Building materials company CRH saw pre-tax profits fall by 55% in 2009, although the second half of the year was better than expected
Profits were down to £664m sales that fell 17% to £15.8bn at the group, which includes Ibstock and Forticrete.
CRH said it expects continued difficult trading conditions across all non-residential markets, not helped by the bad weather at the start of the year.
Myles Lee, chief executive, said: “Residential and non-residential markets declined during 2009 in both Europe and the US, with government-funded infrastructure investment only partially compensating.”