Australia: France-based Saint-Gobain has submitted a non-binding indicative offer of US$5.44bn for building materials producer and land banking entity CSR. CSR’s businesses include insulation producer Bradford, fibre cement systems producer Cemintel, wallboard producer Gyprock, autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) block producer Hebel and roofing producer Monier. Together, CSR’s building materials units accounted for 72% of its sales in 2023.

New Zealand: Fletcher Building announced the retirement of its chief executive officer Ross Taylor on 14 February 2024. As part of a board renewal review, chair Bruce Hassall will also leave. Fletcher Building’s People and Remuneration Committee chair, non-executive director Barbara Chapman, will lead the search process for replacements. Handovers are scheduled to take place in October 2024.

The producer said “The board thanks Bruce and Ross for their leadership and contribution since 2017. During this period, they have led the turnaround of Fletcher Building, which has seen the core businesses becoming more focussed and profitable, with improved earnings, margins and returns.”

Saudi Arabia: National Gypsum Company expects its cost of sales to rise by 11% following a hike in fuel prices by Saudi Aramco from 1 January 2024. In an exchange filing, the company said that the increase will show in its results from the first quarter of 2024.

Belarus: The Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade has set new lower natural gas prices for industrial plants. Operators will pay US$0.15/m³, down by 2% year-on-year. Prime Press News has reported that the rate will be applied retroactively from 1 January 2024.