The Construction Materials businesses are in the process of repositioning to increase participation in infrastructure development. Accordingly the product mix has been revised to optimally target infrastructure projects. Public sector expenditure on infrastructure has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth in the construction sector, and notwithstanding current economic events looks set to continue in the medium-term. However private sector investment, particularly in the residential component of the construction sector, has slowed significantly as a result of successive interest rate hikes and the slowdown in the economy. It is doubtful that this market will recover before the latter part of 2009.
