Economy & Market

Hyderabad Inds' Rs 100-cr expansion plan

Published

14 years ago

January 3, 2011

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Hyderabad Industries Ltd (HIL), a CK Birla group company engaged in the production of asbestos cement products, has embarked on a Rs 100-crore expansion plan besides shifting its focus on manufacturing green building products. The company’s target was to cross a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore three years down the line. "The company was in the process of adding another asbestos sheets production line at its Satharia plant in Uttar Pradesh involving an investment of Rs 50 crore," said Abhaya Shankar, Managing Director, HIL. "The new production line will have a capacity of 100,000 tonne per annum (tpa) taking our total installed capacity to 1 million tpa. Following this, we will be one of the largest producers of asbestos cement sheets in the world," he said. HIL is currently the leader in asbestos sheets production in the country with a share of 21 per cent in the Rs 3,000-crore market. Besides expanding the capacity of Satharia plant, the company is looking at setting up a manufacturing facility at a cost of Rs 50 crore in Bihar. At present, HIL has 12 manufacturing plants spread across the states of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Orissa and Tamil Nadu. The company has also leased out a sheet manufacturing unit in Punjab. Shankar said the company was constantly exploring the option of enhancing the capacity at its existing locations and setting up new plants to keep pace with the growing demand for its products. According to Shankar, HIL has set up an autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks production unit at Golan near Surat in Gujarat as the company is now focusing on becoming a manufacturer of green building products. The Rs 80-crore, 2-million cu m capacity unit commenced commercial production in August 2010 and is expected to achieve 75 per cent capacity utilisation by next year. Made of fly ash and cement, the AAC blocks are stated to be light weight and are becoming the choice of the new generation builders.Stating that green building products today account for 15 per cent of the company’s turnover, Shankar said HIL’s endeavour was to increase this share to 35 per cent in three years. Shankar emphasised that the company going in for green building products was not linked to the furore being made by some voluntary organisations about the hazardous effects of asbestos. In this context, he cited a Supreme Court order, issued on January 21, 2011, that refused the plea of a petitioner for banning all uses of asbestos.

Concrete

thyssenkrupp Polysius, SaltX partner for electrified production

Published

2 days ago

March 12, 2025

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thyssenkrupp Polysius and Swedish startup SaltX have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to co-develop the next generation of electrified production facilities, advancing industrial decarbonisation. Their collaboration will integrate SaltX’s patented Electric Arc Calciner (EAC) technology into thyssenkrupp Polysius’ green system solutions, enabling electric calcination, replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, and capturing CO2 for emission-free production. Dr Luc Rudowski, Head of Innovation, thyssenkrupp Polysius, emphasised that this partnership expands their portfolio of sustainable solutions, particularly in cement, lime, and Direct-Air-Capture (DAC). Lina Jorheden, CEO, SaltX, highlighted the significant CO2 reduction potential, reinforcing their commitment to sustainable industrial processes.

Concrete

Terra CO2 secures $82m to scale low-carbon cement technology

Published

2 days ago

March 12, 2025

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Terra CO2, a US-based sustainable building materials company, has raised $82 million in Series B funding, co-led by Just Climate, Eagle Materials and GenZero, with continued support from Breakthrough Energy Ventures. The investment will accelerate the commercial deployment of Terra’s OPUS technology, enabling the construction of multiple production facilities across North America and Europe. With the cement industry responsible for 8 per cent of global CO2 emissions, Terra’s solution provides an immediate, scalable alternative using abundant raw materials that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure. The company has secured key partnerships, including a deal with Eagle Materials for multiple 240,000-tonne plants.

Concrete

Titan Cement Group enters South Asia

Published

2 days ago

March 12, 2025

Roshna

Titan Cement Group has expanded into the South Asian market through a joint venture with JAYCEE, an India-based producer of supplementary cementitious materials. Titan will hold a majority stake in the newly formed company, Atlas EcoSolutions, which will focus on sourcing, processing, marketing, and distributing SCMs globally. This initiative aims to support sustainable construction by promoting alternatives to clinker-based cement. Jean-Philippe Benard, Head of Supply Chain and Energy Development, emphasised that the venture aligns with Titan’s strategy to lead in low-carbon building materials while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and innovation. The move strengthens Titan’s position in a high-growth market while ensuring long-term access to SCMs.