Economy & Market

Penalty on cement players credit neutral – India ratings

Published

10 years ago

September 1, 2016

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The Competition Commission of India’s penalty of over Rs 6,700 crore on 11 cement companies amounts to 20-75 per cent of the players’ 2015-16 operating profits, however, the move is credit neutral due to their low leverage levels, said India Ratings and Research.
"Most of the companies (eight out of 11) maintain a low leverage and thus will be in a position to absorb the burden, in the event the penalty has to be paid. The penalty, however, will put pressure on the credit metrics for companies with relatively high levels of leverage," the ratings agency said in a statement.
Fair trade regulator CCI in its order dated August 31, 2016 imposed a penalty of Rs 6,700 crore on 11 cement companies for alleged cartelisation.
"Maintaining high prices in the face of declining capacity utilisation has over the past few years allowed cement companies to contain decline in profits," it said.
India Ratings said it maintains a stable outlook for cement manufacturers for 2016-17 and expects the cement industry to grow in the range of 4 per cent-6 per cent during 2016-17.
"A favourable monsoon after two consecutive bad years, can give a leg-up to rural demand, and government initiatives (such as ‘Housing for All’ and the thrust on infrastructure activities) are expected to improve overall cement demand with a lag and show signs after FY17," the rating agency said

Concrete

WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

Published

11 hours ago

April 13, 2026

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The World Cement Association (WCA) has announced SiloConnect as its newest associate corporate member, expanding its network of technology providers supporting digitalisation in the cement industry. SiloConnect offers smart sensor technology that provides real-time visibility of cement inventory levels at customer silos, enabling producers to monitor stock remotely and plan deliveries more efficiently. The solution helps companies move from reactive to proactive logistics, improving delivery planning, operational efficiency and safety by reducing manual inspections. The technology is already used by major cement producers such as Holcim, Cemex and Heidelberg Materials and is deployed across more than 30 countries worldwide.

Concrete

TotalEnergies and Holcim Launch Floating Solar Plant in Belgium

Published

11 hours ago

April 13, 2026

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TotalEnergies and Holcim have commissioned a floating solar power plant in Obourg, Belgium, built on a rehabilitated former chalk quarry that has been converted into a lake. The project has a generation capacity of 31 MW and produces around 30 GWh of renewable electricity annually, which will be used to power Holcim’s nearby industrial operations. The project is currently the largest floating solar installation in Europe dedicated entirely to industrial self-consumption. To ensure minimal impact on the surrounding landscape, more than 700 metres of horizontal directional drilling were used to connect the solar installation to the electrical substation. The project reflects ongoing collaboration between the two companies to support industrial decarbonisation through renewable energy solutions and innovative infrastructure development.

Concrete

Cortec® Corporation applauded for its strong safety performance

Published

11 hours ago

April 13, 2026

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Cortec® Corporation has been recognised for its strong safety performance, receiving its sixth Governor’s Workplace Safety Award for its outstanding performance in 2025. As a Silver Achievement recipient, the company continues to maintain safety metrics well above national industry averages, an impressive accomplishment for a chemical manufacturing organisation. This achievement reflects Cortec’s proactive approach to workplace safety, focused on early hazard detection and employee involvement. The company will be formally recognised at the Minnesota Safety and Health Conference in May, highlighting how industrial companies are effectively strengthening workplace safety standards.