– Chetan Suri, Proprietor, Suri Paint & Hardware Store, Delhi
ICR is constantly in contact with cement dealers, who are vital link in business process between cement producers and the end users. A dealer understands the market better than any one else through financial transactions. In view of the new government in place for nearly a year, a tax regulation like that of GST on threshold and mega mergers, acquisitions happening in the cement industry, a dealer becomes a crucial channel member to provide insights on various aspects referred above. Here are their responses.
We are located at Shalimar Baug in North Delhi. I am the second generation in the business started by my father in 1978. Today we are multi-brand dealers and working for Shriram Cement, Lafarge, Shree Cement, UltraTech etc. Our focus has been retail market. We also cater to institutional buyers to a limited extent. No business to us is coming from builders. Now monsoon has become active but still there is slight improvement in business for the last two weeks. Rates of cement are going go up by Rs 1-2 virtually every week.
For the transportation of cement, we have a railhead nearby from our shop and we have own trucks. We are extremely happy to work with Lafarge. It has more focus on the market since last year and does a lot of groundwork in the market which helps us to do business. The officers of Lafarge visit market and construction sites frequently, which generates demand for the product. Our monthly sale is around 3,000 bags. The market is not good now. For better performance, property market has to improve. Jobs like bridges and road will not impact us much. Whatever changes have happened in the last two years are good. I am proud to be associated with cement business.