Heidelberg Materials, the world’s second-largest cement producer, has credited surging demand across African markets for its stronger-than-expected performance in the first quarter of the 2025 financial year, underlining the continent’s rising influence in the global construction industry.
The German multinational reported a 1.3% increase in its result from current operations (RCO), reaching €235 million ($266 million), comfortably beating analyst expectations of €207 million. The company pointed to Africa’s dynamic infrastructure landscape as a key growth engine.
“Africa continues to show encouraging growth momentum,” said CEO Dominik von Achten in a statement. “Despite political and economic uncertainties and challenging weather conditions in some areas, our African operations played a stabilising role in a mixed global market.”
The results highlight Africa’s growing strategic value in the global cement supply chain. From large-scale road networks in East Africa to housing expansions in North and West Africa, Heidelberg’s footprint on the continent is benefiting from the region’s accelerating development pace.
The company’s North American division, which accounted for over 20% of first-quarter sales, saw its RCO decline by nearly two-thirds. In contrast, African operations remained resilient, positioning the continent as a crucial buffer in the face of international volatility.
Heidelberg’s performance follows a similar trend reported by Holcim, the world’s largest cement producer, which last month also identified North Africa as a key contributor to its earnings beat.
Looking ahead, Heidelberg Materials reaffirmed its full-year RCO outlook, projecting between €3.25 billion and €3.55 billion, closely aligning with market expectations of €3.44 billion.
With Africa’s population growth, urbanisation and infrastructure financing on the rise, the region is no longer just an emerging market — it is becoming central to global corporate strategies.