Heidelberg Weighs Bid for South Africa Cement Firm PPC

Packets of cement mixture in the warehouse at a PPC Ltd. cement plant in Pretoria.

Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg

Heidelberg Materials AG is in talks with banks to appoint financial advisers as it considers a bid for top South African cement maker PPC Ltd., according to people familiar with the matter.

The German building-materials firm already has a presence especially in West Africa and wants to expand on the continent, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Heidelberg is weighing a complete acquisition of the 134-year-old Africa-focused cement maker, they said.