The Ciments de l’Atlas – Ciments de l’Afrique (CIMAT-CIMAF) Group of Moroccan billionaire Anas Sefrioui has left the European cement market with the divesture of the assets in Les Vracs de l’Estuaire (VDE) with 0.6 Mta cement capacity in Northern France to TITAN. A second similar clinker import and grinding plant in Marseille (Sudvrac) never materialised due to local protests. The full focus on the strategy is now on CIMAT (photo) and on the expansion of the CIMAF network, which already covers 11 countries across West and Central Africa. This strategic move has long been awaited, because of the declining market and cost challenges in France and the growing markets and sustainable operating profits in Africa.