French building materials group Saint-Gobain  denied on Thursday ever having held merger talks with cement giant  Lafarge, as French daily Le Figaro reported.  
 
 "We categorically deny having been in talks with  Lafarge in view of a merger between the two groups," said a spokeswoman at  Saint-Gobain.
 
Le Figaro reported the two groups had recently discussed a possible tie-up but that Lafarge Chief Executive Bruno Lafont had turned down a proposal on the grounds it did not make industrial sense.  
Advertisement