French-Swiss LafargeHolcim declared that it was ready to sell cement for infrastructure projects in the United States and the wall that President Donald Trump plans to build on the border with Mexico to prevent illegal immigration.
The project, estimated at several tens of billions of dollars, is at the heart of a diplomatic crisis between Mexico and Washington and it has provoked criticism around the world.
We are prepared to supply our materials to all types of infrastructure projects in the United States (…) We are the leader in cement, so we supply all our customers. We are here to support the building and development of the United States,
LafargeHolcim chief executive Eric Olsen said.
When asked about the possible consequences of this initiative on the group reputation, Olsen simply stated that he does not do politics.
However, French Chancellor Jean-Marc Ayrault called on the company to “think carefully” before supplying material to construct the wall, insisting it had social and environmental accountability.
The European firm hopes to be among the big winners of the $ 1 trillion investment program promised by Donald Trump to renew US infrastructure (ports, routes, tunnels, airports). This plan would include the construction of the border wall, local press speculates.
This strong presence of the group in the United States can benefit it in its competition with Cemex Mexican group, the favorite company to accept the wall project.