Irish group CRH, one of the world’s largest producers of building materials, plans to acquire the former assets of Aeroc, which were purchased by Hennadii Butkevych’s BGV Group at a privatization auction in late 2024. The relevant applications for approval of the transaction are being reviewed by the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU).
According to the agenda of the AMCU meeting on July 9, Mykolaivcement PrJSC, which is part of the international CRH group, filed an application for approval to acquire control over Poriston Group LLC — the company that owns the former Aeroc aerated concrete plants. The application was submitted on May 27, 2026.
In addition to approval for concentration, the parties asked the AMCU to approve the conclusion of a corporate agreement between BGV Group Limited, Mykolaivcement PrJSC and Trident Geoinvest Ukraine LLC. The document, in particular, provides for the parties’ obligation to refrain from competing with each other for five years after completion of the transaction.
The Antimonopoly Committee is expected to make a decision on both applications at its July 9 meeting. If approved, CRH will be able to gain control over one of Ukraine’s largest producers of aerated concrete, significantly strengthening its position in the domestic building materials market.
The history of the asset began after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Until 2022, Aeroc was Ukraine’s largest producer of aerated concrete blocks and was owned by Russian businessman Andrey Molchanov. In June 2023, the enterprise was confiscated in favor of the state as a sanctioned Russian asset and transferred to the management of the State Property Fund of Ukraine.
In December 2024, the State Property Fund sold the enterprises at an open privatization auction. The winning bidder was Trident Geoinvest Ukraine LLC, which is part of investment group BGV Group, co-owned by entrepreneur Hennadii Butkevych, known as one of the owners of the ATB supermarket chain. The transaction value amounted to almost UAH 1.9 billion.
After the change of ownership, the enterprises were modernized and resumed production in June 2025. Products began to be manufactured under the new Poriston brand, while the plants retained their specialization in the production of aerated concrete blocks. The production facilities are located in Obukhiv and Berezan, Kyiv Region.
For CRH, the potential acquisition would become another stage of business expansion in Ukraine. The Irish corporation is one of the world’s largest building materials producers and operates in 28 countries. The company has been present in the Ukrainian market since 1999 and, after the start of the full-scale war, continued to invest in the development of local production facilities.
During the full-scale war, CRH has invested around €180 million in Ukrainian projects, including the construction of a modern cement terminal in Kyiv Region worth €34 million.
In addition, in September 2024, after more than a year and a half of review, the AMCU approved CRH’s acquisition of the Ukrainian cement assets of Italy’s Buzzi group — Volyn-Cement and Pivden-Cement. The value of that transaction was €100 million, making it one of the largest foreign investments in Ukraine’s economy since the beginning of the full-scale war.
If it receives the new approval, CRH will significantly expand its presence in Ukraine’s construction sector, complementing its cement business with aerated concrete production, which will allow the company to form a broader portfolio of building materials amid the expected growth in demand during the country’s reconstruction.
