| Lhoist Group | |
| Type: | Holding |
| Location: | Limelette (Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve), Belgium |
| Key People: | Hippolyte Dumont (founder), Jean-Pierre Berghmans (chair and CEO) |
| Products: | High calcium lime, High dolomitic lime, calcium hydroxide, and limestone |
| Industry: | Mining |
| Num Employees: | >6,000 (2024) |
Lhoist Group is a Belgian company specializing in the production and sale of lime and dolomite, and in the research and development of applications for these products.
The history of the Lhoist Group dates back to the end of the 19th century, with the creation of the first factory in Belgium, Carrières et Fours à Chaux Dumont-Wautier, by Hippolyte Dumont in Hermalle in 1889. In 1924 his son-in-law, Léon Lhoist, created the Jemelle plant of the same name, and in 1928, Lhoist established its first French site in Lorraine, Les Carrières et Fours à Chaux de Dugny-sur-Meuse, which is still in operation today (2023). Jean-Pierre Berghmans has been at the head of the Lhoist Group since the late 1980s.
In the 1980–90s the Group acquired shares or bought out companies all over the world (United States, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Mexico, United Kingdom, Brazil), making Lhoist the world leader in lime production, with sales multiplied by 8 and 30 respectively in 25 years. The group had just over 80 operating sites in some twenty countries, and employed over 5,000 people.Lhoist operates in a variety of markets. While the steel industry remains the most important outlet, civil engineering, construction and the environment offer strong growth potential.
By 2021 the Group had around 100 sites in 25 countries, with some 6,700 employees.[1]