, Holcim further expanded its industry-leading recurring EBIT margin by 150 basis points to a record 19.1% in 2024. Holcim's multi-billion advanced brand solutions, including ECOPact, ECOPlanet and Elevate, accounted for 36% of total net sales in 2024, up from 30% in 2023. At year-end, ECOPact accounted for 29% of net sales of ready-mixed concrete and ECOPlanet accounted for 26% of net sales of cement, both up from 19% in their respective categories a year ago. Profit growth was driven
by decarbonization and recycling construction, with recycling of demolition and construction materials increasing by 20% to 10.2 million tons, and Holcim ahead of its target of 10 million tons per year in 2025. In
2024, the Company continued to optimize its investment portfolio through value-added mergers and acquisitions, and completed 27 transactions, focusing on the most attractive markets. Holcim completed five additional acquisitions in the fourth quarter, including in Bulgaria, Croatia and France, and two in Switzerland. Holcim continued to expand in solutions and products throughout the year with the acquisition of OXEngineeredProducts, a leading U.S. supplier of advanced insulation systems for commercial and residential applications. Holcim continues to grow in a number of attractive markets, acquiring four Latin American companies and four fast-growing European cycle builders.
Holcim is well positioned for 2025 and is expected to continue its profitable growth trend, which is mainly reflected in:
achieving mid-single-digit growth in net sales in local currencies; achieving disproportionate growth in recurring EBIT; and further expansion of recurring EBIT margin; Free cash flow of more than CHF 3.5 billion; double-digit growth in recycled construction and demolition materials business.