Economy & Market

Expectations for growth

Published

14 years ago

January 31, 2012

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With the Union budget round the corner, the cement industry’s attention is focused towards what will be in store for it. Growth in the cement industry has come down to 5% due to withdrawal of stimulus packages. Though cement is the most essential material used in infrastructure projects, tax on the commodity is the highest among the items required for building infrastructure. The levies and taxes on cement are far higher compared to those in countries of the Asia-Pacific region. The average tax rate on cement in the Asia-Pacific region is pegged at just 11.4% with the highest levy of 20 % in Sri Lanka.The cover story in this issue is on the wish-list of the cement manufacturers, as articulated by the Cement Manufacturers’ Association. The wish-list represents suggestions sent by the cement body to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for improving the competitiveness of the Indian cement industry and making it more profitable. Some of the proposals mooted by the CMA in its wish list include a uniform and specific rate of excise duty on cement, levy of import duty on cement imports and classifying cement as "Declared Goods".In this issue, we also carry an interview with J. K. Dasgupta, MD & CEO, JPM Engineers Private Limited, on the latest evolution in concrete technology. He speaks specifically on the 3D model for determining the strength of a concrete structure. From this issue, we introduce two new sections, Trendsetters and Marketing Wizard. These sections will feature profiles and views of the top rung decision-makers in the organization who have been influential in taking their respective organizations to great heights. In the Trendsetters section, we have featured Puneet Arora, Deputy Executive Director-Central Project Office of the Dalmia Bharat Group.In the Marketing Wizard section we have featured C. S. Sadasivan, Chief Executive – Marketing with JK Lakshmi Cement. This section also features B. K. Singh, Executive Director – Group Marketing and Communications for the Dalmia Bharat Group. He has earlier led the cement business of the group as Executive Director – Sales and Marketing.Please send in your feedback/letters to editorial@indiancementreview.com

Concrete

WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

Published

2 hours ago

April 13, 2026

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The World Cement Association (WCA) has announced SiloConnect as its newest associate corporate member, expanding its network of technology providers supporting digitalisation in the cement industry. SiloConnect offers smart sensor technology that provides real-time visibility of cement inventory levels at customer silos, enabling producers to monitor stock remotely and plan deliveries more efficiently. The solution helps companies move from reactive to proactive logistics, improving delivery planning, operational efficiency and safety by reducing manual inspections. The technology is already used by major cement producers such as Holcim, Cemex and Heidelberg Materials and is deployed across more than 30 countries worldwide.

Concrete

TotalEnergies and Holcim Launch Floating Solar Plant in Belgium

Published

2 hours ago

April 13, 2026

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TotalEnergies and Holcim have commissioned a floating solar power plant in Obourg, Belgium, built on a rehabilitated former chalk quarry that has been converted into a lake. The project has a generation capacity of 31 MW and produces around 30 GWh of renewable electricity annually, which will be used to power Holcim’s nearby industrial operations. The project is currently the largest floating solar installation in Europe dedicated entirely to industrial self-consumption. To ensure minimal impact on the surrounding landscape, more than 700 metres of horizontal directional drilling were used to connect the solar installation to the electrical substation. The project reflects ongoing collaboration between the two companies to support industrial decarbonisation through renewable energy solutions and innovative infrastructure development.

Concrete

Cortec® Corporation applauded for its strong safety performance

Published

2 hours ago

April 13, 2026

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Cortec® Corporation has been recognised for its strong safety performance, receiving its sixth Governor’s Workplace Safety Award for its outstanding performance in 2025. As a Silver Achievement recipient, the company continues to maintain safety metrics well above national industry averages, an impressive accomplishment for a chemical manufacturing organisation. This achievement reflects Cortec’s proactive approach to workplace safety, focused on early hazard detection and employee involvement. The company will be formally recognised at the Minnesota Safety and Health Conference in May, highlighting how industrial companies are effectively strengthening workplace safety standards.