Economy & Market

Good times yet to come

Published

10 years ago

April 30, 2015

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It?s the time the corporates have just published their financial results for 2014-15. There is an expected amount of discussion and analysis of these results by analysts and the media, all of which give us a window into the companies and the sectors. Cement industry is no exception.

Having looked at these data, here is the bottomline for the cement sector, for the year gone by. Despatches, which is a surrogate for consumption, has grown by about 4.5 per cent, and prices have been under pressure in most regions. Things have been particularly bad in the last quarter, as volumes have dipped, and also prices squeezed in most regions other than in South. So, this has not been a good period for the industry, and many of the companies like ACC and Ambuja have clearly concentrated on cost management to shore up their profitability. UltraTech Cement, which, by size, geographical presence and brand, is something like the ?bellweather? of the industry, suffered a quarter-on-quarter volume decline of 9 per cent on adjusted basis, while improving its EBITDA margin. So, clearly, if growth is what the industry was looking for, it was disappointed. But it looks like the wait for ?Good Times? just got even longer.

In the olden days, the performance of steel and cement industries used to be taken as a barometer for the state of economy. We used to talk about a multiplying factor of 1.2 or 1.3 to empirically project cement demand growth from GDP growth. This approximation seems to have been distorted in the current context. Which was India?s true growth rate last year, 7 per cent or 5 per cent? We seem to have lost in the statistical confusion, even as we wait for the expected construction boom, the manufacturing revolution and the infrastructure makeover to materialise. But, if we believe our traditional barometer, the lowly cement market growth points towards a correspondingly low growth of our economy, which in turn is reflected in the fact that consumption is stagnating, job opportunities are not increasing, and overall sentiments are turning bearish. Our friends in the cement industry are cautiously optimistic, when they predict a moderate 7 per cent growth in 2016-17. Why do we term even this moderate growth projection to be optimistic? Because, firstly, cement demand growth substantially hinges on infrastructure boom, and secondly because our ?imminent? infrastructure boom may take another 2-3 years to fructify. Interestingly, the Head of UK India Business Council has been quoted as saying that the sentiment has moved from irrational exuberance to rational optimism.

In such a situation, with volumes and prices subdued, our cement companies will have to concentrate on the cost-side story, and continuously improve their relative competitiveness. Energy efficiency is a crucial element of cost, and we have featured this topic in our current issue, which will interest our constituents. The average capacity utilization being around 70-72 per cent, makes the job of improving energy efficiency that much more challenging. Companies will innovate, install efficient equipment and drives, optimize fuel-mix, hike fly-ash absorption, and try to enhance fuel substitution rates, to manage energy costs in such a difficult scenario.

Finally, as we conclude, let us mourn the tragedy that has struck our neighbouring country, Nepal, where thousands of lives have been lost. Perhaps, much of the deaths and destructions could have been mitigated, if we were to follow our construction codes and standards as applicable to respective seismic zones, more conservatively. Let us hope that going forward, better wisdom will prevail among the fraternity of law makers, regulators, builders, professionals, and also individual home-builders.

Concrete

15th Cement EXPO: A Step Forward in Cement Innovation

Published

2 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

Sujoy Gomes

Mob: +91 865 7795 881

Email: Sujoy.g@ASAPPinfoGlobal.com

FOR SPONSORSHIPS

Ratan Rajbhar

Mob: +91 842 2874 021

Email: ratan.r@ASAPPinfoGlobal.com

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.