6 - Vicat

8Real estate, factories and equipment8.1. Real estate and equipment8.1. Real estate and equipmentThe table below shows the Group’s main real estate holdings and equipment as at December 31, 2009 for its cement,ready-mixed concrete and aggregates businesses :CementReady-mixedconcreteAggregatesCountryCementfactoriesGrindingplantsCementterminalsCapacity (1)(millions of tons)Concretebatching plantsQuarriesFrance 5 2 4 4.6 138 48United States 2 - 5 2.6 47 -Turkey 2 - - 4.6 37 6Senegal 1 - 4 3.5 - 2Mali - - 1 - - -Switzerland 1 - - 0.9 18 19Egypt 1 - - 3.6 - -Italy - 1 2 0.5 - -Mauritania - 1 - 0.5 1 -Total 12 4 16 20.8 241 75(1)Equivalent cement capacity to the clinker capacity of each factory.8.1.1. CementThe cement-manufacturing industry is a highlycapital-intensive industry, requiring significant investments.The cost of building a cement factorygenerally amounts between € 100 and € 150 million,depending on the type of work and the countrylocation. The Group takes care to maintain its productionfacilities at a high level of performance andreliability. Accordingly, it has continuously invested innew equipment, which enables it to benefit from thelatest recognized technologies, and has in particularenabled it to benefit from a steady improvement ofthe energy balance of the installations. The choiceof leading international suppliers is also in line withthe Group’s policy of industrial excellence intendedto give priority to quality, durability and performanceof the equipment.The table below sets forth the Group’s various cement producing sites in France and abroad.Cement factory Country Key datesMontalieu France Group’s main cement factory in France, its construction dates from 1922.La Grave-de-Peille France Built in 1929, this was the Group’s second cement factory in France.Créchy France Built in 1968, this was the cement factory is located close to Vichy.Xeuilley France Acquired in 1969, during the cement industry’s restructuring period.Saint-Égrève France Acquired in 1970, this factory is located in the south-east, in the Rhône-Alpesregion.RaglandLebecUnitedStatesUnitedStatesIn 1974, the acquisition of this cement factory in Ragland, Alabama, was theGroup’s flagship investment internationally.In 1987, the Group reinforced its presence in the United States with theacquisition of this factory in Lebec, California, located near Los Angeles.64 VICAT - 2009 registration document