Building materials group CRH said today that it had spent €250 million in the first half of the year on 18 acquisition and investment initiatives.

In an update to the Irish Stock Exchange, CRH said it had spent some €155 million on five transactions in its Europe divisions includingbuying six builders’ merchants in the Netherlands.

CRH said its Americas division made 13 acquisitions valued at €89 million. CRH said it divested some €700 million worth of assets in the first half of the year including its 49 per cent in Portuguese cement producer Secil. It also disposed of Magnetic Autocontrol, a vehicle and pedestrian control company.

Chief executive Myles Lee said the transactions reflected a continuing strategy.