Economy & Market

It makes more sense to acquire plants rather than build them

Published

9 years ago

September 30, 2016

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Rajnish Kapur, Business Head – Grey Cement, JK Cement

In a freewheeling interview, Rajnish Kapur, Business Head – Grey Cement, JK Cement, speaks on his company?s expansion plans and the state of the cement industry at large.

Give us some idea of the JK group and its foray into the cement business. What are your plans for expansion?
JK Cement is part of the multidisciplinary industrial conglomerate JK Organisation. We have over four decades of experience in cement manufacturing across the core categories of grey cement and white cement with value-added products like wall putty and waterproofing compounds, etc. Our enduring strength remains in our diverse product portfolio, high quality raw materials, consistently growing capacity, an extensive marketing and distribution network and the technical knowhow. JK Cement entered into the cement business by commencement of commercial production at the Nimbahera facility in 1975 with an annual capacity of 0.3 MTPA. With constant upgradation, the unit?s present capacity has touched 3.25 MTPA. It is equipped with a waste heat recovery system of 13.2 MW to reduce the electrical energy cost and utilise waste heat. The Mangrol facility?s commercial production commenced in 2001 with 0.75 MTPA capacity which has increased to 2.25 MTPA, along with a 25 MW captive power plant, a 10 MW waste heat recovery plant and a split grinding unit at Jharli with a capacity of 1.5 MTPA.

Near Muddapur village of Karnataka, we have a 3 MTPA plant which is based on Portland and slag cement. The Muddapur facility is equipped with the most advanced technology available in the global market, making it the most modern plant.

The Gotan facility at Rajasthan is a dual-process plant with the capability of manufacturing grey cement as well as white cement. The Gotan facility?s existing grey cement capacity stands at 0.5 MTPA. We were the first in India to build a white cement facility. The white cement plant was commissioned at Gotan in 1984, with an initial production capacity of 0.05 MTPA. Over the years, continuous process improvements and modifications have enhanced the plant?s production capacity to 0.6 MTPA. Our wall putty capacity was 30,000 tonnes per annum in 2005, which increased to 5 lakh tonnes in 2013. With the commissioning of the Katni unit, the capacity has surged to 7 lakh tonnes.

How has the consolidation phase in the cement industry progressed so far? Do you expect more consolidation to happen, or less, in the next 10 years?
I think in the year 2008 when I joined the cement industry, we saw the meltdown at the global level. Especially, I remember in a country like Spain, the cement consumption suddenly dropped to what it was 40 years back. But before that, the industry was doing very well from the global perspective. In India, the last couple of years have seen about 40 million tonnes of capacity changing hands. The reasons are many, but inability to service debt due to high infrastructure cost is one of the most prominent reasons. But mergers per se are not new to us. We saw the first consolidation taking place way back in 1936, where 10 existing cement companies came together under one umbrella in a historic merger and formed ACC. It is a matter of opportunity. Today, setting up a plant after acquisition of land has become extremely difficult. It makes more sense to acquire plants rather than build them. At present, there is huge surplus capacity over demand. In a wider sense, it helps the economy. The chances are that consolidation may make some players very strong, but it is taken care of by the Competition Commission laying down strict guidelines for acquisition. We, at JK, are watching the emerging opportunities and will take appropriate decisions when needed. As per my understanding, a reasonable amount of consolidation has already taken place, and while there may not be many big ticket acquisitions in the offing, standalone plants may still come up for sale.

Do you think there is a disconnect between the GDP numbers and the demand growth the cement industry is witnessing? At GDP growth of 7.6 per cent, the cement industry?s growth should have been more than 10 per cent…
The historic conversion ratio of cement industry growing at 2 to 2.5 per cent over GDP has seen a shift in the past decade or so. This may be attributable to a shift in the major drivers of cement demand growth; for example, there is a difference in the dependence of cement growth on infra today. Housing, being the biggest driver of growth, has seen a slowdown due to a number of unsold dwellings in the market. The large infra projects need a long gestation period and are now in the take-off phase. We, however, need to look at the Indian cement industry in context of the global scenario, wherein Indian growth is actually much higher than peers and developed economies. On a near-term analysis, with this year having good monsoons and the government infra push, we should see a positive impact. Over the long term, we should see road & highway projects, Smart Cities, ?Housing for All?, Metro projects, etc., driving growth.

Does JK Cement have any new market initiatives planned in the near future?
Customer orientation and service is our mission and we are constantly evaluating as to how we can improve our offerings to the customer. The first and foremost responsibility is to deliver a product that exceeds all quality parameters and we at JK Cement have the best quality monitoring systems in place. We are also taking a number of steps to improve our service to the customer. In terms of logistics, we are ensuring that we reach our network most efficiently. In the recent past, we have taken a number of steps to improve the capabilities of our own team, as well as our channel partners. Regular meetings with our channel partners are helping us understand the market needs correctly, and regular market visits by all in the hierarchy help us to be proactive in our service to the end customer. One area where we have made a paradigm shift is to separate the technical support activities for our grey cement and white cement divisions. With this, we are able to focus more diligently on the requirements of our respective customers. In continuation to this, we are also establishing concrete labs in different cities. We are also working on having a deeper penetration of our network. We have also planned various new initiatives in the near future, like we are working on a ?Go to Rural Market Model? to reach out to our rural customers. We have also recently launched a new influencer management scheme by which we hope to engage our influencers more meaningfully. Also, we will be adding various new value-added services for our customers and professionals looking at their needs, which will help them in building strong homes.

We have added a number of large infra players to our portfolio, and since the last year, JK Cement has been recognised as one of the major suppliers for big projects in the country. We have significantly increased our key account capability and this has also helped us get good brand visibility. Sustaining a good key account is not an easy task as we have to meet the expectations of various stakeholders in terms of product quality and supplies. Our product range is already approved by various agencies, which reflects the confidence of large buyers in our product quality. We also keep a close tab on the market to understand how our cement is performing in the hands of our customers. Our aim is to produce the best cement and provide the best service to our customers.

JK Cement has been ahead of others in power generation through Waste Heat Recovery (WHR); please give us some insight into how you have been doing it…
Our CMD, YP Singhania, is a great visionary. Living up to its reputation of pioneering many firsts in India, JK Cement became the first company to invest in installation of a WHR concept-based 10 MW power plant in India, in collaboration with TEC, Japan in 2008, and got carbon credit certificates under CDM, initiated by the World Bank, to reduce the carbon dioxide footprint. It was increased to 13.2 MW in the following years. As the plant capacity increased during the years due to upgradation in Nimbahera and new lines in Mangrol, we have today reached a total of 23.2 MW of WHR capability. In Muddapur, Karnataka, captive power plants were conceived along with the project and 2 x 25 MW coal based plants were installed.

Our current focus is to improve our capability to use AFR. Taking inspiration from the best companies in this field, we would like to improve our capabilities significantly. It makes good business sense, and it also helps the country.

How is the PAT scheme working for the industry, and more particularly, how is it working for JK Cement?
Perform Achieve and Trade is a scheme started by the Government of India under various international agreements to reduce the footprint of GHG (Green House Gases) by way of improving energy efficiency in energy intensive manufacturing sectors like steel, cement, etc. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency was set up under the Energy Ministry to look after this legally binding scheme. We have completed the 1st cycle of audit, and achieved our target. It is always easy to complete the first cycle. It is like an examination – getting up to 70 per cent of marks is fairly easy, but to increase the percentage from 80 to 85 is fairly difficult. We got the credit certificates for the first phase, but the 2nd cycle is going to be tough. We feel that the PAT scheme as such makes good business sense also; it?s not to be looked upon merely as a push from the government. In the second cycle, we are taking many small steps. Our focus is lowering electrical and thermal energy. We have planned investments accordingly – the major one being replacing drives with variable speed drives.

How has been the performance of JK Cement in the production of blended cements? Is JK planning to start production of composite cement? What do you think about the market for composite cements?
JK Super Cement is one of the premium grey cement brands in the country, available as Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC). The product complies with quality standards specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and is much in demand, from both the retail and the institutional segments.

When I was at Bangladesh, we tried making a masonry cement while working with a Holcim plant. However, it was not a success because of improper use by the end customer. The regulatory system has to be in place and effective for application-based products. If the product is used for an incorrect purpose, then the results can be catastrophic.

We welcome the plan to introduce composite cements and we are evaluating the potential of this product. In Muddapur, we produce all three types of cement and can launch composite cement, if we find a demand for this product. We have started taking laboratory trials and evaluating all options.

We would like to know more on your dual-process plant, which can produce grey as well as white cement.
The white cement plant at Fujairah has been established with technical assistance of Taiheiyo Corporation, Japan. The company?s grey cement plant at Gotan in India is also of Taiheiyo technology and it can produce both grey and white cement. Similarly, the plant at Fujairah can produce both grey and white cement and the capacity is 0.6 MTPA of white cement or 1 MTPA of grey cement, or a combination of both. The changeover from white to grey or vice versa can be done in a short span of two to three days. However, presently the company is operating the plant at Fujairah only for production of white cement and has no immediate plans of producing grey cement, looking at the market conditions in the region.

Can you brief us on your CSR initiatives?
JK Group is known for its philanthropic initiatives in our country. The group has made many contributions to society by way of running schools, colleges, training facilities, ITIs, and building temples, etc. The JK temples in Kanpur and Nimbahera are much revered and are important religious places. We have built some of the best schools in the states in which we operate. LKSEC, Gotan (Rajasthan) is one such school where students from all parts of the country strive to get admission. We also have a university and a management college in Udaipur. At Nimbahera, we have constructed a new building for ITI this year, and it has received green building certification. We are running an RTC for the past few decades. Here, we not only train our own employees, but also those from other companies as well. In addition, we take a number of initiatives to improve the living conditions of our plant neighbourhood like vocational training, supply of water to villages, etc. We also encourage architects by conducting one of the most prestigious competitions for Indian architects and those from neighbouring countries. AYA is now in its 25th year, and we have honoured almost all the leading architects of India during the last 25 years.

Economy & Market

RAHSTA Roundtable Sets Agenda for Smarter, Safer Highways

Published

1 day ago

March 16, 2026

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Roundtable discussions focus on innovation for safer highways.

Held on 12 March 2026 at Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai, alongside the Infrastructure Today Airport Conclave, the RAHSTA Roundtable brought together stakeholders from across the highways and infrastructure ecosystem to shape the agenda for the 16th RAHSTA 2026, scheduled for 8–9 July 2026 at the Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai. The session focused on key industry themes including road construction, technology, safety and long-term sustainability.

Opening the discussion, Pratap Padode, Founder, FIRST Construction Council, said the roundtable marked the beginning of a broader consultative process leading up to the July event. The aim, he noted, is to bring together industry stakeholders to refine the agenda for discussions on the future of roads, bridges, tunnels and allied infrastructure.

Padode noted that while central road project awards have slowed in recent years, states are increasingly driving the next phase of infrastructure growth. Maharashtra, with its long-term road development plans and agencies such as MSRDC and MSIDC, is expected to play a significant role in this expansion.

RAHSTA Expo 2026 as a specialised platform dedicated to road infrastructure, covering highways, tunnels, bridges and flyovers along with construction technologies, safety systems and maintenance solutions. He also highlighted the growing importance of rural connectivity and said the organisers are engaging with government bodies to highlight rural road development initiatives.

Tanveer Padode, CIO, ASAPP Info Group, presented insights from IMPACCT, the group’s infrastructure intelligence platform. He pointed to a strong project pipeline despite slower highway awards earlier in the year, noting that states such as Maharashtra, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh are emerging as key drivers of new projects. The data also revealed that only a small group of contractors participates in large-value infrastructure bids.

Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhary, former Director General, Border Roads Organisation and Chairman of the RAHSTA Expo Committee, emphasised the need for stronger collaboration across the ecosystem, including policymakers, contractors, technology providers and financiers. He also called for addressing systemic issues within the sector and encouraged greater participation of women in infrastructure leadership.

The discussion also explored the evolving economics of road development. Phani Prasad Mandalaparthy, Associate Director, CRISIL Intelligence, noted that the slowdown in project awards reflects a shift towards higher-value logistics corridors rather than simple road widening projects. However, private participation through BOT and TOT models remains limited.

From the contractors’ perspective, Sudhir Hoshing, Whole-Time Director, Ceigall, said companies are becoming more selective in bidding, favouring projects with clearer payment mechanisms and efficient processes. While NHAI continues to offer greater operational clarity, states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were cited as relatively supportive environments for project execution.

Durability and sustainability also emerged as key themes. Himanshu Agarwal, COO – Road & Infrastructure, Zydex Group India, highlighted the need to prioritise lifecycle performance and resilient pavements, while participants discussed the potential of alternative materials such as plastic waste, steel slag and industrial by-products in road construction.

Dr LR Manjunatha, Vice President, JSW Cement, emphasised that India has abundant fly ash, slag and other industrial materials that can improve durability and sustainability if integrated into specifications and policy frameworks.

Technology and equipment challenges were also discussed. Dr Lakshmana Rao Mantri, Dy General Manager, Afcons Infrastructure, highlighted the shortage of tunnel boring machines (TBMs), which is delaying several underground infrastructure projects. Participants agreed that developing domestic TBM manufacturing capabilities will be critical for future infrastructure expansion.

The future of concrete pavements was another area of discussion. Dr V Ramachandra, President, Indian Concrete Institute, stressed that the debate should focus on lifecycle performance rather than material choice alone, noting that evolving design standards are improving the feasibility of concrete roads.

Prof Dharamveer Singh of IIT Bombay added that while India has made significant progress in infrastructure development, stronger capacity building and better execution practices are essential to ensure consistent road quality.

The discussion also touched upon technology adoption in the sector. Rushabh Mamania, Partner & CBO, Roadvision, highlighted the growing role of AI in road infrastructure, noting that AI-driven monitoring systems are already being deployed across large stretches of national highways.

Overall, the roundtable underscored that the future of highway infrastructure will depend not only on the pace of construction but also on durability, safety, technology integration and sustainable materials. The discussions offered valuable insights that will help shape the agenda for RAHSTA 2026 and guide future collaboration within the industry.

Economy & Market

CTS Roundtable Charts Tech-Led Roadmap for Construction

Published

1 day ago

March 16, 2026

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CTS Roundtable Maps Technology Roadmap for Construction

Ahead of the Construction Technology Show (Con Tech Show) 2026, industry leaders, technology innovators and academia came together in Mumbai to deliberate on how digitalisation, automation and industrialised construction can reshape the sector. The discussion made one thing clear: construction can no longer afford to treat technology as optional.

Held on 12 March 2026 at Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai, alongside the Infrastructure Today Airport Conclave, the CTS Roundtable served as a precursor to the Construction Technology Show 2026, scheduled for 19–20 August 2026 at NESCO, Mumbai.

A platform to move from discussion to deployment

Opening the session, Pratap Padode, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, ASAPP Info Global Group, said construction technology has long remained close to his heart, especially given the sector’s traditionally slow pace of technology adoption. He noted that over the years, the Construction Technology Summit had steadily built interest, and the next step was now to expand it into a larger, more meaningful platform that could bring together technology providers, users, startups and innovators under one roof.

Padode said the vision for CTS is not limited to software alone. The platform aims to embrace all forms of technology that can improve construction efficiency, quality and execution—from digital tools and project management systems to lean construction, off-site fabrication and startup-led innovation. He also highlighted plans to deepen startup participation and create space for young companies to showcase emerging construction solutions.

Industry at a turning point

Moderating the roundtable, Naushad Panjwani, Chairman, Mandarus Partners, set the context by pointing out that the global construction industry, despite being a multi-trillion-dollar sector, continues to lag in productivity. He noted that while manufacturing has consistently improved efficiency, construction has remained slow to modernise.

Referring to both global and Indian trends, Panjwani underlined that the industry is now at a decisive moment. India, he said, is entering a major build cycle, and delivering the next phase of infrastructure and real estate growth through traditional methods alone is no longer viable. The goal of the roundtable, therefore, was not to debate technology in isolation, but to identify the most critical conversations that would bridge the gap between innovation and implementation.

His central message was clear: CTS 2026 must be shaped around themes that make CEOs, CIOs and CTOs feel they cannot afford to miss the event.

From BIM to AI, data to governance

A major theme that emerged through the discussion was the need for better data, better visibility and better decision-making. Dr Venkata Santosh Kumar of IIT Bombay echoed this, saying that the underlying data infrastructure itself needs attention. Construction projects, particularly remote ones, often face issues around connectivity, data collection and data use. Without this foundation, more advanced technologies cannot deliver their full value.

Chandra Vasireddy, CEO & Co-founder, Inncircles, expanded the discussion to governance, arguing that technology must help connect the many moving parts of a construction business. For him, the real value of digital transformation lies in creating better governance, clearer visibility and stronger business outcomes.

Tejas Vara of Inncircles stressed the importance of timely site data for leadership teams, especially in large and remote projects where decisions on materials, machinery and manpower often get delayed because information does not reach headquarters in time.

The role of AI also featured prominently. Rushabh Mamania, Partner and CBO, Roadvision said that while AI and machine learning are now common terms, vision intelligence and language intelligence have still not deeply penetrated the construction sector. He emphasised that startups in India are building relevant AI-led solutions and are already attracting international interest, showing that innovation need not be imported—it can be built locally and scaled globally.

Industrialised construction gains ground

The roundtable also placed strong emphasis on industrialised construction methods. Kalyan Vaidyanathan, CTO – Construction & R&D, Tvasta, called for greater focus on off-site fabrication and the broader industrialisation of construction. Bhargav Jog, General Manager, Dextra, highlighted precast technology and alternative sustainable materials as areas with immediate relevance.

Several participants agreed that modular, precast and pre-engineered approaches are no longer niche ideas. They are increasingly becoming practical responses to the sector’s challenges around labour shortage, timelines, quality control and predictability.

Anup Mathew, Sr VP & Business Head, Godrej, argued that the industry needs a fully integrated approach—from design and procurement to execution and asset management. Unless these are connected, technology adoption will remain fragmented and sub-optimal. He pointed to pre-engineered and modular systems as examples of how industrial thinking can compress timelines, improve quality and reduce dependence on difficult on-site conditions.

Adoption remains the biggest hurdle

While there was broad agreement on the promise of technology, the discussion repeatedly returned to one fundamental challenge: adoption.

Abhishek Kumar, COO, LivSYT, observed that the market is crowded with solutions, but many buyers still struggle to evaluate which technology suits which use case. According to him, the industry needs clearer frameworks to help users select, compare and adopt solutions, rather than expecting a single platform to solve every problem.

Dr Tenepalli JaiSai, Associate Professor, School of Construction(SoC), NICMAR University, noted that isolated technologies will not solve the productivity problem by themselves. What is required is an integrated Construction 4.0 approach, where digital, physical and cyber-physical systems work together rather than in silos.

That concern around silos was reinforced by Subodh Dixit, former Director, Shapoorji Pallonji, who said the issue is not just that technologies are disconnected, but that stakeholders are as well. Clients, consultants, contractors and partners often operate with different priorities. Unless these silos are broken, technology will struggle to percolate across the full project value chain.

Harleen Oberoi, Project Management, Tata Realty shared a practical perspective from the client side, saying that successful BIM implementation requires investment across the ecosystem, not just within one organisation. Trade partners, vendors and other stakeholders must also be trained and aligned if the technology is to deliver its intended results.

Beyond buzzwords

A notable takeaway from the session was that the industry is moving past the phase of treating technology as a buzzword. Participants repeatedly stressed that the real question is not whether technology should be used, but where it creates measurable value and how that value can be scaled.

The conversation also expanded beyond mainstream themes to include repairs and rehabilitation, construction and demolition waste, sustainability, circular economy, green sourcing, carbon measurement, design interoperability, generative design, robotics, and the role of horticulture and greener built environments.

Setting the agenda for CTS 2026

By the close of the session, the roundtable had surfaced a strong set of themes for the upcoming show: BIM and digital twins, AI and data platforms, industrialised construction, startup innovation, governance-led technology adoption, robotics, sustainable materials, and integrated project delivery.

More importantly, the session established CTS 2026 as more than an exhibition. It is shaping up to be a serious industry platform where users, technology providers, researchers and policymakers can collectively define the future of construction.

As Padode noted in his closing remarks, the conversation will continue through further consultations and possibly webinars in the run-up to the show. If the roundtable is any indication, CTS 2026 will aim not merely to showcase technology, but to push the industry towards meaningful adoption at scale.

Economy & Market

Smart Pumping for Rock Blasting

Published

2 weeks ago

March 2, 2026

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SEEPEX introduces BN pumps with Smart Joint Access (SJA) to improve efficiency, reliability, and inspection speed in demanding rock blasting operations.
Designed for abrasive and chemical media, the solution supports precise dosing, reduced downtime, and enhanced operational safety.

SEEPEX has introduced BN pumps with Smart Joint Access (SJA), engineered for the reliable and precise transfer of abrasive, corrosive, and chemical media in mining and construction. Designed for rock blasting, the pump features a large inspection opening for quick joint checks, a compact footprint for mobile or skid-mounted installations, and flexible drive and material options for consistent performance and uptime.

“Operators can inspect joints quickly and rely on precise pumping of shear-sensitive and abrasive emulsions,” said Magalie Levray, Global Business Development Manager Mining at SEEPEX. “This is particularly critical in rock blasting, where every borehole counts for productivity.” Industry Context

Rock blasting is essential for extracting hard rock and shaping safe excavation profiles in mining and construction. Accurate and consistent loading of explosive emulsions ensures controlled fragmentation, protects personnel, and maximizes productivity. Even minor deviations in pumping can cause delays or reduce product quality. BN pumps with SJA support routine maintenance and pre-operation checks by allowing fast verification of joint integrity, enabling more efficient operations.

Always Inspection Ready

Smart Joint Access is designed for inspection-friendly operations. The large inspection opening in the suction housing provides direct access to both joints, enabling rapid pre-operation checks while maintaining high operational reliability. Technicians can assess joint condition quickly, supporting continuous, reliable operation.

Key Features

Compact Footprint: Fits truck-mounted mobile units, skid-mounted systems, and factory installations.
Flexible Drive Options: Compact hydraulic drive or electric drive configurations.
Hydraulic Efficiency: Low-displacement design reduces oil requirements and supports low total cost of ownership.
Equal Wall Stator Design: Ensures high-pressure performance in a compact footprint.
Material Flexibility: Stainless steel or steel housings, chrome-plated rotors, and stators in NBR, EPDM, or FKM.

Operators benefit from shorter inspection cycles, reliable dosing, seamless integration, and fast delivery through framework agreements, helping to maintain uptime in critical rock blasting processes.

Applications – Optimized for Rock Blasting

BN pumps with SJA are designed for mining, tunneling, quarrying, civil works, dam construction, and other sectors requiring precise handling of abrasive or chemical media. They provide robust performance while enabling fast, reliable inspection and maintenance.With SJA, operators can quickly access both joints without disassembly, ensuring emulsions are transferred accurately and consistently. This reduces downtime, preserves product integrity, and supports uniform dosing across multiple bore holes.

With the Smart Joint Access inspection opening, operators can quickly access and assess the condition of both joints without disassembly, enabling immediate verification of pump readiness prior to blast hole loading. This allows operators to confirm that emulsions are transferred accurately and consistently, protecting personnel, minimizing product degradation, and maintaining uniform dosing across multiple bore holes.

The combination of equal wall stator design, compact integration, flexible drives, and progressive cavity pump technology ensures continuous, reliable operation even in space-limited, high-pressure environments.

From Inspection to Operation

A leading explosives provider implemented BN pumps with SJA in open pit and underground operations. By replacing legacy pumps, inspection cycles were significantly shortened, allowing crews to complete pre-operation checks and return mobile units to productive work faster. Direct joint access through SJA enabled immediate verification, consistent emulsion dosing, and reduced downtime caused by joint-related deviations.

“The inspection opening gives immediate confidence that each joint is secure before proceeding to bore holes,” said a site technician. “It allows us to act quickly, keeping blasting schedules on track.”

Framework agreements ensured rapid pump supply and minimal downtime, supporting multi-site operations across continents