Hanson this week expanded its business in the USA with the acquisition of a Florida-based concrete paving company.

The FTSE 100 materials company bought PaverModule, which is a $45m (£25.5m) turnover business that employs 170 people. Its assets are also valued at $45m.

Alan Murray, chief executive, said that the business complemented Hanson's existing concrete pipe, concrete precast products and concrete roof tile operations already established in Florida.

He added that Florida was a region that Hanson had earmarked as a good opportunity because of population growth trends in the medium term.

The acquisition is the latest in a string of purchases for Hanson. It has already spent £60m this year, including the purchase of Red Bank Manufacturing, based in Derbyshire.

Last year it spent £340m on acquisitions and this week said that it would continue this strategy.