Founded in 1864, Italcementi was quoted for the first time on the stock markets, at the Milan Stock Exchange, in 1925, under the name of "Società Bergamasca per la Fabbricazione del Cemento e della Calce Idraulica" and has been operating since 1927 under the name of Italcementi Spa. Thanks to a careful plan of investments and take-overs of other cement producers, the company expanded, quickly reaching a strong position on the market and becoming the leading cement manufacturer in Italy. After several acquisitions abroad, in 1992 Italcementi achieved important international status with its take-over of Ciments Français, one of the main global cement producer. In 1997 Italcementi consolidated its verticalisation strategy with the acquisition of Calcestruzzi, thus becoming Italian leader in the ready-mixed concrete sector. In March 1997, all the international companies of the Group gathered under one single corporate identity. Since 1998 Italcementi Group has been pursuing its internationalisation strategy by acquiring new cement works in Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Morocco, India, Egypt and the United States.