Table of Contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 20-F

(Mark One)

¨  REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

OR

x  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended 31 March 2015

OR

¨  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

OR

¨  SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of event requiring this shell company report

For the transition period from      to

Commission file number 1-15240

JAMES HARDIE INDUSTRIES plc

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

N/A

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

Ireland

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

Europa House, Second Floor

Harcourt Centre

Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, Ireland

(Address of principal executive offices)

Natasha Mercer

Corporate Secretary

(Contact name)

353 1411 6924 (Telephone)                 353 1479 1128 (Facsimile)

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Table of Contents

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act.

None

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.

None

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the Annual Report:

445,680,673 shares of common stock at 31 March 2015

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  x  Yes  ¨  No

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  ¨  Yes  x  No

Note — Checking the box will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their obligations under those Sections.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  x  Yes  ¨  No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  x  Yes  ¨  No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See the definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting

If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow:

¨  Item 17  ¨  Item 18

If this is an Annual Report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

¨  Yes  x  No

Table of Contents

2015

ANNUAL REPORT

ON FORM 20-F

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

FORM 20-F CROSS REFERENCE

Table of Contents

FORM 20-F CROSS REFERENCE (continued)

Table of Contents

SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION

James Hardie Industries plc is a world leader in the manufacture of fiber cement siding and backerboard. Our products are used in a number of markets, including new residential construction (single and multi-family housing), manufactured housing, repair and remodeling and a variety of commercial and industrial applications. We manufacture numerous types of fiber cement products with a variety of patterned profiles and surface finishes for a range of applications, including external siding and soffit lining, internal linings, facades and floor and tile underlay. Our current primary geographic markets include the United States of America (“US”, “USA” or the “United States”), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Europe.

James Hardie Industries plc is a “public limited company,” incorporated and existing under the laws of Ireland. Except as the context otherwise may require, references in this Annual Report on Form 20-F (this “Annual Report”) to “James Hardie,” the “James Hardie Group,” the “Company,” “JHI plc,” “we,” “our” or “us” refer to James Hardie Industries plc., together with its direct and indirect wholly owned subsidiaries as of the time relevant to the applicable reference.

This Annual Report contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements.” For an explanation of forward-looking statements and the risks, uncertainties and assumptions to which they are subject, see “Section 2 – Reading this Report.” Further, a “Glossary of Abbreviations and Definitions” has also been included under Section 4 of this Annual Report.

The term “fiscal year” refers to our fiscal year ended 31 March of such year; the term “dollars,” “US$” or “$” refers to US dollars; and the term “A$” refers to Australian dollars. For the exchange rates used to convert Australian dollar denominated amounts into US dollars, see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements in Section 2.

Information contained in or accessible through the websites mentioned in this Annual Report does not form part of this Annual Report unless we specifically state that it is incorporated by reference herein. All references in this report to websites are inactive textual references and are for information only.

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

We have included in this Annual Report the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company, consisting of our consolidated balance sheets as of 31 March 2015 and 2014, and our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, changes in shareholders’ (deficit) equity and cash flows for each of the years ended 31 March 2015, 2014 and 2013, together with the related notes thereto. The consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the US (“US GAAP”).

The selected consolidated financial information summarized below for the five most recent fiscal years has been derived in part from the Company’s financial statements. You should read the

Table of Contents

selected consolidated financial information in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements and related notes contained in “Section 2 – Consolidated Financial Statements” and with the information provided in “Section 2 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis.” Historic financial data is not necessarily indicative of our future results and you should not unduly rely on it.

Table of Contents

INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY

History and Development of the Company

James Hardie was established in 1888 as an import business, listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”) in 1951 to become a publicly owned company in Australia. After becoming a listed company, we built a diverse portfolio of building and industrial products. In the late-1970s, we pioneered the development of asbestos-free fiber cement technology and in the early-1980’s began designing and manufacturing a wide range of fiber cement building products that made use of the benefits that came from the products’ durability, versatility and strength. Using the technical and manufacturing expertise developed in Australia, we expanded into the United States, opening our first fiber-cement plant at Fontana, California in February 1990.

In September 2001, in order to maximize the benefit of our strong international growth and in order to generate higher returns for shareholders from the James Hardie Group’s continuing international expansion, the shareholders of James Hardie Industries Limited (“JHIL”), then the ultimate parent company of the James Hardie Group and the vehicle with which our shareholding was listed with the ASX, agreed to exchange their shares for shares in James Hardie Industries N.V. (“JHINV”), a Dutch public limited liability company. JHINV retained its primary listing on the ASX, and in October 2001, to reflect the new corporate structure, JHIL transferred all of its fiber cement businesses to JHINV.

In February 2010, our legal name was changed to James Hardie Industries SE when our legal form was converted from a Dutch public limited liability company to a Societas Europaea (“SE”), a European public limited liability company. This was the first stage of a two-stage re-domicile proposal to change our registered corporate domicile from the Netherlands to Ireland. On 17 June 2010, we implemented Stage 2 of the re-domicile and changed our registered corporate domicile

Table of Contents

to Ireland to become an Irish SE, becoming an Irish tax resident on 29 June 2010. On 15 October 2012, we converted from an Irish SE into our current corporate form, an Irish public limited company (“plc”).

We conduct our operations under legislation in various jurisdictions. As an Irish plc, we are governed by the Irish Companies Acts and we operate under the regulatory requirements of numerous jurisdictions and organizations, including the ASX, ASIC, the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Irish Takeover Panel and various other rulemaking bodies.

The address of our registered office in Ireland is Europa House, Second Floor, Harcourt Centre, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, Ireland (the “Corporate Address”). The telephone number there is +353 1411 6924. Our agent in the United States is CT Corporation. Its office is located at 3 Winners Circle, 3rd Floor, Albany, New York 12205. The address of our registered office in Australia is Level 3, 22 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000 and the telephone number there is +61 28845 3360. Our share registry is maintained by Computershare Registry Services Pty Ltd. All enquires and correspondence regarding holdings should be directed to: Computershare Investor Services Pty Ltd, Level 5, 115 Grenfell Street, Adelaide, SA 5000; telephone: (61 3) 9415 4000, toll free within Australia: 1 300 855 080 or toll free from the US 1855 298 3404.

Our Agreement with Asbestos Injuries Compensation Fund

Prior to 1987, ABN 60 Pty Limited (formerly JHIL) (“ABN 60”) and two of its former subsidiaries, Amaca Pty Limited (“Amaca”) and Amaba Pty Limited (“Amaba”) (together the “Former James Hardie Companies”), manufactured products in Australia that contained asbestos. These products have resulted in liabilities for the Former James Hardie Companies in Australia.

In February 2007, our shareholders approved the Amended and Restated Final Funding Agreement (“AFFA”) entered into on 21 November 2006 to provide long-term funding to AICF for the compensation of proven Australian-related personal injury claims for which the Former James Hardie Companies are found liable. AICF, an independent trust, subsequently assumed ownership of the Former James Hardie Companies. We do not own AICF, however, we are entitled to appoint three directors, including the Chairman, and the New South Wales (“NSW”) Government is entitled to appoint two directors.

Under the terms of the AFFA, subject to the operation of an annual cash flow cap, James Hardie 117 Pty Ltd (the “Performing Subsidiary”) will make annual payments to AICF. The amount of these annual payments is dependent on several factors, including our free cash flow (as defined in the AFFA), actuarial estimations, actual claims paid, operating expenses of AICF, changes in the AUD/USD exchange rate and the annual cash flow cap. JHI plc owns 100% of the Performing Subsidiary and guarantees the Performing Subsidiary’s obligation. As a result, for purposes of US GAAP, we consider JHI plc to be the primary beneficiary of AICF.

Although we have no legal ownership in AICF, for financial reporting purposes, our interest in AICF is considered variable and we consolidate AICF due to our pecuniary and contractual interests in AICF as a result of the funding arrangements outlined in the AFFA. For additional information on our consolidation of AICF and asbestos-related assets and liabilities, see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements.

Table of Contents

Corporate Structure

The following diagram summarizes our current corporate structure:

Business Overview

General Overview of Our Business

Based on net sales, we believe we are the largest manufacturer of fiber cement products and systems for internal and external building construction applications in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines. We market our fiber cement products and systems under various Hardie brand names, such as HardieBacker^® boards, and other brand names such as Artisan^® Lap siding and Artisan^® Accent Trim by James Hardie, Cemplank^® and Prevail^® siding and Scyon^® advanced lightweight cement composite products such as Scyon^® Stria^® cladding.

The breakdown of our net sales by operating segment for each of our last three fiscal years is as follows:

Products

We manufacture a wide-range of fiber-cement building materials for both internal and external use across a broad range of applications, including: external siding, internal walls, floors, ceilings, soffits, roofing, lattice, decorative columns, fencing and facades. While there are some market specific products, our core product ranges, being planks, which are used for external siding and

Table of Contents

flat sheets, which are used for internal and external wall linings and floor underlayments, are sold across all of the markets in which we operate.

Products Used in External Applications

We developed a proprietary technology platform that enables us to produce thicker yet lighter-weight fiber cement products that are generally easier to handle than most traditional building products. Further, we believe that our products provide certain performance, design and cost advantages, while offering comparable aesthetics to competing products such as wood and vinyl siding.

Performance and design advantages:

We believe the benefits associated with our fiber cement products have enabled us to gain a competitive advantage over competing products.

Products Used in Internal Applications

Compared to natural and engineered wood and wood-based products, we believe our product range for internal applications provide the same general advantages provided by our products for external applications. In addition, our fiber cement products for internal applications exhibit less movement in response to exposure to moisture and impact damage than many competing products, providing a more consistent and durable substrate on which to install tiles. Further, we believe our ceramic tile underlayment products exhibit better handling and installation characteristics compared to fiberglass mesh cement boards.

Significant New Products

In the United States, new products released over the last three years include a new profile HZ10^® HardiePlank^® siding, HardieTrim^® Mouldings, Artisan^® V-Rustic premium exterior siding and an improved touch up accessory to support products using ColorPlus^® technology.

In Australia and New Zealand, new products released over the last three years include the ARChitectural™ Prefinished panel range for commercial applications, including Invibe^® panels with Chromashield^® Technology and Inraw^® panels.

Table of Contents

In Australia only, the HardieBrace^®, a new online calculator tool, offers a way to simplify structural bracing calculations. Modcem^® modular flooring has provided an entry into commercial flooring applications. Additions to the range of building science offerings include HardieEdge^® termite barrier, HardieWrap^® weather barrier, HardieFire^® Insulation, HardieBreak^® Thermal Strip, as well as the HardieSmart^® Boundary, Aged Care and ZeroLot Wall Systems. Due to an evolution of the market in Australia, the Scyon^® range of products has been repositioned under the James Hardie brand as James Hardie^® products including Scyon^® technology.

In New Zealand only, over the same timeframe, Secura^® Interior Flooring, Secura^® Exterior Flooring, Axent™ Fascia, HomeRAB^® 4.5mm Pre Cladding, HardieGlaze^® Listello and Grande lining, Stria^® Cladding, Axon^® 400 and 133 Grain Cladding, Linea^® Oblique™ Cladding and Easy Lap™ Panel have been launched under the repositioned James Hardie brand.

In the Philippines, new products released over the past three years include the extension of the established Hardieflex™ board range with the inclusion of Hardieflex™ Wet Area lining boards and Hardieflex™ Pro primarily for wet area application and HardieFlex^® Flooring.

The European business has launched HardieFloor™ Structural Flooring, and has developed an innovative range of products focused on improving acoustic performance of buildings, including HardieFloor dB™ Structural Acoustic Flooring, and HardieQStrip™ Acoustic Batten.

Principal Markets for Our Products

United States, Canada and Europe

In the US and Canada, the largest application for fiber cement building products is in external siding for the residential building industry, which includes options such as vinyl, stucco, fiber cement, natural and engineered wood and brick, with vinyl having the largest share of the US and Canadian siding markets. External siding typically occupies a significant square footage component of the outside of every building. Selection of siding material is based on installed cost, durability, aesthetic appeal, strength, weather resistance, maintenance requirements and cost, insulating properties and other features. Different regions of the US and Canada show a decided preference amongst siding materials according to economic conditions, weather, materials availability and local preference.

Demand for siding in the US and Canada fluctuates based on the level of new residential housing starts and the repair and remodeling activity of existing homes. The level of activity is generally a function of interest rates and the availability of financing to homeowners to purchase a new home or make improvements to their existing homes, inflation, household income and wage growth, unemployment levels, demographic trends, gross domestic product growth and consumer confidence. The sale of fiber cement products in the US accounts for the largest portion of our net sales, accounting for 75%, 73% and 70% of our total net sales in fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

In the US and Canada, competition in the external siding market comes primarily from substitute products, such as natural or engineered wood, vinyl, stucco and brick. We believe we can continue to increase our market share from these competing products through targeted marketing

Table of Contents

programs designed to educate customers on our brand and the performance, design and cost advantages of our products.

In Europe, fiber cement building products are used in both residential and commercial building applications in external siding, internal walls, floors, soffits and roofing. We compete in most segments, except roofing, and promote the use of fiber cement products against traditional masonry, gypsum-based products and wood-based products. Since we commenced selling our products in Europe in fiscal year 2004, we have continued to work to grow demand for our products by building awareness among distributors, builders and contractors. Management believes that the growth outlook for fiber cement in Europe is favorable, in light of stricter insulation requirements driving demand for advanced exterior cladding systems, as well as better building practices increasing the use of fiber cement in interior applications.

Asia Pacific

In the Asia Pacific region, we principally sell into the Australian, New Zealand and Philippines markets, with the residential building industry representing the principal market for fiber cement products. The largest applications of fiber cement across our three primary markets are in external siding, internal walls, ceilings, floors, soffits, fences and facades. We believe the level of activity in this industry is generally a function of interest rates, inflation, household income and wage growth, unemployment levels, demographic trends, gross domestic product growth and consumer confidence. Demand for fiber cement building products is also affected by the level of new housing starts and renovation activity.

In Australia, we face competition from two primary competitors with domestic manufacturing facilities, along with increased competition from imports. Additionally, we continue to see competition from natural and engineered wood, wallboard, masonry and brick products.

In New Zealand, we continue to see competition intensifying as fiber cement imports have become more cost competitive and overseas manufacturers look to supplement their primary operating environments with additional markets.

In the Philippines, we have seen fiber cement gain acceptance across a broader range of product applications in the last decade, leading to additional fiber cement products entering the market, along with the increased use of gypsum in fiber cement applications. We see fiber cement having long-term growth potential not only in the Philippines, but across Asia and the Middle East, as the benefits of its light-weight and durability become more widely recognized.

Seasonality

Our earnings are seasonal and typically follow activity levels in the building and construction industry. In the United States, the calendar quarters ending in December and March generally reflect reduced levels of building activity depending on weather conditions. In Australia and New Zealand, the calendar quarter ending in March is usually the quarter most affected by a slowdown due to summer holidays. In the Philippines, construction activity diminishes during the wet season from June through September and during the last half of December due to the slowdown in

Table of Contents

business activity over the holiday period. Also, general industry patterns can be affected by weather, economic conditions, industrial disputes and other factors. See “Section 3 – Risk Factors.”

Raw Materials

The principal raw materials used in the manufacture of our fiber cement products are cellulose fiber (wood-based pulp), silica (sand), Portland cement and water. We have established supplier relationships for all of our raw materials across the various markets in which we operate and we do not anticipate having difficulty in obtaining our required raw materials from these suppliers. The purchase price of these raw materials and other materials can fluctuate depending on the supply-demand situation at any given point in time.

We work hard to reduce the effect of both price fluctuations and supply interruptions by entering into contracts with qualified suppliers and through continuous internal improvements in both our products and manufacturing processes.

Cellulose Fiber

Reliable access to specialized, consistent quality, low cost pulp is critical to the production of fiber cement building materials. As a result of our many years of experience and expertise in the industry, we share our internal expertise with pulp producers in New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and Chile to ensure they are able to provide us with a highly specialized and proprietary formula crucial to the reinforcing cement matrix of our fiber cement products. We have confidentiality agreements with our pulp producers and we have obtained patents in the United States and in certain other countries covering certain unique aspects of our pulping formulas and processes that we believe cannot adequately be protected through confidentiality agreements. However, we cannot be assured that our intellectual property and other proprietary information will be protected in all cases. See “Section 3 – Risk Factors.”

Silica

High purity silica is sourced locally by the various production plants. In the majority of locations, we use silica sand as a silica source. In certain other locations, however, we process quartz rock and beneficiate silica sand to ensure the quality and consistency of this key raw material.

Cement

Cement is acquired in bulk from local suppliers. We continue to evaluate options on agreements with suppliers for the purchase of cement that can lock in our cement prices over longer periods of time.

Water

We use local water supplies and seek to process all wastewater to comply with environmental requirements.

Table of Contents

Sales, Marketing and Distribution

The principal markets for our fiber cement products are the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Canada, and in parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom and France. In addition, we have sold fiber cement products in many other markets, including Belgium, China, Denmark, French Caribbean, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Mexico, the Middle East (Israel, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates), the Netherlands, Norway, various Pacific Islands, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam. Our brand name, customer education in comparative product advantages, differentiated product range and customer service, including technical advice and assistance, provide the basis for our marketing strategy.

We offer our customers support through a specialized fiber cement sales force and customer service infrastructure in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Europe. The customer service infrastructure includes inbound customer service support coordinated nationally in each country, and is complemented by outbound telemarketing capability. Within each regional market, we provide sales and marketing support to building products dealers and lumber yards and also provide support directly to the customers of these distribution channels, principally homebuilders and building contractors.

We maintain dedicated regional sales management teams in our major sales territories, with our national sales managers and national account managers, together with regional sales managers and sales representatives, maintaining relationships with national and other major accounts. Our various sales forces, which in some instances manage specific product categories, include skilled trades people who provide on-site technical advice and assistance.

In the United States, we sell fiber cement products for new residential construction predominantly to distributors, which then sell these products to dealers or lumber yards. This two-step distribution process is supplemented with direct sales to dealers and lumber yards as a means of accelerating product penetration and sales. Repair and remodel products in the United States are typically sold through the large home center retailers and specialist distributors. Our products are distributed across the United States and Canada primarily by road and, to a lesser extent, by rail.

In Australia and New Zealand, both new construction and repair and remodel products are generally sold directly to distributor/hardware stores and lumber yards rather than through the two-step distribution process. In the Philippines, a network of thousands of small to medium size dealer outlets sell our fiber cement products to consumers, builders and real estate developers, although in recent years, do-it-yourself type stores have started to enter the Philippines market. The physical distribution of our product in each country is primarily by road or sea transport. Products manufactured in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines are also exported to a number of markets in Asia, various Pacific Islands, and the Middle East by sea transport.

Despite the fact that distributors and dealers are generally our direct customers, we also aim to increase primary demand for our products by marketing our products directly to homeowners, architects and builders. We encourage them to specify and install our products because of the quality and craftsmanship of our products. This “pull through” strategy, in turn, assists us in

Table of Contents

expanding sales for our distribution network as distributors benefit from the increasing demand for our products.

Geographic expansion of our fiber cement business has occurred in markets where framed construction is prevalent for residential applications or where there are opportunities to change building practices from masonry to framed construction. Expansion is also possible where there are direct substitution opportunities irrespective of the methods of construction. Our entry into the Philippines is an example of the ability to substitute fiber cement for an alternative product (in this case plywood). With the exception of our current major markets, as well as Japan and certain rural areas in Asia, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe, most markets in the world principally utilize masonry construction for external walls in residential construction. Accordingly, further geographic expansion depends substantially on our ability to provide alternative construction solutions and for those solutions to be accepted in those markets.

Dependence on Trade Secrets and Research and Development (“R&D”)

We pioneered the successful development of cellulose reinforced fiber cement and, since the early-1980s, have progressively introduced products developed as a result of our proprietary product formulation and process technology. The introduction of differentiated products is one of the core components of our global business strategy. This product differentiation strategy is supported by our significant investment in research and development activities.

We view spending on research and development as the key to sustaining our existing product leadership position, by providing a continuous pipeline of innovative new products and technologies with sustainable performance and design advantages over our competitors. Further, through our investments in new process technology or by modifying existing process technology, we aim to keep reducing our capital and operating costs and to find new ways to make existing and new products. As such, we expect to continue allocating significant funding to these endeavors. For fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, our expenses for R&D were US$31.7 million, US$33.1 million and US$37.2 million, respectively.

Our current patent portfolio is based mainly on fiber cement compositions, associated manufacturing processes and the resulting products. Our non-patented technical intellectual property consists primarily of our operating and manufacturing know-how and raw material and operating equipment specifications, all of which are maintained as trade secret information. We have enhanced our abilities to effectively create, manage and utilize our intellectual property and have implemented a strategy that increasingly uses patenting, licensing, trade secret protection and joint development to protect and increase our competitive advantage.

In addition, we own a variety of licenses; industrial, commercial and financial contracts; and manufacturing processes. While we are dependent on the competitive advantage that these items provide as a whole, we are not dependent on any one of them individually and does not consider any one of them individually to be material. We do not materially rely on intellectual property licensed from any outside third parties. However, we cannot assure that our intellectual property and other proprietary information will be protected in all cases. In addition, if our research and development efforts fail to generate new, innovative products or processes, our overall profit margins may decrease and demand for our products may fall. See “Section 3 – Risk Factors.”

Table of Contents

Governmental Regulation

As an Irish plc, we are governed by the Irish Companies Acts and are also subject to all applicable European Union level legislation. We also operate under the regulatory requirements of numerous jurisdictions and organizations, including the ASX, ASIC, the NYSE, the SEC, the Irish Takeover Panel and various other federal, state, local and foreign rulemaking bodies. See “Section 3 – Memorandum and Articles of Association” for information regarding Irish Companies Acts and regulations to which we are subject.

Environmental, Health and Safety Regulation

Our operations and properties are subject to extensive federal, state, local and foreign environmental protection, health and safety laws, regulations and ordinances governing activities and operations that may have adverse environmental effects. As it relates to our operations, our manufacturing plants produce regulated materials, including waste water and air emissions. The waste water produced from our manufacturing plants is internally recycled and reused before eventually being discharged to publicly owned treatment works, a process which is monitored by us, as well as by regulators. In addition, we actively monitor air emissions and other regulated materials produced by our plants so as to ensure compliance with the various environmental regulations under which we operate.

Some environmental laws provide that a current or previous owner or operator of real property may be liable for the costs of investigation, removal or remediation of certain regulated materials on, under, or in that property or other impacted properties. In addition, persons who arrange, or are deemed to have arranged, for the disposal or treatment of certain regulated materials may also be liable for the costs of investigation, removal or remediation of the regulated materials at the disposal or treatment site, regardless of whether the affected site is owned or operated by such person. Environmental laws often impose liability whether or not the owner, operator, transporter or arranger knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such regulated materials. Also, third parties may make claims against owners or operators of properties for personal injuries, property damage and/or for clean-up associated with releases of certain regulated materials pursuant to applicable environmental laws and common law tort theories, including strict liability.

In the past, from time to time, we have received notices of alleged discharges in excess of our water and air permit limits. In each case, and in compliance with our Environmental Policy, we have addressed the concerns raised in those notices, in part, through capital expenditures intended to prevent future discharges in excess of permitted levels and, on occasion, the payment of associated minor fines.

Environmental compliance costs in the future will depend, in part, on continued oversight of operations, expansion of operations and manufacturing activities, regulatory developments and future requirements that cannot presently be predicted.

Table of Contents

Organizational Structure

JHI plc is incorporated and domiciled in Ireland and the table below sets forth our significant subsidiaries, all of which are wholly-owned by JHI plc, either directly or indirectly, as of 30 April 2015.

Table of Contents

Property, Plants and Equipment

We believe we have some of the largest and lowest cost fiber cement manufacturing plants across the United States, Australia and New Zealand, with our plants servicing both domestic and export markets. Our plants are ideally located to take advantage of established transportation networks, allowing us to distribute our products into key markets, while also providing easy access to key raw materials.

Manufacturing Capacity

At 31 March 2015, we had manufacturing facilities at the following locations:

Table of Contents

Based on the design capacities of our various fiber cement manufacturing facilities, for the year ended 31 March 2015, we had an annual flat sheet design capacity of 3,230 mmsf and 520 mmsf in the United States and Asia Pacific, respectively. It is important to note that annual design capacity does not necessarily reflect the actual capacity utilization rates of our manufacturing facilities, with actual utilization affected by factors such as demand, product mix, batch size, plant availability and production speeds. For fiscal 2015, actual capacity utilization across our plants was an average of 65% and 84% in the United States and Asia Pacific, respectively.

Mines

We lease silica quartz mine sites in Tacoma, Washington, Reno, Nevada and Victorville, California. The lease for our quartz mine in Tacoma, Washington expires in February 2018 (with options to renew). The lease for our silica quartz mine site in Reno, Nevada expires in January 2019. The lease for our silica mine site in Victorville, California expires in June, 2015. Further, we own rights to an additional property in Victorville, California, however, as of 30 April 2015, we have not begun to mine this site.

As a mine operator, we are required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), and rules promulgated by the SEC implementing that section of the Dodd-Frank Act, to provide certain information concerning mine safety violations and other regulatory matters concerning the operation of our mines. During fiscal year 2015, we did not receive any notices, citations, orders, legal action or other communication from the US Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration that would necessitate additional disclosure under Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Capital Expenditures

We utilize a mix of operating cash flow and debt facilities to fund our capital expenditure projects and investments, and expect to incur significant capital expenditures through fiscal year 2017 with a focus on capacity expansion projects at existing plants, the refurbishment and re-commissioning of idled production assets and the development of new locations in anticipation of a continued improvement in our operating environment. Additionally, we continuously invest in equipment maintenance and upgrades to ensure continued environmental compliance and operating effectiveness of our plants. The following table sets forth our capital expenditures for the three most recent fiscal years:

Table of Contents

Significant active capital expenditures

At 31 March 2015, the following significant capital expenditure projects remain in progress:

Significant completed capital expenditure projects

Following is a list of significant capital expenditure projects we have invested in over the three most recent fiscal years:

Capital Divestitures

During the three most recent fiscal years, we did not make any material capital divestitures. However, on 6 May 2015, we entered into a conditional sale agreement to sell our Australian concrete pipes business. At the date of this Annual Report, the sale is still subject to the satisfactory completion of various contract conditions, but is expected to close in the first half of fiscal year 2016. We do not consider the disposition of the pipes business a material divestiture or a strategic shift in the nature of our operations. Additionally, in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2015, we executed a conditional sale agreement to sell our Blandon, Pennsylvania location, where production was suspended in November 2007. We expect to complete the sale of this property in the first half of fiscal year 2016.

Table of Contents

DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES

James Hardie Executive Team

Our management is overseen by our executive team, whose members cover the key areas of fiber cement research and development, production, manufacturing, investor relations, finance and legal.

Members of our executive team at 30 April 2015 (in alphabetical order) are:

Joe Blasko BSFS, JD

General Counsel

Age 48

From 2004 to 2006, Mr Blasko was Associate General Counsel at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, serving as the effective “general counsel” to numerous corporate divisions within the organization. From 1997 to 2004, Mr Blasko gained considerable regulatory and litigation expertise working at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP in Ohio.

Mr Blasko has a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, USA and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, USA, with a specialty in International Relations, Law and Organizations.

Table of Contents

Mark Fisher BSc, MBA

Executive General Manager – International

Age 44

In January 2010, he was appointed Executive General Manager – International, responsible for the Company’s non-US businesses in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and Europe and the Company’s windows business.

Mr Fisher has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from University of Southern California, USA.

Sean Gadd BEng, MBA

Executive General Manager – Northern Division

Age 42

Chain. In 2011, Mr Gadd was promoted to the role of Vice President of Sales for the Western USA and Canada. Over the next year, his role was expanded to include the Midwest and Northeast of the USA.

Mr Gadd was appointed Executive General Manager in September 2013 with full P&L responsibility for the Northern Division.

Mr Gadd has a Bachelor of Engineering in Manufacturing Management and an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management, Australia.

Table of Contents

Louis Gries BSc, MBA

Chief Executive Officer

Age 61

Before he joined James Hardie, Mr Gries worked for 13 years for USG Corp, including a variety of roles in research, plant quality and production, and product and plant management.

Mr Gries has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Illinois, USA and an MBA from California State University, Long Beach, USA.

Matthew Marsh BA, MBA

Chief Financial Officer

Age 40

Prior to those appointments Mr Marsh travelled globally with the GE Internal Audit Staff gaining extensive experience in several industries including appliances, information services, distribution and supply, aviation, plastics, financial services, capital markets and health care, across more than twenty countries. Mr Marsh has graduated from GE’s Financial Management Program (FMP).

Mr Marsh has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Public Affairs from Syracuse University, USA and an MBA from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, USA.

Table of Contents

Sean O’Sullivan BA, MBA

Vice President — Investor & Media Relations

Age 49

Mr O’Sullivan has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Sydney University, Australia and an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Australia.

Ryan Sullivan BSc, MS, MBA

Executive General Manager – Southern Division

Age 41

Before joining James Hardie, Mr Sullivan was a senior manager at Marconi Communications where he held numerous positions and had global responsibility. He has also worked in the fields of nuclear power and advanced robotics.

Mr Sullivan has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Design from Carnegie Mellon University, USA, a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, USA and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh Katz School, USA.

Table of Contents

Board of Directors

James Hardie’s directors have widespread experience, spanning general management, finance, law, marketing and accounting. Each director also brings valuable international experience that assists with James Hardie’s growth.

Members of the Board of Directors as at 31 March 2015 are:

Michael Hammes BS, MBA

Age 73

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Director of Navistar International Corporation (since 1996); Director of DynaVox Mayer-Johnson (listed in April 2010).

Other: Resident of the United States.

Last elected: August 2014

Term expires: August 2017

Table of Contents

Donald McGauchie AO

Age 65

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Chairman (since 2010) and Director (since 2010) of Australian Agricultural Company Limited; Chairman (since 2010) and Director (since 2003) of Nufarm Limited; Director of GrainCorp Limited (since 2009); Former – Chairman of Telstra Corporation Limited (2004-2009).

Other: Chairman of Australian Wool Testing Authority (since 2005) and Director since 1999; Former Director of The Reserve Bank of Australia (2001-2011); resident of Australia.

Last elected: August 2013

Term expires: August 2016

Brian Anderson BS, MBA, CPA

Age 64

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Chairman (since 2010) and Director (since 2005) of A.M. Castle & Co.; Director of PulteGroup (since 2005); Director of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (since 1999); Former Lead Director of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (2011-2014).

Other: Resident of the United States.

Last elected: August 2012

Term expires: August 2015

Table of Contents

Russell Chenu BCom, MBA

Age 65

Mr Chenu is an experienced corporate and finance executive who held senior finance and management positions with a number of Australian publicly-listed companies. In a number of these senior roles, he was engaged in significant strategic business planning and business change, including several turnarounds, new market expansions and management leadership initiatives.

Mr Chenu has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Australia.

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Director of Leighton Holdings Limited (since 2014); Director of Metro Performance Glass Limited (since 2014).

Other: Resident of Australia

Last elected: August 2014

Term expires: August 2017

Table of Contents

David D. Harrison BA, MBA, CMA

Age 68

President and Chief Financial Officer (1994-1996 and 2000-2007) and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer roles at Scotts, Inc. and Coltec Industries, Inc. (1996-2000).

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Director of National Oilwell Varco (since 2003); Former – Director of Navistar International Corporation (2007-2012).

Other: Resident of the United States.

Last elected: August 2013

Term expires: August 2016

Andrea Gisle Joosen MSc, BSc

Age 51

several senior marketing roles with Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson.

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Director of BillerudKorsnas AB (since 2015); Director of Dixons Carphone plc (since 2014); Director of ICA Gruppen AB (since 2010); Former – Director of Dixons Retail plc (2012-2013).

Other: Director of Mr Green AB (since 2015); Director of Neopitch AB (since 2004) and Lighthouse Group AB (since 2015); resident of Sweden.

Last elected: Ms Gisle Joosen will be standing for election at the August 2015 AGM.

Table of Contents

Alison Littley BA, FCIPS

Age 52

of Buying Solutions, a UK Government Agency responsible for procurement of goods and services on behalf of UK government and public sector bodies (2006-2011). She has previously held senior management roles in Diageo plc (1999-2006) and Mars, Inc. (1981-1999). She serves on the Board of Weightmans LLP, a UK law firm and TG Eakin Ltd, a medical device company.

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: None.

Other: Resident of the United Kingdom.

Last elected: August 2012

Term expires: August 2015

James Osborne BA Hons, LLB

Age 66

1979 and serving as the firm’s managing partner (1982-1994). He has served as a consultant to the firm since 1994. Mr Osborne also contributed to the listing of Ryanair in London, New York and Dublin and continues to serve on Ryanair’s board.

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Director of Ryanair Holdings plc (since 1996); Former – Chairman of Independent News & Media (2011-2012), Chairman of Newcourt Group plc (2004-2009).

Other: Chairman of Eason Holdings plc (since 2013); Chairman of Jellia Holdings Limited (since 2004); Chairman of ELST (since 2012); resident of Ireland.

Last elected: August 2012

Term expires: August 2015

Table of Contents

Rudolf van der Meer M.Ch.Eng

Age 70

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Director of LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (since 2010); Former – Member of the Supervisory Board of Hagemeyer N.V. (2006-2008); Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Imtech N.V. (2005-2013).

Other: Former Chairman of the Board of Energie Beheer Nederland B.V. (2006 - 2013); Chairman of the Supervisory Board of VGZ Health Insurance (since May 2011); resident of the Netherlands.

Last elected: August 2014

Term expires: August 2017

Table of Contents

Remuneration

We are not required to produce a remuneration report under applicable Irish, Australian or US rules or regulations. However, taking into consideration our Australian shareholder base and primary listing on the ASX, we have voluntarily produced a remuneration report consistent with those provided by similarly situated Australian-domiciled companies for non-binding shareholder approval since 2005 and we intend to continue to do so for fiscal year 2015. The remuneration information provided in this Annual Report outlines the key remuneration and share ownership information for our Board of Directors and certain of our senior executive officers (chief executive officer, chief financial officer and the other three highest paid executive officers based on total compensation that was earned or accrued for fiscal year 2015) (collectively, our “Senior Executive Officers”). A more extensive remuneration report, which further details our remuneration policies and practices for fiscal year 2015, will be provided separately to our shareholders in July 2015, together with the 2015 Notice of AGM and accompanying materials.

Remuneration Philosophy

Our remuneration philosophy is to provide our Senior Executive Officers with an overall package that is competitive with US listed peer group companies exposed to the US housing market, while emphasizing operational excellence and shareholder value creation through incentives which link executive remuneration with the interests of shareholders.

Composition of Remuneration Packages

Remuneration packages for Senior Executive Officers reflect our remuneration philosophy and comprise a mixture of fixed base salary and benefits and variable performance-based incentive remuneration, which is dependent upon the achievement of both short- and long-term goals.

Our policy is to position Senior Executive Officer fixed base salary and benefits at the median and total target direct remuneration (comprising fixed and target variable remuneration) at the 75^th percentile of our US listed peer group companies, if stretch short and long-term target performance goals are met.

Performance goals for target variable performance-based incentive remuneration are set with the expectation that we will deliver results in the top quartile of our US listed peer group companies. Performance below this level will result in variable remuneration payments below target (and potentially zero for poor performance). Performance above this level will result in variable remuneration payments above target.

The executive remuneration framework described in this Annual Report also applies to the other members of our executive team, who work to manage our business. Our five most highly compensated Senior Executive Officers in fiscal year 2015 were:

Table of Contents

Base Salaries and Other Benefits

Base salary provides a guaranteed level of income that recognizes the market value of the position and internal equities between roles, and the individual’s capability, experience and performance. Base salaries for Senior Executive Officers are positioned around the market median for positions of similar responsibility and are reviewed by the Remuneration Committee each year, although increases are not automatic. In addition, Senior Executive Officers may receive certain other limited fixed benefits, such as medical and life insurance benefits, car allowances, participation in executive wellness programs and an annual financial planning allowance. For fiscal year 2015, the base salary and value of other fixed benefits for each of our Senior Executive Officers is provided in the Base Pay and Other Benefits columns of the Remuneration Table, located under the heading “Remuneration for Senior Executive Officers”.

Incentive Arrangements

In addition to the base salary and benefits provided to our Senior Executive Officers, the Remuneration Committee reviews and approves a combination of both short-term and long-term variable incentive programs on an annual basis. For fiscal year 2015, our variable incentive plans for Senior Executive Officers were as follows:

STI Plans

On an annual basis, the Remuneration Committee approves a STI target for all Senior Executive Officers, expressed as a percentage of base salary, which is allocated between individual goals and company goals under the IP and CP Plans, respectively. For fiscal year 2015, the STI target percentage for Mr Gries was 125% of base salary and 60% of base salary for Messrs Marsh, Fisher, Gadd and Sullivan, with 80% allocated to the CP Plan and 20% allocated to the IP Plan for all Senior Executive Officers.

CP Plan

The CP Plan, which is approved by the Remuneration Committee, is based on a series of payout matrices for the US and Asia Pacific businesses, which provide a range of possible payouts depending on our performance against performance hurdles which assess volume growth relative to, and above, market and earnings. Each Senior Executive Officer can receive between 0% and 300% of their STI target allocated to the CP Plan based on the results of the payout matrix the

Table of Contents

Senior Executive Officer is tied to. All Senior Executive Officers are tied to either the US payout matrix or a composite multiple derived from the payout matrices for the US and Asia Pacific businesses. We use two performance hurdles in the payout matrices to ensure that as management increases its top line market growth focus, it does not do so at the expense of short- to medium-term earnings. Management is encouraged to balance market growth and earnings returns since achievement of strong rewards requires management to generate both strong earnings and growth relative to and above market. Higher returns on one measure at the expense of the other measure may result in a lower reward or no reward at all.

IP Plan

Under the IP Plan, the Remuneration Committee approves a series of one-year individual performance goals which, along with personal growth and development goals, are used to assess the performance of our Senior Executive Officers. The IP Plan links financial rewards to the Senior Executive Officer’s achievement of specific objectives that have benefited us and contributed to shareholder value, but are not captured directly by financial measures in the CP Plan. Each Senior Executive Officer can receive between 0% and 150% of their STI target allocated to the IP Plan based on achievement of individual performance goals.

For fiscal year 2015, the amount to be paid to each of our Senior Executive Officers under the STI Plan is provided in the Bonus column of the Remuneration Table, located under the heading “Remuneration for Senior Executive Officers”.

LTI Plans

Each year, the Remuneration Committee approves a LTI target for all Senior Executive Officers. The approved target is allocated between three separate components to ensure that each Senior Executive Officer’s performance is assessed across factors considered important for sustainable long-term value creation:

Awards issued under the LTI Plans are issued pursuant to the terms of our Long-Term Incentive Plan 2006 (the “LTIP”). During fiscal year 2015, our Senior Executive Officers were granted the following awards under the LTIP:

Table of Contents

Vesting criteria for each type of LTI award are as follows:

Table of Contents

Employment and Severance Arrangements

Other than the employment agreements for Messrs Gries and Fisher and the severance arrangement with Mr Marsh discussed below, we do not maintain employment or severance arrangements with members of our executive team and all executive team members are at-will employees and may be terminated at any time and for any reason. Other than for Messrs Gries, Marsh and Fisher, no other termination payments are payable, except as required under the terms of the applicable STI or LTI plans.

Employment Agreement with Louis Gries

Below is a summary of the key terms of Mr Gries’ current employment agreement:

Table of Contents

Employment Agreement with Mark Fisher

Below is a summary of the key terms of Mr Fisher’s current employment agreement:

Severance Arrangement with Matt Marsh

In connection with his retention as Chief Financial Officer, in June 2013, we agreed that in the event the Company terminates Mr Marsh during his first two years of employment (24 June 2013

Table of Contents

through 24 June 2015) for any reason other than for cause, or if Mr Marsh terminates his employment for good reason, the Company agreed to pay Mr Marsh his then annual base salary and annual target STI bonus, provided that he signs and complies with (i) a resignation letter resigning from all office and director positions held at the time, and (ii) a general release of claims following the effective date of termination.

Retirement Plan

In every country in which we operate, we offer employees access to pension, superannuation or individual retirement savings plans consistent with the laws of the respective country.

In the US, we sponsor a defined contribution plan, the James Hardie Retirement and Profit Sharing Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). The 401(k) Plan is a tax-qualified retirement and savings plan covering all US employees, including our Senior Executive Officers, subject to certain eligibility requirements. Participating employees were able to elect to reduce their current annual compensation by up to US$17,500 in calendar year 2014 and have the amount of such reduction contributed to the 401(k) Plan, with a maximum eligible compensation limit of US$260,000. In addition, we match employee contributions dollar for dollar up to a maximum of the first 6% of an employee’s eligible compensation.

Remuneration for Senior Executive Officers

Details of remuneration for our Senior Executive Officers in fiscal years 2015 and 2014 are set out below: