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SC Order Stirs Up Industry Expectations

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After a drift of 5.36 per cent in two months-August and September – the cement prices have bounced back by 2.74 per cent in September. Rising cost of inputs and consistent growth in demand for a few months have enabled the industry to bite the bullet – first by raising prices of special branded products followed by other categories.

"Cement production continues to do well with the low base effect helping growth. Also it is indicative of advance in infra spending on roads by the government and housing – especially affordable housing," said CARE Ratings in a recent report.

Several sectors, including cement, were showing signs of recovery in the economy till July 2018 mainly owing to the base effect of slowdown that has affected growth of these industries following demonetisation of 86 per cent of currency in the economy in November 2016. However the latest core sector growth figures for August 2018 have highlighted a slowdown in the growth of sectors like coal, crude oil and fertilisers in the core sector, while that of natural gas, refinery products, steel and electricity sustained their growth pace. Cement is the only core sector that has sustained its high growth path even in August 2018.

According to eight sectoral figures brought out in the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), cement posted a growth of 14.7 per cent during April-August 2018 period, compared to 1.7 per cent growth during the same period of the previous year. During that period the overall index rose only by 5.5 per cent in 2018, compared to 3 per cent in the previous year. During April-August 2018, the growth of cement production oscillated between 21.9 per cent in April 2018 and 11.1 per cent in July 2018.

Though everything was going on smoothly, the Supreme Court of India, in an interim order issued on September 1, banned all construction activity till October 9 in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chandigarh citing that they have failed to comply with its order to come up with a policy on solid waste management. Though it was realise in a few days that the decision was not to affect all kinds of construction activity in the states, it has stirred up the activity in residential construction sphere, creating confusion over demand for cement.

Following the SC order, the builders did not stop any work in progress and continued their activities without any hindrance, as they believed the ban applies only for new project approvals and upcoming constructions. That is, until a resolution comes in place, no fresh approvals will be given for any new construction site / projects. The builders in those states which were ready with solid waste management policy were in a safe bet.

Though things were sorted out very quickly, the cement industry and its stakeholders were keeping their fingers crossed for a few days. Only real monthly cement consumption figures will bring some clarity on the impact of the SC order on the industry and demand.

B.S. Srinivasalu Reddy

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Economy & Market

Hindalco Buys US Speciality Alumina Firm for $125 Million

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This strategic acquisition marks a significant investment in speciality alumina, a key step by Aditya Birla Group’s metals flagship towards becoming future-ready by scaling its high-value, technology-led materials portfolio.

Hindalco Industries, the world’s largest aluminium company by revenue and the metals flagship of the $28 billion Aditya Birla Group, has announced the acquisition of a 100 per cent equity stake in US-based AluChem Companies—a prominent manufacturer of speciality alumina—for an enterprise value of $125 million. The transaction will be executed through Aditya Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary.

This acquisition represents a pivotal investment in speciality alumina and advances Hindalco’s strategy to expand its high-value, technology-led materials portfolio.

Hindalco’s speciality alumina business, a key pillar of its value-added strategy, has delivered consistent double-digit growth in recent years. It has emerged as a high-growth, high-margin vertical within the company’s portfolio. As speciality alumina finds expanding applications across electric mobility, semiconductors, and precision ceramics, the deal positions Hindalco further up the innovation curve, enabling next-generation alumina solutions and value-accretive growth.

Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, called the acquisition an important step in their global strategy to build a leadership position in value-added, high-tech materials.

“Our strategic foray into the speciality alumina space will not only accelerate the development of future-ready, sustainable solutions but also open new pathways to pursue high-impact growth opportunities. By integrating advanced technologies into our value chain, we are reinforcing our commitment to self-reliance, import substitution, and building scale in innovation-led businesses.”

Ronald P Zapletal, Founder, AluChem Companies, said the partnership with Hindalco would provide AluChem the ability and capital to scale up faster and build scale in North America.

“AluChem will benefit from their world-class sustainability and safety standards and practices, access to integrated operations and a consistent, reliable raw material supply chain. Their ability to leverage R&D capabilities and a talented workforce adds tremendous value to our innovation pipeline, helping drive market expansion beyond North America.”

An Eye on the Future

The global speciality alumina market is projected to grow significantly, with rising demand for tailored solutions in sectors such as ceramics, electronics, aerospace, and medical applications. Hindalco currently operates 500,000 tonnes of speciality alumina capacity and aims to scale this up to 1 million tonnes by FY2030.

Commenting on the development, Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries, said the deal reinforced their commitment to innovation and global expansion.

“As alumina gains increasing relevance in critical and clean-tech sectors, AluChem’s advanced chemistry capabilities will significantly enhance our ability to serve these fast-evolving markets. Importantly, it deepens our high-value-added portfolio with differentiated products that drive profitability and strengthen our global competitiveness.”

AluChem adds a strong North American presence to Hindalco’s portfolio, with an annual capacity of 60,000 tonnes across three advanced manufacturing facilities in Ohio and Arkansas. The company is a long-standing supplier of ultra-low soda calcined and tabular alumina, materials prized for their thermal and mechanical stability and widely used in precision engineering and high-performance refractories.

Saurabh Khedekar, CEO of the Alumina Business at Hindalco Industries, said the acquisition unlocked immediate synergies, including market access and portfolio diversification.

“Hindalco plans to work with AluChem’s high performance technology solutions and scale up production of ultra-low soda alumina products to drive a larger global market share.”

The transaction is expected to close in the upcoming quarter, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

 

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Concrete

Shree Cement reports 2025 financial year results

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Shree Cement posted revenue of US$2.38 billion for FY2025, marking a 5.5 per cent decline year-on-year. Operating costs rose 2.9 per cent to US$2.17 billion, resulting in an EBITDA of US$528 million—down 12 per cent from the previous year. Net profit fell 50 per cent to US$141 million. The company reported cement sales of 9.84Mt in Q4 FY2025, a 3.3 per cent increase from 9.53Mt in Q4 FY2024, with premium products making up 16 per cent of total sales.

Image source:https://newsmantra.in/

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Concrete

Rekha Onteddu to become director at Sagar Cements

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Sagar Cements has announced the appointment of Rekha Onteddu as a non-executive independent director, effective 30 June 2025. According to People in Business News, Rekha Onteddu is currently serving in a similar capacity at Andhra Cements, the parent company of Sagar Cements.

Image source:https://sagarcements.in/

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