The Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) business is in its infancy in India, but the potential is huge in view of the thrust on infrastructure by the Central and state governments. The low level of RMC penetration in India is evident from the fact that in developed countries, RMC consumes as much as 70 per cent of the total cement production, while in India estimates range between 3 and 7% towards manufacture of RMC. In urban areas, however, the figures are estimated to be in the range of 18%. The low penetration of RMC in India presents itself as a potential opportunity waiting to be exploited by cement companies and entrepreneurs in cement industry. Most of the major cement companies have already forayed into the RMC business, and it is just a matter of time other medium and smaller companies join the bandwagon.Globally, China has made two big moves in acquiring concrete machinery manufacturers; Sany Heavy Industries acquired German Putzmeister for Euros 360 million early this year and then in March XCMG acquired the other German concrete machinery manufacturer Schwing Stetter signaling enhancing its grasp on the core equipment required for the material for infrastructure development.There are host of issues such as taxes and duties on RMC, quality of aggregates and availability of suitable sites for setting up of RMC plants which need to be addressed by the Indian cement industry and the government to facilitate rapid growth of RMC. If these issues are resolved, there is no reason why RMC should not grow at a scorching pace in years to come.In the second part of the two-part Concrete Special Report, Upen Patel, Business Director of BASF India explains various components and materials used to deal with deterioration of concrete. The technology column carries an article by Torben Frigaard, FLSmidth, Denmark and K P Sathish Kumar, FLSmidth on the company’s new cross-bar coolers and the latest development in cross-bar technology. These coolers offer benefits in terms of upfront investment, technical design and long-term cost of ownership. Another article provides information on SKF automatic lubrication system with FB pump which helps cut down clinker cooler downtime and maintenance costs.In Conversation column this time features Anil Counto, MD, Alcon Group of Goa, a diversified conglomerate engaged in cement, RMC, construction, real estate, hospitality, solar appliances, metals and mining. In Trendsetter column, we have featured Vijay Aggarwal, MD of Prism Cement, while Ch. Gandhi Raju, Vice-President – Marketing at Anjani Portland Cement is featured in the Marketing Wizard column.Please send in your feedback/letters to editorial@indiancementreview.com