Crh — Business Overview
What does CRH do?
CRH is one of the world's largest building materials companies, supplying the raw and processed materials that go into roads, bridges, water systems, homes, and commercial buildings. It operates across the full construction supply chain — from quarrying raw stone to manufacturing finished products like drainage pipes, fencing, and paving systems. In 2025, CRH generated $37.4 billion in total revenues, $3.8 billion in net income, and $7.7 billion in Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization — a common measure of operating profitability). The company employs 83,032 people across 3,961 locations in 28 countries.
CRH organizes its business into three segments across two geographic divisions:
| Segment | What it does | Share of Total Revenues | Share of Adjusted EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Americas Materials Solutions | Aggregates, cement, asphalt, readymixed concrete, and paving services in North America | 45% | 52% |
| Americas Building Solutions | Engineered infrastructure products (pipes, vaults, drainage) and outdoor living products (fencing, hardscapes) in North America | 19% | 19% |
| International Solutions | Full range of building materials, products, and services across 27 countries in Europe and Australia | 36% | 29% |
By end market, 40% of revenues come from infrastructure projects, 32% from residential construction, and 28% from non-residential (commercial/industrial) construction.
How does CRH make money?
CRH's core revenue model is selling essential, heavy building materials — things like crushed stone, cement, asphalt, and concrete — that are consumed in nearly every construction project. These materials are largely commodities, but CRH's scale and vertical integration (owning quarries through to finished product delivery) give it cost advantages and pricing power in local markets. The Americas Materials Solutions segment is the most profitable on a margin basis, contributing 52% of Adjusted EBITDA on 45% of revenues, reflecting the high-value nature of its integrated materials-and-services model.
A meaningful share of revenue (40%) comes from repair, remodel, and maintenance work rather than new construction. This recurring demand — maintaining aging roads, upgrading water pipes, replacing fencing — provides some insulation from the cyclicality of new building activity. The remaining 60% is tied to new-build construction, which is more sensitive to economic conditions and interest rates.
CRH also grows through acquisitions, having completed over 1,250 deals in its history. In 2025 alone it completed 38 acquisitions for $4.1 billion, including Eco Material Technologies, North America's leading supplier of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) — lower-carbon alternatives to traditional cement that are increasingly demanded by sustainability-focused customers.
What market does CRH operate in?
CRH participates in the global construction materials industry, a massive and largely non-discretionary market driven by government infrastructure spending, population growth, and urbanization. Key secular tailwinds include multi-year public investment programs in transportation infrastructure (roads, bridges, rail) and the urgent need to replace aging water and energy networks. In North America, reindustrialization trends — including a surge in manufacturing facility and data center construction — are adding a new demand layer. The U.S. infrastructure law passed in recent years is a direct driver of volume for CRH's core products.
Several long-term trends work in CRH's favor: tightening environmental regulations are increasing demand for lower-carbon building products (a category where CRH is investing heavily), labor shortages in construction are pushing customers toward more prefabricated and engineered solutions (products CRH makes), and urbanization in Eastern Europe and Australia is creating new growth markets for the International division.
Who are CRH's main competitors?
The construction materials industry is highly fragmented in most local markets, which CRH views as an ongoing acquisition opportunity. Because aggregates and ready-mix concrete are heavy and expensive to transport, competition is largely local or regional rather than global. CRH's stated competitive advantages include its unmatched scale across North America and Europe, its vertically integrated supply chain (owning quarries through to downstream products), deep reserves of raw materials in urban-adjacent locations, and long-standing relationships with government and contractor customers. The filing notes that many markets remain fragmented, meaning smaller regional players are common rivals, but that competitors may also seek to expand or acquire assets CRH is targeting.
Global peers in the building materials space include companies like Vulcan Materials, Martin Marietta, LafargeHolcim (now Holcim), and HeidelbergMaterials, though the filing does not name specific competitors directly.
Where does CRH operate?
CRH has a genuinely global footprint, but North America is clearly its center of gravity. The Americas Division — covering 48 U.S. states and seven Canadian provinces — accounts for 64% of total revenues (45% + 19%) and 71% of Adjusted EBITDA. It employs 49,828 people across 2,127 locations. The business both manufactures and sells in these markets, with an extensive network of quarries, cement plants, asphalt facilities, and distribution points.
The International Division covers 27 countries across Europe and Australia, employing 33,204 people at 1,834 locations and contributing 36% of revenues and 29% of Adjusted EBITDA. Within Europe, the filing distinguishes between Eastern Europe and Australia (characterized as high-growth) and Western Europe (described as stable but supported by public infrastructure spending). CRH manufactures and sells locally in these markets as well.
CRH's operations are subject to a wide range of local, national, and — in Europe — EU-level regulations, covering environmental permits, air and water emissions, mining reclamation, and worker safety. The filing does not flag specific geopolitical risks beyond noting that regulatory environments vary by jurisdiction.