Cembrit Holding A/S: At the crossroads: Teaching case

Cembrit was named after the Cimbri, a nomadic tribe that had broken from Northern Jutland and fought its way through Europe in a conquest. The case is a fascinating story of how Cembrit ‘fought’ its way from Denmark through Europe and beyond to become one of the leading distributors and manufacturers of fibre-cement products in Europe by 2008. It narrates how Cembrit, pursing its international growth ambition, went through a period of restructuring, acquisitions and consolidation, acquiring production, sales, and distribution fibre-cement companies throughout Europe, and eventually closing down its own production in Denmark.

Learning objectives
This case is suitable for use in both undergraduate and graduate courses in international business, international management, international strategy, and innovation management. After completion of the case, students will be able to explore and discuss various organizational and managerial challenges, including:
-dealing with regulatory constraints;
-restructuring or reinventing an organization;
-identifying and pursuing international market opportunities;
-innovating, developing, and selling new products;
-developing a growth strategy; and
-withstanding one's position within a parent company.