Economy & Market

Infrastructure development has to happen

Published

12 years ago

December 31, 2012

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Ravindra Mate, CMO & President, ABG CementUnder the flagship company of ABG Shipyard, the company is all set to set up a cement plant in India in a couple of places like Thumbadi, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The company is in the process of setting up its most modern and eco-friendly 6 million tonne per annum cement plant and has Captive Limestone mines, Jetty and Desalination Plant. The capacities of all these units would be adequate to support the above 6 Million Tonnne Per Annum of Cement Production. Power will be supplied by ABG Energy Ltd located at nearby area. Very soon ABG Cement is expanding its manufacturing facilities to other parts of India as well as to other countries. The plants were about to come up in 2010 but got delayed.The area in which Cement Plant is coming up has adequate quantities of Limestone which is the basic raw material for manufacturing cement. The advantage of this location is the coastal area which will reduce the road transportation and helps for export/import of the raw material and finished product.ABG Cement is committed to utilise 100 per cent fly ash, produced by ABG Energy Ltd, for its cement manufacturing and all the cement and power plants are designed with energy efficient technology.Whilst ABG Cement is taking its baby steps in the cement industry, Ravindra Mate, CMO & President, ABG Cement talks to ICR about his perspective on the industry.When is your cement plant in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh expected to be commissioned? And inspite of the bad time what made you invest in the cement industry?
The plant in Gujarat is expected to start in the first quarter of FY14 whereas plant in Madhya Pradesh is still under planning phase. Investing in cement business has to be a long term perspective and necessary to be done at the time when the downturn is there. If you really see our total installed capacity is around 322 MT and we have to go long way to support the expected infrastructure developments in this county. Today we have almost reached to the bottom of the economy and whatever changes will happen be only for the betterment.How was the year 2012-13 for the cement industry?The year is little better than the previous year with a marginal increase in all India growth. The prices were more or less stable with ups and downs depending upon the seasonal change in demand. However the prices will start looking up in the last quarter of financial year due to increase in demand. Especially in case of West Zone where we are placed, the CAGR growth is more than 10 per cent and is expected to continue.How do you predict the year 2013-14?2013-14 may see some growth YOY as lot of infrastructure projects will be under implementation looking in to the elections approaching in 2014. As also not many capacities are expected to materialise, cement capacity utilization may see some improvements. On the front of prices they may improve due to increase in the input cost (especially energy and logistics).Now days it is becoming difficult to come-up with a greenfield projects due to environmental concerns and many other issues hence, more development will be on brownfield projects. The consolidation will also take place due to the above reason.Cartelisation is said to be one of the reasons responsible for this industry suffering a set back. What is your take on it?
According to me the demand and supply equation only decides the production and price level.What support in these circumstances would the industry require from the government?Fundamentally the development needs to take place. The GDP growth is quite low now and expected only to improve. This country is desperately in need of infrastructure support (especially road, rail and ports) from government which should co-exist with the likely development taking place in future. Industry also expects the support on tax concessions and other sops to attract the investment so as to boost the installed capacity to commensurate with the development of the country.It is said that the Pakistani Cement offered in the Indian market are of a better quality and are much cheaper as compared to us, Your views on the same?
We are producing the cement in India comparable to international standards. I believe the industry has taken up the matter with government on the duty levied on the imported cement.How technologically advanced is India when it comes to international standards of technologically?We have equally good technology standards at par with international standards.

Concrete

15th Cement EXPO: A Step Forward in Cement Innovation

Published

3 weeks ago

January 17, 2025

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Mumbai

Following the immense success of the 14th Cement EXPO, held on December 14-15, 2023, at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, the next edition of this premier event is set to take place in March 2025. The 15th Cement EXPO will be hosted at Yashobhoomi, Delhi, on 12th and 13th November 2025.

Meanwhile, the Cement Expo Forum 2025 is scheduled for 5th and 6th March 2025 at Taj Krishna in Hyderabad. This exciting 3-in-1 event, organised by FIRST Construction Council (FCC) and Indian Cement Review (ICR), will bring together industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders to discuss the future of the cement sector.

Building on the Success of the 14th Cement EXPO

The 14th Cement EXPO was widely praised for its strong participation, attracting over 1,500 senior managers and decision-makers from across the cement industry. The event was inaugurated by Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General of TERI, and Ali Emir Adiguzel, Founder and Director of the World Cement Association, alongside Pratap Padode, Founder of FIRST Construction Council (FCC). The two-tiered exhibition space featured cutting-edge products and innovations from top companies within the cement industry’s supply chain.

The event also garnered significant support from key government bodies, including the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government e-Marketplace (GeM), and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India (GoI).

Recognition and Excellence in the Cement Industry

The 7th Indian Cement Review Awards celebrated excellence by presenting awards to 11 companies in various categories, recognising their contributions to growth and innovation within the industry. Notably, Parth Jindal, Managing Director of JSW Cement, was honoured with the prestigious Indian Cement Review – Person of the Year Award 2023. Meanwhile, Vinita Singhania, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding leadership and contributions to the sector.

A Vision for Sustainability

With the theme of “Driving Sustainability Through Technology,” the 9th Indian Cement Review Conference hosted thought-provoking discussions and presentations, highlighting the industry’s commitment to adopting innovative, sustainable practices. The conference served as a platform for dialogue on the latest technological advancements aimed at transforming the cement sector, addressing key challenges, and fostering growth.

What to Expect from Cement EXPO 2025

The 15th Cement EXPO, along with the 10th Indian Cement Review Conference and the 8th Indian Cement Review Awards, is set to be even bigger and more impactful than the 2023 edition. With an expanded exhibition space, greater participation, and more in-depth discussions, the 2025 event will continue to drive the industry forward. This 3-in-1 event promises to be a pivotal moment in the ongoing transformation of the cement sector.

As the industry evolves, the 15th Cement EXPO 2025 will serve as a crucial platform for showcasing innovations, discussing emerging trends, and forging new partnerships to shape the future of cement and construction.

For more details:

Cement Expo Forum 2025: https://cementexpo.in/forum

15^th Cement Expo 2025: https://cementexpo.in/

FOR CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIPS

Sheetal Talreja

Mob: +91 842 2874 030

Email: sheetal@IndianCementReview.com

FOR EXHIBITION/SPONSORSHIPS

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FOR SPONSORSHIPS

Ratan Rajbhar

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Concrete

Construction sector growth slows to 8-10% for FY2025: ICRA

Published

3 weeks ago

January 15, 2025

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The revenue growth for construction companies in FY2025 is projected at 8-10 per cent, down from the earlier estimate of 12-15 per cent, according to ICRA. This marks the slowest growth in three years, driven by factors such as the Model Code of Conduct in Q1, prolonged monsoons, and milestone-based billing in Q2, particularly affecting road-focused players.
ICRA’s analysis of 19 companies with a combined turnover of Rs.1.28 trillion in FY2024 shows modest revenue growth of 1.5 per cent YoY in H1 FY2025. While execution is expected to improve in H2, FY2025 growth remains below the historical CAGR of ~15 per cent (FY2018-FY2024).
Order inflows in urban transport, water and sewage projects are healthy, but road-focused entities face challenges due to muted inflows and high competition. Operating margins are projected to remain range-bound at 10.5-11 per cent, with debt levels rising to manage working capital needs, though debt coverage metrics remain stable.

Concrete

SANY India expands Pune factory to boost production capacity

Published

3 weeks ago

January 15, 2025

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SANY India inaugurated a cutting-edge factory expansion at its 90-acre Pune facility, elevating its production capacity to over 14,000 units annually, alongside a robust fabrication capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes.

The advanced facility reinforces SANY’s commitment to ‘Make in India’ by enhancing localised manufacturing and supporting global exports. Chairman Xiang Wenbo highlighted the strategic importance of India as a global hub, while Vice Chairman Deepak Garg emphasised the expansion’s role in driving innovation and infrastructure development. This investment enhances efficiency, reduces timelines, and strengthens SANY’s leadership in the construction equipment sector.