CIMENTS FRANÇAIS reports consolidated net sales of US$575 million (EUR 625m) for the first quarter of 2002, up 1.6% from the first-quarter 2001 total of US$573 million (EUR 623m). For the cement sector, first-quarter 2002 net sales of US$363 million (EUR 395m) represent a 1.2% increase over the first-quarter 2001 total of US$366 million (EUR 398m).

CEMEX, S.A. de C.V. announced that its net majority earnings for first quarter 2002 totaled US$280 million, an increase of 1% over the same quarter of 2001. First-quarter net sales of US$1.6 billion declined 1% in dollar terms versus first quarter 2001. Despite higher volumes in Spain and stable shipments in the U.S., net sales were affected by lower volumes in some of the company's markets as a result of religious holidays occurring during the first quarter, as opposed to 2001 when they occurred in the second quarter.

LAFARGE NORTH AMERICA INC. reported a 19% improvement in net results for the first quarter as the company's gypsum segment performed substantially better than last year. For the first three months of 2002, the company posted a net loss of US$53.3 million, compared with a loss of US$66 million in the first quarter of 2001. Net sales for the most recent quarter rose 1% to $449.8 million from US$444.4 million last year. The company registered an operating loss before interest and taxes of US$68.3 million versus $89.9 million in 2001, a 24 percent improvement.

The cement and cement-related products segment registered an operating loss in the most recent quarter of US$3.2 million versus a profit of US$0.2 million last year. Quarterly sales volumes were relatively stable compared to last year, as shipments of cement and related products declined 14,000 tons to 2.0 million tons. While demand has improved in Quebec and the Northeast U.S. as well as Florida, construction markets have generally softened in western Canada and the Mississippi River region.

HOLCIM LTD. saw little change in its first-quarter economic environment for most markets compared to the previous quarter. The worldwide volume of cement sales was higher than in the strong first quarter of 2001, while consolidated net sales were unchanged at US$1.8 billion. Consolidated operating profits fell from US$207.6 million in 2001 to US$198.6 million in the first quarter of 2002. The decline was blamed on the production outage at the company's Portland plant as well as the crisis in Argentina. Consolidated net income reached US$49.3 million, while cash flow from operating activities grew from US$47.4 million to US$69.2 million.