Economy & Market

The $5 trillion economy in 5 years

Published

6 years ago

January 9, 2019

admin

Unfortunately, we are today in an unenviable situation with regards to the economy, with bad news and disappointing economic indicators popping all around us everyday. Not a day passes without new job losses and factory shutdowns being announced, and literally every new day brings to us signs of sickness in a new industry sector. It is now quite apparent that we have been experiencing a slowdown for the last two-three years, but it is only now, that it has become impossible to cover it up anymore. In fact, so strong was our denial of the downturn, that the recent budget, by its very design and by its assumptions and provisions refused to even so much as recognise that there was anything wrong at all. One will recall, that in our comments on the budget last month, we termed it an Utopia!

Be assured, that we are not here this day, to give our readers a lowdown on the slowdown. Our interest continues to lie in healthy cement consumption, and by corollary, we are also interested in things like construction and infrastructure. Even here, sadly we have but no good tidings to offer. It is no secret that the real estate in particular, and the construction industry in general, has been limping for sometime now. However, roads and metros were going strong so far, and were positive factors which helped redeem our infrastructure sector till recently. This has now received a body blow, by way of a letter from the PMO to NHAI, advising the latter to focus on asset management and refrain from taking on more debt for building more and more highways on EPC basis. Clearly, the government has lost appetite for direct investment into infra sector, and private investments are not forthcoming. All in all, we are probably looking at a lull in infra-building.

The emerging scenario is not pleasing – not for the cement industry, not for any of us, although the industry seem to be putting up a brave face. GDP growth estimates are being downgraded everyday by various expert bodies, the latest estimate being 5.5 per cent for the full year. Crisil has just now projected that cement consumption growth will be halved this year. To about 5 per cent, and to us, that really sounds optimistic. Just as the talk about $5 trillion economy in five years sounds like a sweet dream, if not a pipe dream.

Sumit Banerjee Chairman, Editorial Advisory Board

Concrete

thyssenkrupp Polysius, SaltX partner for electrified production

Published

4 days ago

March 12, 2025

admin

thyssenkrupp Polysius and Swedish startup SaltX have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to co-develop the next generation of electrified production facilities, advancing industrial decarbonisation. Their collaboration will integrate SaltX’s patented Electric Arc Calciner (EAC) technology into thyssenkrupp Polysius’ green system solutions, enabling electric calcination, replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, and capturing CO2 for emission-free production. Dr Luc Rudowski, Head of Innovation, thyssenkrupp Polysius, emphasised that this partnership expands their portfolio of sustainable solutions, particularly in cement, lime, and Direct-Air-Capture (DAC). Lina Jorheden, CEO, SaltX, highlighted the significant CO2 reduction potential, reinforcing their commitment to sustainable industrial processes.

Concrete

Terra CO2 secures $82m to scale low-carbon cement technology

Published

4 days ago

March 12, 2025

admin

Terra CO2, a US-based sustainable building materials company, has raised $82 million in Series B funding, co-led by Just Climate, Eagle Materials and GenZero, with continued support from Breakthrough Energy Ventures. The investment will accelerate the commercial deployment of Terra’s OPUS technology, enabling the construction of multiple production facilities across North America and Europe. With the cement industry responsible for 8 per cent of global CO2 emissions, Terra’s solution provides an immediate, scalable alternative using abundant raw materials that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure. The company has secured key partnerships, including a deal with Eagle Materials for multiple 240,000-tonne plants.

Concrete

Titan Cement Group enters South Asia

Published

4 days ago

March 12, 2025

Roshna

Titan Cement Group has expanded into the South Asian market through a joint venture with JAYCEE, an India-based producer of supplementary cementitious materials. Titan will hold a majority stake in the newly formed company, Atlas EcoSolutions, which will focus on sourcing, processing, marketing, and distributing SCMs globally. This initiative aims to support sustainable construction by promoting alternatives to clinker-based cement. Jean-Philippe Benard, Head of Supply Chain and Energy Development, emphasised that the venture aligns with Titan’s strategy to lead in low-carbon building materials while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and innovation. The move strengthens Titan’s position in a high-growth market while ensuring long-term access to SCMs.