Careers at CRH

MISSION

CRH PLC (“CRH”) aims to establish itself as the premier provider of building materials and products in the world, leading to the construction of better quality buildings around the world.

FOUNDING STORY

CRH was formed through in 1970 by way of a merger between two leading Irish public companies, Cement Limited, established in 1936, and Roadstone, Limited, established in 1949. 

The newly-formed group became the sole producer of cement and the principal producer of aggregates, concrete products and asphalt in Ireland.

CRH has since expanded its operations significantly.  In 1978, the Company entered the US market via the acquisition of Amcor (now Oldcastle Inc).  This was followed by the acquisition of Callanan Industries in 1985.  The Company has since expanded into other markets, including emerging markets such as  Brazil, Poland, the Philippines, and Ukraine.

Today, CRH is one of the world’s leading building materials companies, with a business that spans 32 countries and serves all segments of the construction industry. 

CRH subsidiary companies employ more than 90,000 people at around 3,700 locations around the world and generated sales of  EUR 26.8 billion in 2018.

Business model of CRH

Customer Segments

CRH serves customers across the whole building materials industry. 

This includes customers in the following categories:

  • Construction Companies and Contractors, comprising companies that are involved in the construction and maintenance of buildings, as well as professional contractors such as plumbers and builders;
  • Property Development and Real Estate Companies, comprising companies engaged in the design and construction of major property developments, including real estate companies, architects, and developers;
  • Public Bodies, comprising a range of government bodies and public organisations that are engaged in construction and maintenance projects; and
  • General Consumers, comprising individuals who enjoy taking on do-it-yourself projects at home.

CRH is based in Ireland but serves an international customer base, primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. 

Value Propositions

CRH provides value to its customers in the following ways:

  • Reputation and Standing – CRH is an established and respected name in the building materials sector, with a positive reputation that dates back to before its formal establishment and the operations of its predecessor companies;
  • International Reach – CRH has an extensive international reach, with operations across markets in Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific, as well as a network of partner companies and organisations, ensuring that it is able to serve a diverse a far reaching customer base;
  • High Quality Products – CRH prides itself on providing high quality building materials to its customers to ensure that projects are completed to highest possible standards; and
  • Experience and Expertise – CRH employs specialised personnel across its operating divisions who are led by a management team with extensive industry experience, ensuring that it is able to deliver products and services effectively to its customers.

Channels

CRH primarily serves its customers directly.  The Company distributes its products and services via a network of branch sales offices across its operating markets in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. 

The Company also sells products to customers indirectly via a network of third party distributors in the building materials sector. 

CRH operates its own manufacturing facilities through which it produces its products. 

Customer Relationships

CRH seeks to establish long-standing relationships with its clients by providing reliable, high-quality products efficiently. 

The Company works closely with clients to deliver products and solutions that meet their specific needs, agreeing sales contracts directly with customers on a case-by-case basis. 

The Company employs client management personnel that maintain contact with major clients to ensure that orders are completed and that customers are satisfied with their products.

CRH operates a website at www.crh.com, through which it provides customers with information relating to its products and services, its operating locations, and its organisational structure and management. 

The Company’s website also includes a media portal, through which the Company publishes a range of content, including press releases, videos, and news articles.  CRH is additionally able to communicate directly with customers through its various social media accounts.

Key Activities

CRH is a building materials company. 

The Company organises its operations into six core business segments: Europe Heavyside, through which the Company is engaged in the manufacturing and supply of aggregates, asphalt, cement, ready-mixed and precast concrete and landscaping products; Europe Lightside, through which the Company manufactures and supplies products and solutions for customers in global construction markets; Europe Distribution, through which the Company distributes building materials to professional builders, specialist heating and plumbing contractors, and Do-It-Yourself customers; Americas Materials, through which the Company provides aggregates, asphalt, cement, ready mixed concrete and paving and construction services; Americas Products, through which the Company provides a range of other building materials products; and Asia, which comprises the Company’s activities in Asia.

Key Partners

CRH works closely with a broad network of partner companies and organisations around the world that support its core operations. 

These partners can be organised broadly into the following categories:

  • Supplier and Vendor Partners, comprising suppliers of materials and equipment that are used in the Company’s core manufacturing operations, as well as third party providers of services that support the Company’s broader corporate activities;
  • Joint Venture Partners, comprising a range of companies active in the building materials and construction sector, with which the Company provides jointly developed products and services through mutually owned entities; and
  • Strategic Partners, comprising a range of commercial enterprises and organisations with which the Company collaborates on other strategic business development, marketing, and growth projects around the world.

CRH has a number of partnerships in place.  This includes partnerships with companies such as Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Maha Cement, and Brandes Investment Partners.

Key Resources

CRH’s business model is dependent on its ability to provide high quality building materials and related products to customers reliably and efficiently. 

As such, the Company’s key resources are its intellectual properties, its supplies and supply chain infrastructure, its network of manufacturing facilities, its network of offices, its partnerships, and its personnel.

The Company notably owns and or leases manufacturing facilities and sales units that are essential in the Company’s successful operations.    

Cost Structure

CRH incurs costs in relation to the development of its products and solutions, the procurement of supplies and materials, the delivery of repairs and maintenance, the procurement of third party services, the operations= of its manufacturing facilities, the management of its partnerships, the implementation of marketing and advertising campaigns, and the payment of salaries and benefits to its personnel.

In 2018, CRH recorded total cost of sales in the amount of EUR 18.15 billion, including raw material costs of EUR 7.65 billion, employment costs of EUR 3.16 billion, and energy conversion costs of EUR 1.22 billion. 

The Company also recorded selling and distribution costs of EUR 4.51 billion and administrative expenses in the amount of USD 1.95 billion.

Revenue Streams

CRH generates revenue through the development and sale of building materials to customers in the construction and industrial sectors. 

The Company derives its revenue in the form of sales fees that are collected directly from customers on a case-by-case basis.

In 2018, CRH recorded total group revenue of EUR 26.79 billion, up on the EUR 25.22 billion recorded by the Company in 2017. 

The Company’s US operations accounted for the largest portion of its revenue, around EUR 13.38 billion, while the Company’s European operations accounted for around EUR 12.98 billion.      

Our team

Nicholas Hartery,
Chairman

info: Nicholas Hartery (“Hartery”) has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at CRH since 2004. In this role he heads the Company’s Board of Directors and oversees the general strategic development of the Company. Hartery has held numerous senior leadership positions. He previously served as Vice President of Manufacturing and Business Operations for Dell Inc’s Europe, Middle East and Africa operations from 2000 to 2008. Prior to joining Dell, he was Executive Vice President at Eastman Kodak and previously held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer at Verbatim Corporation, based in the US.

Albert Manifold,
Chief Executive Officer

info: Albert Manifold (“Manifold”) serves as Chief Executive Officer at CRH and has been a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since 2009. In this role, he is responsible for developing and implementing the Company’s overall growth and business development strategies around the world. Manifold has been employed by CRH since 1998 as Finance Director for the Company’s Europe Materials division. In 2004, he became Group Development Director and in 2007 he was appointed Managing Director of CRH Europe Materials. Prior to joining CRH, Manifold was Chief Operating Officer of a private equity group, where he held operational responsibility for their business in US and Europe over a period of ten years. 

Senan Murphy,
Group Finance Director

info: Senan Murphy (“Murphy”) has served as Group Finance Director at CRH since 2016. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing all of the Company’s financial management operations, including the activities of its internal audit, accounting, investor relations, and corporate tax departments. Murphy is an experienced financial executive. He joined first joined CRH from Bank of Ireland Group PLC, where he had served as Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Group’s Executive Committee. Prior to this, he held positions as Chief Operating Officer and Finance Director at Ulster Bank, Chief Financial Officer at Airtricity and numerous senior financial roles in GE, both in Ireland and the US.