
Carmeuse is a leading global producer of lime and limestone, having an extended presence in Europe and North America. It has over 150 years of experience in the extraction and processing of limestone and dolomitic stone into lime and lime-related products which are used as key raw materials in various industries.
The steel industry is one of the primary end markets where lime and limestone products can be found. Lime is used in the various stages of production of iron and steel to desulfurize and remove impurities during the transforming of ore into iron.
The second most important industry for Carmeuse is the building industry where lime is used for soil stabilization, namely in the construction of roads. It is also used as a binder, as it exhibits the advantage to enhance plasticity and to be easily applied.
More and more applications are being developed in the environmental domain to clean hazardous air pollutants and liquid industrial discharge. Lime products are used in the waste sector or in the flue gas treatment to reduce emissions of pollutants from smokestack exhaust. This sector is particularly active in North America.
Applications for lime can also be found in the glass, paper and agri-food industries.
The Company has 90 production sites all over Western Europe (Belgium, Italy, France and the Netherlands), Eastern and Central Europe (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Turkey) and in North America (the United States and Canada). Carmeuse has a significant market share in all of these regions.
Cobepa acquired 20% of Carmeuse in 2005 and has been since then a key partner to Carmeuse accompanying its global development and providing the financial means to help realise the ambitions of the Company.