Economy & Market

Industries Shrugging Off Demonetisation Pangs: CARE

Published

8 years ago

August 31, 2018

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The performance of 3,292 companies in Q1 FY19 over the last year (Q1 FY18) reveals an improvement, with net sales registering a double-digit growth during the quarter over Q1 FY18 performance. Also, after declining by 10.8 per cent y-o-y in Q1 FY18, net profits witnessed a double-digit growth of about 12.9 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q1 FY19. Net profit margin witnessed marginal contraction of about 30 basis points y-o-y during the quarter, says CARE Ratings in a recent report.

In Q1 FY19, after excluding the banks and finance companies which are guided by exogenous factors, the performance of industry (2,749 companies) depicts almost similar trend as that of the aggregate sample in terms of sales. However, in terms of profits, the aggregate performance of companies witnessed a sharp improvement and increased by 38 per cent y-o-y vis-a-vis a decline of 13.6 per cent registered in Q1 FY18, says the report, Corporate Performance for Q1-FY19, anchored by Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, CARE Ratings.

For the aggregate sample, net profit margin remained positive. While excluding banks and finance companies, the net profit margins improved by about 130 basis points in Q1 FY19. It has also been observed that some industries in the Indian economy have been picking momentum leaving behind the demonetisation and GST implementation impact that did impact industry performance between Q3 FY17 and Q2 FY18.

Small firms facing net loss
While the overall aggregate picture of the industry has improved post-GST (Goods and Services Tax) implementation, the smaller companies, i.e., companies below Rs 100 crore sales continue to be on the back foot. This size range with maximum number of companies has continued to register net loss in Q1 FY19. Also, of the total 1,857 companies with net sales below Rs 100 crore, 813 companies (about 45 per cent companies) have posted a y-o-y decline in net sales during Q1 FY19.

Of the 50 industries considered, majority of industries have witnessed positive growth in sales during Q1 FY19 except for nine industries. Out of these, with positive sales growth, 20 industries registered y-o-y higher growth vis-a-vis Q1 FY18. Some of the leading industries were auto – tractors, auto – trucks/LCVs, auto ancillary, metals – steel and iron products, aluminium and ferrous, private banks, housing finance, finance – NBFCs, refinery and oil exploration, fertilizers, industrial gases and fuels, etc.

In all, nine industries witnessed negative y-o-y growth in net sales of Q1 FY19 with significant declines. However, some industries such as glass, paints, textiles, plastics, ceramics, etc. are highly unorganised and therefore the performance will not necessarily be reflected in the analysis mentioned below. In order to gauge the performance of various industries, we have considered the index of industrial production (IIP) growth in Q1 FY19 for the comparable industries, CARE Ratings said. The following are the CARE Ratings’ comments on cement and related industries in the report:

Cement
Industry net sales witnessed a subdued growth during the Q1 FY19. However, as per the IIP, cement production increased by over 14 per cent during Q1 FY19. This growth in IIP could majorly be on account of inventory restocking by players. Rural markets have shown some traction in cement demand.
Central and Western market realisations have improved, eastern markets remained steady. Northern and Southern market continues to be volatile.
Going forward, increase in demand from retail housing (PMAY) and infrastructure is expected to improve realisation for the industry.

Steel & iron
The industry’s performance registered growth which was however lower than Q1 FY18 on sales front on a y-o-y basis backed. The growth in revenues was backed by strong underlying demand and rising international prices, domestic steel prices too went up during the quarter.
Manufacture of basic metals under IIP witnessed a growth of about 3.8 per cent during Q1 FY19.
The prices of HR coils, CR coils and TMT bars grew by 27-40 per cent on a y-o-y basis
Affordable housing is expected to provide big boost to the TMT steel sector. Also, there is a lot of consolidation taking place in the industry, which will benefit the players going forward.

Construction
Industry has witnessed only a marginal growth of 1.7 per cent in Q1 FY19 over a growth of 7.9 per cent in Q1 FY18 due to subdued construction activities in organised real estate during the quarter

Paints
Sales increased only marginally during the quarter on back of slower recovery in demand vis-a-vis last year season.
The quarter witnessed upward movement in crude along with lot of volatility in forex and depreciation in the rupee resulting in high inflation.
However, profits have registered a double-digit growth of about 24 per cent in Q1 FY19 vis-a-vis a decline of about 16 per cent in Q1 FY18.

Ceramics/marble/granite/sanitary ware
The industry witnessed slower off-take from user industry along with issues related to GST implementation (tax rate on tiles under GST increased to 28 per cent vis-a-vis 12-14.5 per cent rates earlier, this rate was revised to 18 per cent later)

The industry continues to anticipate a rise in demand for tiles, backed by the rising rural incomes. Lifestyle decisions in the rural segment is likely to have a positive affect the demand for floor tiles and sanitary ware. The only concern is the declining margins, which comes as a result of frequent revisions in GST rates on Ceramic products.

Some interesting takeaways
Growth in sales for the sample companies excluding banks and finance though marginally lower than that in FY18 comes as a surprise considering that Q1-FY18 was a period when GDP growth slowed down sharply. On a low growth base one would have expected growth to have been higher.
There was a sharp increase in growth in net profit. However, this came over a negative growth rate in FY18. When compared with Q1-FY17, growth is less sharp.
The same picture emerges for net profit margin, where the increase in Q1-FY19 over FY18 from 5.8 per cent to 7.1 per cent is still lower than 7.7 per cent in FY17.
The interest cover improved during this quarter which can be broadly attributed to higher profits growth.
Size wise analysis reveals that the larger companies with sales of over Rs 500 crore dominated the overall performance. However, the smaller ones with sales of less than Rs 100 crore each did not do well in terms of sales and profit.
Industry wise performance was quite diverse with no fixed pattern being discernible.

Y-o-Y decline in net sales in Q1 FY19
Sugar
Consumer durables – electronics
Electronics – components
Telecom equipment
Cement
Ceramics/marble/granite/sanitary -ware
Telecommunications – service providers
Mining and minerals
Diamond and jewellery

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

5 days ago

October 9, 2026

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

Published

6 days ago

October 8, 2026

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With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA,
Mumbai

JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”

Concrete

UltraTech becomes first Indian cement firm to cross 2 GW green energy

Published

1 week ago

October 7, 2026

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UltraTech Cement has crossed 2 GW of captive green energy capacity, with renewables and waste heat recovery meeting 48 per cent of its power needs.

Mumbai

UltraTech Cement Limited has surpassed 2 GW of installed green energy capacity for captive use, becoming the first cement company in India to achieve the milestone. The Aditya Birla Group company commissioned 116.55 MW of wind capacity at its Inter-State Transmission System-connected wind-solar hybrid project in Barmer, Rajasthan, along with 10 MW of Waste Heat Recovery System capacity at Sarlanagar Cement Works in Karnataka.

With these additions, UltraTech’s cumulative installed green energy capacity has reached 2,024 MW. This includes 1,580 MW of renewable energy capacity and 444 MW of waste heat recovery capacity, together meeting around 48 per cent of the company’s current power requirements.

The company said the milestone reflects the progress of its long-term energy transition strategy. In FY27 so far, nearly one-third of UltraTech’s 76 manufacturing units in India have maintained green energy utilisation above 50 per cent of their electricity requirements, while five units have crossed 95 per cent.

K C Jhanwar, Managing Director, UltraTech Cement Limited, said, “Crossing the 2 GW green energy milestone is the result of a strategy we have pursued consistently over the past decade. Cement is an energy-intensive, hard-to-abate sector, and showing that reliability and growth can go hand in hand with a rapid shift to green energy sets a benchmark for the industry. With nearly half of our power needs now met through green energy, we are significantly less exposed to fossil fuel supply constraints and power price volatility. As we scale up renewables, waste heat recovery and battery storage across our operations, we are building an energy foundation for stable, long-term growth.”

UltraTech commissioned 430 MW of green energy capacity in FY26 and continues to expand its renewable energy and waste heat recovery portfolio.

The company is also progressively integrating Battery Energy Storage Systems across its operations to improve renewable energy utilisation and supply reliability.

In 2025, UltraTech operationalised what it described as India’s first on-site hybrid round-the-clock renewable energy project at Sewagram Cement Works in Gujarat. The project combines solar, wind and battery storage.

As part of its decarbonisation strategy, UltraTech said it has not invested in new captive thermal power capacity for either greenfield projects or brownfield expansions at its integrated units for more than a decade.

The company said its expanding green energy portfolio is helping reduce dependence on conventional grid electricity and fossil fuel-based power, while lowering exposure to fluctuations in coal and electricity prices.

UltraTech aims to increase green energy’s share in its total power mix to 85 per cent by 2030. As a member of RE100, it has also committed to meeting 100 per cent of its electricity requirement through renewable sources by 2050.

UltraTech Cement, the cement flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has a total grey cement capacity of 210.1 MTPA and white cement and putty capacity of 3.5 MTPA. The company is also a signatory to the GCCA Climate Ambition 2050 and has committed to the GCCA Net Zero Concrete roadmap.