Economy & Market

Birla Corp. posts strong Q4 on high volume growth

Published

7 years ago

October 5, 2019

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Cement manufacturer, Birla Corporation, posted strong operational performance backed by double-digit volume growth and cost control measures. Driven by 13 per cent increase in cement volumes to 3.85 million tonne (MT), it posted a similar revenue growth year-on-year). Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased 20 per cent as margin expanded by 320 basis points (100 bps=1 percentage point) to 16.5 per cent. However, the net profit was almost flat after higher tax outgo.

Stable raw material costs, along with internal operating efficiencies, helped boost profitability metrics of the company for January-March quarter. Despite a sharp rise in unitary power and fuel costs (up 13 per cent YoY), the company reported an EBITDA per tonne of Rs 804, which is a multi-quarter high.

Cement prices continued to remain firm during the quarter and strong demand for cement in the central region aided volumes. In terms of distribution channel, the share of trade segment touched 80 per cent of sales volumes, of which the premium segment accounted for 38 per cent.

The company is setting up a waste heat recovery system as well as a solar power plant to reduce its power and fuel expenses. These plants are expected to be operational by H2 FY20 (2019-20) . Taking advantage of higher volumes, capacity utilisation for the quarter stood at 99 per cent and the same for the full year was close to 88 per cent.

The company’s jute division (5 per cent revenue share) continues to remains a drag on margin and profitability. In Q4, the segment’s EBIT margin further fell to just a per cent from three per cent in Q3.

Concrete

WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

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The World Cement Association (WCA) has announced SiloConnect as its newest associate corporate member, expanding its network of technology providers supporting digitalisation in the cement industry. SiloConnect offers smart sensor technology that provides real-time visibility of cement inventory levels at customer silos, enabling producers to monitor stock remotely and plan deliveries more efficiently. The solution helps companies move from reactive to proactive logistics, improving delivery planning, operational efficiency and safety by reducing manual inspections. The technology is already used by major cement producers such as Holcim, Cemex and Heidelberg Materials and is deployed across more than 30 countries worldwide.

Concrete

TotalEnergies and Holcim Launch Floating Solar Plant in Belgium

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

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TotalEnergies and Holcim have commissioned a floating solar power plant in Obourg, Belgium, built on a rehabilitated former chalk quarry that has been converted into a lake. The project has a generation capacity of 31 MW and produces around 30 GWh of renewable electricity annually, which will be used to power Holcim’s nearby industrial operations. The project is currently the largest floating solar installation in Europe dedicated entirely to industrial self-consumption. To ensure minimal impact on the surrounding landscape, more than 700 metres of horizontal directional drilling were used to connect the solar installation to the electrical substation. The project reflects ongoing collaboration between the two companies to support industrial decarbonisation through renewable energy solutions and innovative infrastructure development.

Concrete

Cortec® Corporation applauded for its strong safety performance

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

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Cortec® Corporation has been recognised for its strong safety performance, receiving its sixth Governor’s Workplace Safety Award for its outstanding performance in 2025. As a Silver Achievement recipient, the company continues to maintain safety metrics well above national industry averages, an impressive accomplishment for a chemical manufacturing organisation. This achievement reflects Cortec’s proactive approach to workplace safety, focused on early hazard detection and employee involvement. The company will be formally recognised at the Minnesota Safety and Health Conference in May, highlighting how industrial companies are effectively strengthening workplace safety standards.