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SC commands cement firms to pay royalty

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Six cement manufacturers from Rajasthan has been directed by the Supreme Court to pay 24 per cent interest to the state government as royalty due on lime stone from 1996 onwards. The cement manufacturing companies that were issued the orders are – JK Synthetic, Birla Corporation , JK Udaipur Udyog , JK Corporation and Shree Cement. A three-member bench of headed by justice R V Raveendran partly allowed the plea of the state government, challenging orders of the Rajasthan high court which had set aside its direction and fixed 12 per cent as interest rate. "From February 17, 1992 to the date of dismissal (1996) of the respective writ petition (challenging the notification dated 17/2/1992), the rate of interest shall be 18 per cent per annum on the arrears of royalty and from the date of dismissal of the writ petition till date of payment the rate of interest shall be 24% per annum," the bench said. The high court had on November 14, 2009 asked the state government to take only 12 per cent interest on the due royalty and asked the cement producers to pay it up within three months. This was challenged by the state government before the Supreme Court. The dispute was on interest on royalty due between 1992 to 1996. In February 1992, the government had increased the royalty on the lime stone from Rs 10 per tone to Rs 25. This was challenged by the cement producers before the high court, which asked the state government not to collect royalty at the new rate. The matter was ultimately decided by the Supreme Court in 1996, which dismissed the plea of the cement producers. Later, after collecting the Rs 15 difference in royalty, the state government asked the cement firms to pay interest on the due sum at 24 per cent per annum under the Minerals Concession Rules, 1960. This was challenged by the producers before the high court contending that as per their lease deeds, the interest rate on the arrears on the royalty cannot be more than 10 per cent. Rejecting it, the Supreme court said that the Minerals Concession Rules, 1960 permits state government to impose an interest rate of 24 per cent.However, the apex court also gave some relief to the cement producers and said that from February 1992 when the new royalty rates were notified to 1996 when their petition was dismissed by it, they would pay only 18 per cent. After that, they would have to pay 24 per cent interest.

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Economy & Market

Hindalco Buys US Speciality Alumina Firm for $125 Million

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This strategic acquisition marks a significant investment in speciality alumina, a key step by Aditya Birla Group’s metals flagship towards becoming future-ready by scaling its high-value, technology-led materials portfolio.

Hindalco Industries, the world’s largest aluminium company by revenue and the metals flagship of the $28 billion Aditya Birla Group, has announced the acquisition of a 100 per cent equity stake in US-based AluChem Companies—a prominent manufacturer of speciality alumina—for an enterprise value of $125 million. The transaction will be executed through Aditya Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary.

This acquisition represents a pivotal investment in speciality alumina and advances Hindalco’s strategy to expand its high-value, technology-led materials portfolio.

Hindalco’s speciality alumina business, a key pillar of its value-added strategy, has delivered consistent double-digit growth in recent years. It has emerged as a high-growth, high-margin vertical within the company’s portfolio. As speciality alumina finds expanding applications across electric mobility, semiconductors, and precision ceramics, the deal positions Hindalco further up the innovation curve, enabling next-generation alumina solutions and value-accretive growth.

Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, called the acquisition an important step in their global strategy to build a leadership position in value-added, high-tech materials.

“Our strategic foray into the speciality alumina space will not only accelerate the development of future-ready, sustainable solutions but also open new pathways to pursue high-impact growth opportunities. By integrating advanced technologies into our value chain, we are reinforcing our commitment to self-reliance, import substitution, and building scale in innovation-led businesses.”

Ronald P Zapletal, Founder, AluChem Companies, said the partnership with Hindalco would provide AluChem the ability and capital to scale up faster and build scale in North America.

“AluChem will benefit from their world-class sustainability and safety standards and practices, access to integrated operations and a consistent, reliable raw material supply chain. Their ability to leverage R&D capabilities and a talented workforce adds tremendous value to our innovation pipeline, helping drive market expansion beyond North America.”

An Eye on the Future

The global speciality alumina market is projected to grow significantly, with rising demand for tailored solutions in sectors such as ceramics, electronics, aerospace, and medical applications. Hindalco currently operates 500,000 tonnes of speciality alumina capacity and aims to scale this up to 1 million tonnes by FY2030.

Commenting on the development, Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries, said the deal reinforced their commitment to innovation and global expansion.

“As alumina gains increasing relevance in critical and clean-tech sectors, AluChem’s advanced chemistry capabilities will significantly enhance our ability to serve these fast-evolving markets. Importantly, it deepens our high-value-added portfolio with differentiated products that drive profitability and strengthen our global competitiveness.”

AluChem adds a strong North American presence to Hindalco’s portfolio, with an annual capacity of 60,000 tonnes across three advanced manufacturing facilities in Ohio and Arkansas. The company is a long-standing supplier of ultra-low soda calcined and tabular alumina, materials prized for their thermal and mechanical stability and widely used in precision engineering and high-performance refractories.

Saurabh Khedekar, CEO of the Alumina Business at Hindalco Industries, said the acquisition unlocked immediate synergies, including market access and portfolio diversification.

“Hindalco plans to work with AluChem’s high performance technology solutions and scale up production of ultra-low soda alumina products to drive a larger global market share.”

The transaction is expected to close in the upcoming quarter, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

 

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Concrete

Shree Cement reports 2025 financial year results

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Shree Cement posted revenue of US$2.38 billion for FY2025, marking a 5.5 per cent decline year-on-year. Operating costs rose 2.9 per cent to US$2.17 billion, resulting in an EBITDA of US$528 million—down 12 per cent from the previous year. Net profit fell 50 per cent to US$141 million. The company reported cement sales of 9.84Mt in Q4 FY2025, a 3.3 per cent increase from 9.53Mt in Q4 FY2024, with premium products making up 16 per cent of total sales.

Image source:https://newsmantra.in/

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Concrete

Rekha Onteddu to become director at Sagar Cements

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Sagar Cements has announced the appointment of Rekha Onteddu as a non-executive independent director, effective 30 June 2025. According to People in Business News, Rekha Onteddu is currently serving in a similar capacity at Andhra Cements, the parent company of Sagar Cements.

Image source:https://sagarcements.in/

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