Bullet in post over Lagan-Quinn agreement branded "a crude intimidatory tactic"

Lagan Group's CEO has described the receipt of a bullet in the post as "a crude intimidatory tactic" to prevent a join venture with the Quinn Group. The bullet was received by Lagan chief executive, Kevin Lagan, at his Belfast office last week, and the incident has been reported to the PSNI. The rifle bullet was seemingly sent as a threat against the Group's link up with Quinn Group, and was accompanied by a message reading: "Quinn ... is this what you want". Last December, The Anglo-Celt reported that Quinn Building Products Ltd and Lagan Cement Group Ltd had signed a memorandum of understanding that may lead to a joint venture. "This is clearly an attempt to intimidate myself and the Lagan Group at a time when we are engaged in discussions with Quinn on combining our cement and building products businesses," Mr Lagan said. "The proposed JV is a positive move for everyone and will create a sustainable independent cement manufacturer that can continue to support its customers and employees on a competitive basis. The people behind this crude intimidatory tactic clearly aren't interested in protecting jobs, but we will not be swayed from our determination to complete our discussions successfully." Commenting on the threat, a spokesman for Quinn Group told The Anglo-Celt: "The Quinn Manufacturing Group has experienced significant intimidation over the past 21 months and we are well aware of the grave upset and annoyance thiscauses to our colleagues and their families. "Whatever cause is espoused by those who perpetrate and/or sponsor intimidation of this kind, it is absolutely clear that these people have no concern for the preservation of jobs. "Further, they have no concern for the families of individuals who are dependent on the success of these businesses and they have absolutely no regard for the image of the locality and the community." Paul O'Brien, CEO, Quinn Manufacturing Group said, "It is well beyond time for them to show some regard and respect for their own community and I call on them to stop this disgusting intimidation immediately." Quinn Group CEO, Paul O'Brien told staff at the time of the signing of the memorandum with Lagan, that forecasts suggested demand for cement will weaken further still in 2013 as the industry faces into its seventh straight year of decline. He said the agreement was an attempt to "help protect our business, safeguard the interests of our people and ensure that we continue to be competitive in the market". Lagan Cement Group's memorandum of understanding with Quinn Building Products may lead to a joint venture between the two groups whereby they would combine their cement and building products businesses based in Ballyconnell, Derrylin, Kinnegad, Belfast, Cork and Benelux. These include the Lagan Cement Group, which manufactures cement, concrete, quarry and roof tiles, and Quinn Building Products, which manufactures cement, roof tiles, pre-stress, light weight blocks and quarries. The terms of the joint venture excludes Quinn Therm, Quinn Litepac, Quinn Tarmac and Lagan Sand. Quinn Group hoped that the combined volumes of Quinn Cement and Lagan would leave the joint venture well placed in a secondary position to the market leader, Irish Cement.