Heidelberg Materials has been present in Bulgaria since the second half of 2016, when it purchased the Italcementi Group. Italcementi entered the Bulgarian market in 1998 through the acquisition of Devnya Cement, a company with a plant situated near Varna, the largest port in the country.
A second acquisition was completed at the beginning of 1999, when the Group acquired control of Vulkan Cement, a company with a plant located near Dimitrovgrad, in south-central Bulgaria.
To date, the Company ranks among the biggest foreign investors in the country. This includes both the original acquisition of the existing production capacities, the significant investments made in modernising facilities, improving quality standards, reducing environmental impact of the operations, as well as the most recent investment - the construction of a new production line at the plant of Devnya Cement.
The new production line provides many economic and environmental benefits, including: increased production efficiency, significant reduction of dust and CO₂ emissions, as well as water consumption and utilisation of alternative fuels. In February 2015, with reference to the new plant, Devnya Cement was awarded the prestigious Investor of the Year award.
