Concrete

Advanced concretes are becoming inevitable in construction

Published

9 years ago

July 31, 2016

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Umesh Soni, Corporate Head, Customer Support Services, Ambuja Cement, speaks on the services offered by the ‘Concrete Futures Laboratory’ (CFL) that his company has developed for its customers.

Which is the most popular service for the construction fraternity offered through CFL? Please explain quoting some numbers.
Concrete mix design is the most preferred service among the construction fraternity. Through CFL, we provide concrete mix design as per the performance need of the customer. In the first six months of 2016, we have provided 89 concrete mix designs through CFL.

Tell us about a few services which may not be very popular, but are offered only by CFL.
The service of analysing the fine aggregate in terms of particle shape and clay content is a unique test offered only by CFL.

Tell us about the Holcim Cone test. In what way will it help the site engineer?
Holcim Cone is an application-based testing methodology developed to assess the rheological and mechanical performance of concrete. In a simplified approach, Holcim Cone testing helps to assess the workability and strength development of a concrete by testing its mortar. This test is also helpful in understanding the compatibility of cement and chemical admixtures. It is useful to a site engineer for analysing the fresh concrete properties quickly with less volume of concrete in the laboratory and to derive the concrete mix proportioning.

How has been the response of your customers to the services you offer for high performance concrete and self-compacting concrete? Will customers increasingly ask for more such services in the future?
There is very encouraging response from our customers since usage of high performance concrete and self-compacting concrete is increasing day by day in metros and megacities. Both these advanced concretes are becoming inevitable for high-rise constructions. Since both concretes are special concretes involving more number of concrete materials and there is great influence of material properties on the concrete performance, customers are seeking help for developing mix design and conducting the trials in the laboratory. CFL is the enabler for developing such advanced concretes. As it is becoming more popular, more customers will ask for such services.

Do you produce slag cement in any of your plants; is the user of slag cement expecting some different service?
At present, we do not produce slag cement in any of our plants. There will not be any difference in services in case of using slag cement. The user mainly requires the services of testing the fresh and hardened properties of concrete as well as concrete mix design, which is applicable for users of slag cement also.

Is the expectation of service different between a trade customer and a non-trade customer?
There is difference in the expectation of service from trade and non-trade customers, mainly in terms of grade of concrete as well as performance of concrete at different stages. We have developed services and solutions for both the segments separately. For example, for the trade segment, we have developed the scientific tool of concrete mix proportioning as well as modular curing solution. The non-trade customers are mainly looking for a customised concrete solution as per their performance requirements as well as for analysing the concrete materials.

An endeavour from Ambuja Cement, the ?Concrete Futures Laboratory (CFL)? is shaped to be one of the most innovative and exhaustive places for testing, learning and experiencing cement and concrete for architects, engineers and the construction community. Ambuja has a network of eight CFLs across India, set up in line with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005. All these centres possess NABL accreditation.

Concrete

Nuvoco Vistas Reports Record Q2 EBITDA, Expands Capacity to 35 MTPA

Cement Major Nuvoco Posts Rs 3.71 bn EBITDA in Q2 FY26

Published

5 days ago

October 22, 2025

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Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd., one of India’s leading building materials companies, has reported its highest-ever second-quarter consolidated EBITDA of Rs 3.71 billion for Q2 FY26, reflecting an 8% year-on-year revenue growth to Rs 24.58 billion. Cement sales volume stood at 4.3 MMT during the quarter, driven by robust demand and a rising share of premium products, which reached an all-time high of 44%.

The company continued its deleveraging journey, reducing like-to-like net debt by Rs 10.09 billion year-on-year to Rs 34.92 billion. Commenting on the performance, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, said, “Despite macro headwinds, disciplined execution and focus on premiumisation helped us achieve record performance. We remain confident in our structural growth trajectory.”

Nuvoco’s capacity expansion plans remain on track, with refurbishment of the Vadraj Cement facility progressing towards operationalisation by Q3 FY27. In addition, the company’s 4 MTPA phased expansion in eastern India, expected between December 2025 and March 2027, will raise its total cement capacity to 35 MTPA by FY27.

Reinforcing its sustainability credentials, Nuvoco continues to lead the sector with one of the lowest carbon emission intensities at 453.8 kg CO? per tonne of cementitious material.

Concrete

Jindal Stainless to Invest $150 Mn in Odisha Metal Recovery Plant

New Jajpur facility to double metal recovery capacity and cut emissions

Published

1 week ago

October 17, 2025

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Jindal Stainless Limited has announced an investment of $150 million to build and operate a new wet milling plant in Jajpur, Odisha, aimed at doubling its capacity to recover metal from industrial waste. The project is being developed in partnership with Harsco Environmental under a 15-year agreement.

The facility will enable the recovery of valuable metals from slag and other waste materials, significantly improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The initiative aligns with Jindal Stainless’s sustainability roadmap, which focuses on circular economy practices and low-carbon operations.

In financial year 2025, the company reduced its carbon footprint by about 14 per cent through key decarbonisation initiatives, including commissioning India’s first green hydrogen plant for stainless steel production and setting up the country’s largest captive solar energy plant within a single industrial campus in Odisha.

Shares of Jindal Stainless rose 1.8 per cent to Rs 789.4 per share following the announcement, extending a 5 per cent gain over the past month.

Concrete

Vedanta gets CCI Approval for Rs 17,000 MnJaiprakash buyout

Acquisition marks Vedanta’s expansion into cement, real estate, and infra

Published

1 week ago

October 17, 2025

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Vedanta Limited has received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to acquire Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL) for approximately Rs 17,000 million under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) process. The move marks Vedanta’s strategic expansion beyond its core mining and metals portfolio into cement, real estate, and infrastructure sectors.

Once the flagship of the Jaypee Group, JAL has faced severe financial distress with creditors’ claims exceeding Rs 59,000 million. Vedanta emerged as the preferred bidder in a competitive auction, outbidding the Adani Group with an overall offer of Rs 17,000 million, equivalent to Rs 12,505 million in net present value terms. The payment structure involves an upfront settlement of around Rs 3,800 million, followed by annual instalments of Rs 2,500–3,000 million over five years.

The National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL), which acquired the group’s stressed loans from a State Bank of India-led consortium, now leads the creditor committee. Lenders are expected to take a haircut of around 71 per cent based on Vedanta’s offer. Despite approvals for other bidders, Vedanta’s proposal stood out as the most viable resolution plan, paving the way for the company’s diversification into new business verticals.