Launches its brand in India, for the first time outside France.
French cement giant, VICAT Group, said it has invested Rs 300 crore this year out of Rs 1,700 crore of investment it had announced to expand cement capacities to meet growing demand in south and eastern parts of the country and launched its VICAT brand in India.
‘To keep pace with the overall 5 per cent growth in cement industry, we have major expansion plans in India. We have chalked out Rs 1,700 crore investment plans by 2021 to increase our cement manufacturing capacity to 13 million tonnes (MT), from the present capacity of 7.75 million tonnes per annum (mtpa)’ said Anoop Kumar Saxena, CEO, VICAT India.
‘We have already invested Rs 300 crore this year. Our expansion plan includes setting up of 1.2 mt of bulk cement terminal at Kalamboli in Mumbai and second line of 2.75 mtpa capacity in existing Kalburgi cement plant and establish a grinding unit of 1.7 mtpa capacity at Vizag in Andhra Pradesh to expand our footprint, Saxena said. The company also has an integrated cement plant consisting 2 lines in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.
‘The objective of setting up the bulk cement terminal in Mumbai is to cater to the growing demand of cement from infrastructure development in Mumbai, where several Metro projects as well as the Trans-Harbour link and other infrastructure projects are coming up,’ said Saxena.
This Terminal has dedicated own wagons, 24 hours loading facility. ‘This is first ever industry to have end-to-end logistic automation. This is ZERO discharge plant (with NO Air & Water polution). It is having dedicated facility of loading bag as well as bulk cement to any part of Mumbai,’ Saxena added.
The company has also launched brand "VICAT" in India, for the first time outside France. This is a flagship brand from France for last several decades in cement. It has launched VICAT Optimate and VICAT Duramate brands in the Mumbai market, targeted at the infrastructure and retail segment respectively.
During the launch of terminal, Guy Sidos, VICAT Group Chairman said, ‘India is very important country for our business and investment of Rs 70 crore in this terminal is in line with our commitment to supply best quality of cement. This terminal is having 1.2 mtpa capacity and it can store upto 12,000 tonnes cement at any point of time.’ VICAT entered in India in 2008 through a joint venture with an Indian partner with proposal to establish an integrated plant. In 2014, VICAT bought 100 percent stake of joint venture and renamed it as Kalburgi Cement. During 2010, it took another operating company Bharathi Cement with Indian partner having 5.5 mtpa capacity.