FLS Industries AS's cement and concrete producing unit, Unicon Group, sold three of its five concrete block manufacturing facilities on the east coast of the U.S. to Irish cement and concrete producer CRH PLC.

Unicon's U.S. block-making operations had sales of about US$120.6 million in 2000 and have suffered losses from some time, partly because of the difficult market conditions, the company said. The aim is also to dispose of Unicon America's two remaining block manufacturing plants in the near future, it added.