Economy & Market

Priming Premium Brands

Published

8 years ago

January 6, 2019

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All the major players are jumping on to the bandwagon of "Premium Brands" in order to reap benefits they offer viz. pricing power and profitability.

Unless cement companies show value in their products or services, cement will be continued to be looked upon as a commodity and it will not enjoy any premium or preference. So, a lot of cement companies have launched premium brands under their umbrella to tap premium clientele, which imparts them better pricing power and boost profitability.

The three basic characteristics of premium brands of cement are consistency and superior quality and technology. Thus, premium brands command customer attention through breakthrough technologies that improves the performance of cement, and offer additional benefits of higher initial strength, better workability and spread, increased durability, corrosion resistance and low heat of hydration properties.

Premium brands promise to deliver better value over and above normal cement. In cement, the first attribute of a premium brand is "consistency", which plays a very important role in branding. The next is "superior quality", which is guaranteed throughout the year and in every bag. It is followed by technical services on the ground. Cement being a highly-technical product, there is a lot of technology and standard procedures to be followed in case of premium or value added products, on which masons and others users should be appraised of. These are the benchmarks followed by Bharati Cement since inception, with the catch line "Three times better".

Value added
"While most brands choose to focus primarily on (clichTd) product features like strength and trust; each brand in the Nuvoco portfolio is clearly distinguished on either product propositions or unique consumer benefits," says Madhumita Basu, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Nuvoco Vistas. She has cited the example of Void Reduction Technology (VRT), which strengthens a structure from within and increases its longevity, is a differentiating factor for Duraguard.

Nuvoco started its brand building journey since its inception in 1999. Concreto, today, is a "Gold Standard" for slag cement in the markets where it is available, consistently delivering the highest brand equity in the category over the last decade. Concreto has its "5 Star Advantage" that translates into unique consumer benefits, and enables the users to construct "good homes" that reflect their value system in life, the company claims.

Dalmia Cement, the country’s fourth largest producer of cement, launched its first premium brand, Dalmia DSP Cement in the year 2016. "Dalmia DSP is a specialised, one-of-its-kind offering specifically engineered for concreting or "Dhalai",’ says Ujjwal Batria, COO, Dalmia Cement (Bharat). As claimed by the company, the advantages that the product offers include – Gives durable construction, optimizes setting time, anti-corrosive denser cement, better coverage and high yield of concrete, and finally, it comes in an innovative BOPP tamper proof and shower resistant packaging.

Bharathi has launched a value added product Bharati Ultrafast in the blended cement category. Technically, blended cements are far superior because of low heat of hydration, leading to dense concrete, with a fast setting ability.

JK Cement has recently added a premium grey cement product to its portfolio – JK Super Strong – that is manufactured with MPET – a new breakthrough technology in cement production that improves the performance of cement.

Building blocks
Establishing a brand is a matter of building, communicating and delivering on a promise to consumers. This can take many years whether product is Cement or in any other product category. The costs of creating a premium brand is typically high in the initial years, mainly in the form of launch expenses and sustained marketing communication.

"Our premium products meet the discerning needs of the customer and delivers on a set of customer benefits which lead to customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy of the brand. This in turn propels growth and increase in market share," says Batria.

Strength is the cement category truth and many brands have tried communicating strength in various ways."However, at Nuvoco, we have focussed on product attributes which helps the consumers to view our product offering uniquely. For instance, the PPC category has less molecular gaps as compared to other types of cement. In sharing this insight with our customers; we communicate that our Duraguard cement has VRT, which strengthens structures from within and increases their longevity by making concrete impenetrable. This works as a Reason to Believe (RTB)," says Basu. "We do not look at a range in terms of "Premium Brands". Our endeavour is to understand customer needs and develop the right value added products and solutions for him. We refer to this range as Value Added Products (VAP) and Expert Care Solution (ECS)," Basu adds.

Transition
There are several mergers and acquisitions that have taken place in the cement industry over the years leading to transition or assimilation of brands into the acquirer company, the major examples being UltraTech Cement, Dalmia Cement and Nuvoco. UltraTech embarked on a branding journey after the acquisition of L&T Cement in 2004 and have ever since integrated new acquisitions under a single brand. Its recent acquisition is Binani Cement, through NCLT process.

"We had a strong brand in Tamil Nadu and Kerala by the name of"Vajram". We have successfully transitioned this brand to Dalmia Cement in the recent past, without disrupting the market at all. This has been possible due to proper communication to channel partners, influencers and end consumers," says Batria.

Nuvoco underwent a transition from Lafarge a couple of years ago. The name Lafarge had a brand equity that had been built over a period of time. "During our transition, we were careful to ensure that the values and goodwill that was associated with our legacy name continued to the new organisation. A well defined four step process was chalked out – embrace change, scenario building and planning, deconstructing the brand DNA, and D-Day Planning and Execution," says Basu. The names of the cement products did not change, which helped in maintaining the continuity.

Despite arguments that cement is a "commodity" getting louder, the industry veterans still feel that the argument was only a myth and that branding will remain a reality in the industry going ahead whether it is in case of bagged cement or bulk cement, including ready mix concrete (RMC).

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

1 week 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

2 weeks 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

2 weeks 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.