China

CRH PLC
10 October 2006



                          N E W S       R E L E A S  E

                                                               10th October 2006



                      CRH TO ACQUIRE CEMENT PLANT IN CHINA



CRH has reached agreement to acquire the assets of a cement plant in
Heilongjiang province, northeast China. The plant, which will operate as Harbin
Sanling Cement Company ('Harbin Sanling'), is located in Xiaoling Township,
approximately 45km southeast of Heilongjiang's largest city, Harbin (population:
9 million). Harbin Sanling is a modern plant with two clinker production lines
and total cement capacity of 650,000 tonnes per annum.  The acquisition is
expected to close in the coming months subject to government approval and the
satisfaction of certain preconditions, and further information will be provided
in due course.


In a comment, Liam O'Mahony, CRH Chief Executive said: 'The proposed deal
represents an excellent opportunity for CRH to enter and participate in the
large and growing Chinese building materials market.'



Contact CRH at Dublin 404 1000 ([phone])

Liam O'Mahony, Chief Executive

Myles Lee, Finance Director




       CRH plc, Belgard Castle , Clondalkin, Dublin 22, Ireland TELEPHONE
                       +353.1.4041000 FAX [phone]

E-MAIL [e-mail] WEBSITE www.crh.com Registered Office, 42 Fitzwilliam 
                         Square, Dublin 2, Ireland


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange