Blue Circle gets new structure

BLUE Circle Industries, the cement and central heating group, is reorganising its corporate structure to boost efficiency, writes Neil Thapar.

The move has resulted in the resignation of Hugh Beevor, a main board director and former chief executive of Blue Circle Overseas, one of the subsidiaries affected by the changes.

The company's five divisions are being reshuffled into two. One will concentrate on home products such as Armitage Shanks sanitary ware. The other will deal with building materials, bricks manufacturing and waste management.

Keith Orrell-Jones, BCI's chief executive, said: 'The reorganisation reflects the changing nature of the group in the light of various disposals we have made over the past two years. It will provide greater management focus and further reduce costs.'

He said the cost of implementing the changes would be insignificant but their impact on profit margins had not yet been worked out internally.

Mr Beevor, who will be leaving the group shortly, is understood to receive an annual salary of about pounds 100,000 and has a three-year rolling service contract. The terms of his compensation are being negotiated.

BCI shares fell 7p to 252p.