Acquisition

CRH PLC
01 November 2005


                           N E W S      R E L E A S E

                                                                 1 November 2005


            SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF CRH'S US MATERIALS OPERATIONS


CRH plc, the international building materials group, announces that it has
recently completed three transactions which significantly expand its Materials
operations in the US.  The total combined consideration of US$413 million (euro
344 million) comprises cash, including debt assumed, of US$361 million (euro 301
million), plus deferred payments with a net present cost of US$52 million (euro
43 million).


CRH has acquired the aggregates, asphalt, paving and construction assets of the
Mountain Companies, a vertically integrated business operating in the
Appalachian regions of eastern Kentucky, southwest Virginia and along the
Kentucky/West Virginia state line. With permitted reserves of over 400 million
tons at eight quarries and one sand & gravel pit, Mountain produces
approximately 5 million tons of aggregates and 2 million tons of asphalt
annually.  CRH has also acquired 50% of Bizzack, Inc., Mountain's heavy
construction affiliate.  Bizzack undertakes specialist rock clear-cutting and
earth-moving work, a feature in this rugged and mountainous region. Mountain
will be integrated with the Materials Division's West Virginia subsidiary, West
Virginia Paving, to form a major new regional business unit within the Materials
Division's Central group.



The Mountain deal represents a significant expansion for CRH's Americas
Materials Division into Kentucky, Virginia and southwest West Virginia. After
a record 2003, highway construction activity in Kentucky declined significantly
in 2004, however, the market is forecast to recover steadily from 2005, aided by
a significant increase in federal funding under SAFETEA-LU which is expected to
underpin several large, federally-funded new infrastructure projects in the
region.



In Minnesota, CRH has purchased the assets of Southern Minnesota Construction
('SMC'), the leading aggregates and asphalt supplier in the south-central region
of the state.  SMC has over 80 million tons of reserves and annual volumes of
approximately 3 million tons of aggregates and 0.5 million tons of asphalt. SMC
is a superb geographic fit with the Materials Division's existing Iowa business
and is a significant market expansion into a new state for the Division. It will
continue to be managed by the existing management team as a stand-alone business
within the Materials Division's West group.



For the year ended 31 December 2004, combined sales for the acquired businesses
(including 50% of Bizzack) amounted to US$294 million,  significantly lower than
in 2003, reflecting both the decline in Kentucky highway spending from the
record 2003 level and protracted wet weather in southern Minnesota.  2004 EBITDA
amounted to US$52 million with a much improved outturn expected for the current
year.



Commenting on the transactions, Liam O'Mahony, Chief Executive, said: 'These are
very well-managed businesses with excellent reserves and strong market
positions, which represent a unique geographic fit with the Materials Division's
existing activities. Integration of the businesses should facilitate substantial
cost savings while strengthening the Division's market position and giving us
significant new growth platforms in Kentucky, Virginia and Minnesota.'


Contact CRH at Dublin 404 1000 ([phone])

Liam O'Mahony, Chief Executive
Myles Lee, Finance Director
Eimear O'Flynn, Head of Investor Relations
Maeve Carton, Group Controller



      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


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