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There is a high growth potential for cement

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– Vivek Patni, Director, Wonder Cement.

What is the current status of the Indian cement industry?
The size of Indian cement industry is about 315 million tonne per year while capacity utilisation is about 70-80 per cent. Per capita consumption of cement in India is below 200 kg per person, which is almost half when compared with that of the developed nations. So growth potential for cement in India is double compared to developed countries. If the consumption is growing at a rate of 10 per cent per year, in the next eight years, we need to double the capacity. So there is a high growth potential for cement.

What is the current demand-supply scenario of cement?
Demand-supply scenario in India is cyclical. Every 6-8 years, there are ups and downs. When there are very good prospects, everybody enters the business and then the capacity addition is very high which ultimately results in a situation of oversupply and in 3-4 years again equilibrium is reached. So demand is expected to grow in 2016. The new government at the Centre is trying to overcome the procedural delays in project implementation. Now the issue is investment as how much investment is going in infrastructure projects and how soon, which will decide the consumption of cement. Infrastructure development is basically depends on government schemes/policies. Housing development is independent of government schemes, but dependent on interest rates of housing loans. It is also dependent on the GDP growth and the income of people. Housing sector constitutes about 60 per cent of cement consumption and the remaining 40 per cent infrastructure which depends on the government schemes. So, if the government?s priority is infrastructure, then the cement consumption will increase, which supports cement industry.

What are the technologies to bring down the pollution level?
Cement industry is not at all polluting, because when environment clearance is given by the environment ministry, they put stringent conditions on emissions. Fortunately in cement manufacturing, no toxic gases or wastes are coming out. It is only the dust particles which can come out and for that the present norms are 50 mg/Nm3 and we have already installed equipment having a filtration capacity to bring down emissions to below 30 mg/Nm3. So, we have installed technology which is much superior which can meet future norms also.

What are your expectations from the new government?
Cement is the heavily taxed commodity with very high excise and other taxes. No other commodity is taxed as much as cement. So taxes should be reduced.

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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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