Economy & Market

India Ratings maintains stable outlook for cement firms for FY18

Published

9 years ago

March 1, 2017

admin

India Ratings and Research has maintained a stable outlook on cement manufacturers for financial year 2017-18 due to stable demand growth, despite an increase in input cost. The rating agency also expects cement prices to go up during FY 2017-18 on stable demand.
"Ind-Ra expects stable cement demand to enable cement manufacturers to pass on increases in cost during FY18," the ratings agency said.
It expects the credit profile of cement manufacturers to remain stable on stable operating profitability and in the absence of debt-led capex. The operating profitability of cement manufacturers in the next financial year will be around the FY16 and estimated FY17 levels on increase in government expenditure, according to the agency.
The ratings agency has revised down its growth estimates for the cement industry to 3-3.5 per cent in the current financial year from 4-6 per cent earlier due to a drop in demand due to demonetisation.
It, however, expects the cement industry to grow 4-5 per cent year-on-year in the next fiscal, driven largely by demand from infrastructure activities and a revival in housing demand in rural areas, both led by government spending.

Concrete

WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

Published

6 days ago

April 13, 2026

admin

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

6 days ago

April 13, 2026

admin

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

6 days ago

April 13, 2026

admin

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.