Economy & Market

Unending Hunger for Concentration

Published

9 years ago

July 4, 2016

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In India itself, seven major M&A deals have been announced or completed in the last three years in the cement sector involving a total capacity of 41 million tonne (10 per cent of total installed capacity) and a value of US $4.3 billion. No, this is not an original discovery by us, we are only quoting from a recent report by a reputed investment banking group. If the scale and urgency of this phenomenon sounds rather unusual, it may be worth rationalising that the desire to consolidate has always been driven by the ultimate goal of acquiring more and more pricing power. This is what we term as the unending hunger for concentration.

In one of our editorial analyses last year titled?Shortcut to growing Bigger?, we had critiqued this trend in the context of the great big global cement merger of our times, between Lafarge and Holcim. We had also questioned the reality of value creation through such global mergers for local commodities like cement. We had also said that it is not necessary that the biggest companies thrive, but it is the ?fittest? (a la Charles Darwin?) who will prosper. In addition, our submission was that such massive mergers routinely chase mirages of value creation through blindsided cost-reduction measures, and therefore, while being dubiously beneficial to shareholders, these are certainly value destroying for other stakeholders like customers and employees. Read this in the contemporary context of sustainable management philosophies, and you will know that this does not make for a story with a happy ending.

Why are we revisiting these postulates now? Because, the Lafarge-Holcim merger has now been consummated, the merged entity has been listed in Zurich and Paris stock exchanges since July 2015, and meanwhile, another global merger involving Heidelberg and Italcementi has been approved – and it is time to take stock of these stocks! Both Market Capitalisation and Equity Price of Lafarge Holcim have nosedived during this period, with the shares losing 38 per cent in the last one year.

Markets are unforgiving examiners of companies? performances and even factor in the expected outcomes of management actions being planned. So, leave alone the employees and customers, even the shareholders have given an unequivocal thumbs-down to this merger. What this essentially means is that there is a confidence deficit in the ambitious cost-reduction plans announced by the management during merger. And, in case you hadn?t noticed, the merger has not caused even a kilogram of concentration in India, since the whole of Lafarge India?s business is now having to be divested in a controlled manner to one of the smaller players.

Even as all this dust is settling down on the famous merger of mergers, the proposed amalgamation of Heidelberg and Italcementi has been given the go-ahead. As of now, we have no idea what this will achieve, apart from rewriting the global top ten list of cement companies, which to my mind is immaterial, given that the markets are very very national/local. The lesson for all stakeholders is to watch these moves very carefully, and not get carried away by hyperbole of any kind.

There is however, one positive development is supporting the appetite for consolidation in the cement sector in India. The government has gone the extra mile by amending the MMDR Act to give space to cement mergers by allowing transfer of mines obtained through non-auction routes, and make some extra money on the side. We hope this helps the cement players in their unending pursuit of consolidation, but we also hope that in the end, all of this somehow, also helps the customers get better products and services. Man lives on Hope.

Sumit Banerjee
Chairman, Editorial Advisory Board

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

Sujoy Gomes

Mob: +91 865 7795 881

Email: Sujoy.g@ASAPPinfoGlobal.com

FOR SPONSORSHIPS

Ratan Rajbhar

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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.