CRH involved in €600m deal to buy US water treatment firm

A building material giant based in Rathfarnham is involved in a $700 million (approx. €600 million) deal to buy a US water treatments company after a positive Q1 report.

CRH of Stonemason’s Way, Rathfarnham has stated that it has entered a deal worth $700m to purchase Axius Water, with a deal expected to close by the end of June – news which came after a positive sales report for the first three months of the year.

The building materials company, which has a base at Belgard Castle, recorded a revenue of $7.4 bn, up more than half a billion up on the recorded figure in the first quarter of last year.

CRH had previously reported continued growth last year with total revenues rising by 5 per cent to €31.8 billion in 2025.

Their expected purchase of Axius Water is intended to strengthen the CRH position in the water infrastructure business overseas.

The report stated: “The company has entered into an agreement to acquire Axius Water, a leading provider of specialised water quality solutions in North America, for a consideration of $0.7 billion, with the transaction expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

“This acquisition is expected to strengthen CRH’s position as a leading water infrastructure player in the United States.”

CRH has also agreed to divest itself of three non-core businesses with a combined value of almost $2bn.

The company intends to divest its construction accessories operations for a consideration of $700m, its lawn and garden operations for a consideration of $1.1 bn, and MoistureShield, a manufacturer of composite decking for a consideration of $100m.

The $100m MoistureShield deal closed in April, and the others are expected to be wrapped up by the end of June.

CRH’s net loss rose by approx. $100m in the last 12 months, but their EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortisation) rose by 18 per cent over the prior year, with a net loss margin below 2025 figure and the EBITDA margin above its 2025 level.

CRH Chief Executive Officer Jim Mintern said: “We delivered a strong start to 2026, reflecting good momentum from early-season project activity, disciplined commercial execution and positive contributions from acquisitions.

“During the quarter, we continued our active portfolio management, re-allocating capital into higher-growth, more connected businesses.

“Notwithstanding the current geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, we are encouraged by the continued strength of underlying demand across our key markets.

“The outlook for our business remains positive and backed by our superior strategy and connected portfolio we are pleased to reaffirm our financial guidance for 2026, leaving us well positioned for another year of growth and value creation ahead.”