Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer served as international adviser to LafargeHolcim for the £1.4bn transaction, alongside local advice from Mumbai-based AZB and Partners. Nirma appointed a team from Pinsent Masons as international legal counsel, headed up by Leeds-based senior partner Andrew Kerr and senior associate Joanna Jowitt. Locally, Nirma instructed a team from Mumbai-based Crawford Bayley led by Sanjay Asher and Bhumika Batra. 

Extending reach 

The deal, which still requires approval from the Competition Commission of India, will see local corporate Nirma acquire the Indian assets of international cement giant LafargeHolcim. The local arm, known as Lafarge India Limited, includes plants and grinding units with total capacity around 11 million tonnes per year. Based in Ahmedabad with interests in FMCG, soda ash, chemicals and packaging, Nirma’s acquisition of LIL will significantly entrench its presence in the national cement market and extend the reach of its business in India’s eastern, northern and western states.