Loma Negra

Loma Negra Compañía Industrial Argentina S.A.

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Cement, Concrete, Lime
Founded	1926
Founder	Alfredo Fortabat
Headquarters	Buenos Aires , Argentina
Area served	Argentina
Key people	Amalia Lacroze (former president)
Products	Cement, Concrete, Lime
Owner	InterCement Participações (Mover Participações)
Parent	InterCement Participações

Loma Negra Compañía Industrial Argentina S.A. stands as the foremost producer of cement, concrete, and lime within Argentina. The enterprise was founded in 1926 by entrepreneur Alfredo Fortabat, who also established the affiliated sports organization, C.S.yD. Loma Negra. Leadership of the company subsequently passed to his spouse, Amalia Lacroze.

Presently, Loma Negra operates as a subsidiary under InterCement Participações, which belongs to the Brazilian corporate group Mover Participações. The acquisition was completed for an estimated value near USD 1 billion.

History

The discovery of substantial limestone reserves at his San Jacinto Estancia in 1926 by Alfredo Fortabat led to the creation of a cement manufacturing facility in Loma Negra, close to Olavarría, in 1927. By the early 1950s, the plant's annual output reached 500,000 tons of cement. Throughout the 1960s, the company expanded by establishing additional plants in San Juan and Zapala, solidifying its dominance in Argentina’s cement and concrete sectors. During the 1980s, Loma Negra introduced its first Portland cement factory in Catamarca.

Following Fortabat’s passing in 1976, Amalia Lacroze assumed majority ownership and took on the role of president. The firm enhanced its market influence by acquiring the privatized Ferrosur Roca railway and rival Cementos San Martín S.A. in 1992—the same year it launched new corporate offices in Buenos Aires.

The company diversified its operations by founding Recycomb in 1995 to focus on recycling initiatives and expanded further by purchasing five concrete producers by 1999, thereby reinforcing its leadership across the national concrete market. In 2001, a new clinker production facility was inaugurated, boosting Portland cement capacity to 1.6 million tons annually. The Loma Negra Technical Center, opened in 1999, remains distinctive as a one-of-a-kind institution within Latin America.

The economic downturn in Argentina around 2001 resulted in liabilities amounting to US$270 million and led Amalia Lacroze to divest her 80% ownership stake to Brazilian conglomerate Camargo Corrêa in 2005 for slightly above US$1 billion.

At that juncture, Loma Negra represented half of Argentina’s total cement production of six million tons per year. With subsequent economic recovery, national output increased to nearly ten million tons by 2007-08, during which Loma Negra maintained a market share of approximately 48%. In 2008, Mexican cement leader Cemex expressed interest in acquiring a controlling stake.

Although growth decelerated following the global financial crisis of 2008, Loma Negra announced a capital expenditure plan totaling US$235 million aimed at raising production capacity by 20% over a five-year period.