In the presence of the Minister of Industry and Privatization and the Italian Ambassador a contract was signed in Algiers on 16 January 2008 for the acquisition of 35% of the share capital of two Algerian companies, owners of the Hadjar Soud and Sour El Ghozlane cement plants.The capital share acquisition is combined with a 4-year management contract with the goal of:
- upgrading the two cement plants with a modernization plan and an employee training and development program;
- achieving a nominal capacity of 900,000 tons/year of clinker at Sour El Ghozlane and 945,000 tons/year at Hadjar SoudThe two cement plants offer significant potentialities and opportunities thanks to their reduced  energy costs, their proximity to developing markets and, as far as Hadjar Soud is concerned, a 40 km railway link to the commercial ports of Skikda and Annaba.The liberalization process is in motion. The market now will become more and more competitive and will probably attract other foreign operators in addition to those already present (Lafarge/Orascom, ASEC, Pharaon).