Marshalls sell quarries and associated aggregates business to Breedon

Sale of quarries and associated aggregates business

Marshalls plc ("Marshalls"), the hard landscaping specialist, is in advanced discussions to sell the aggregate quarries detailed below to Breedon Aggregates England Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Breedon Aggregates Limited ("Breedon"), for a cash consideration on completion of £17.5 million. The final consideration will be up to £19.0 million dependent on certain conditions subsequent.

The assets under discussion comprise quarries solely supplying aggregates, sand and gravel. The Group would retain all of its dimensional stone quarries some of which produce aggregate as an ancillary product. The quarries that would be affected, subject to the discussions, are the Group's freehold and leasehold quarries at Clearwell, near Lydney, Gloucestershire, which produce primarily high quality limestone aggregates and the Group's sand and gravel quarries located at Dunsville, near Hatfield, South Yorkshire, Astley Moss in Greater Manchester and Mold in North Wales which operates under the Lloyds Sand and Gravel trading name and the business carried on from these quarries. The discussions also include an option to develop sand and gravel resources near Saredon, Staffordshire.

These quarries currently supply aggregate materials to the construction sector, including materials used by Marshalls in the manufacture of its range of concrete products. For the year ended 31 December 2012, the operating profit generated from the operations carried on at these quarries was £1.1 million, based on an annual turnover of £10.0 million, of which £8.8 million came from sales outside the Group. As at 31 December 2012 the value of the gross assets under discussion, which, if successfully concluded, would be disposed of, was £14.9 million.

The discussions also envisage commercial arrangements for the continued supply of materials to Marshalls' manufacturing sites following the transfer to be put in place.

If completed, the proceeds of the sale would initially be used to reduce Marshalls' Group borrowings.

At present, there can be no certainty that the disposal of these assets will complete, nor as to the final terms of the disposal. A further announcement regarding the potential disposal will be made in due course.

Commenting on the proposed transaction, Graham Holden, Chief Executive, said "Marshalls has been a niche player in the UK aggregates market for a number of years and, while the business is profitable, it remains ancillary to the core operations where our growth focus lies. If completed, the consideration received by Marshalls from the sale of these quarrying operations would initially be used to reduce net debt and we consider that such a transaction would be in the best interest of shareholders."

Website: http://www.breedonaggregates.com/

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