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Core sector grew by 1.3% in Dec 2019

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The core sector growth for December 2019 improved and grew by 1.3 per cent as against the 0.6 per cent contraction seen a month ago. However, it was lower than 2.1 per cent growth witnessed in December 2018.

During the first nine months of the fiscal year 2019-20, the fiscal deficit of the central government has surpassed its budgeted estimate. During April-December 2020, the actual fiscal deficit was at 132.4 per cent of the budget target. The fiscal deficit during this period was Rs 9.4 lakh crore, higher than higher than the budgeted Rs 7.04 lakh crore for FY20. Lower tax collections and lower disinvestment proceeds coupled with significant growth seen in both revenue and capital expenditure has led to higher fiscal deficit.

  • The revenue receipts collection was lower at only 58.4 per cent of the budget estimate lower than 62.8 per cent seen in the corresponding period last year.
  • Tax collections were low at 54.9 per cent of the budgeted estimate for FY20. The decline has been on account of lower corporate tax collection, integrated GST, customs and service tax.
  • Non-tax revenue was higher at 77.3 per cent of the budget estimate compared with 60.3 per cent in the corresponding period last year. These are aided by higher receipts by way of dividends and profits (99 per cent of the budgeted).
  • Capital receipts are only 25.9 per cent of the budget estimate much lower than the 50.5 per cent in the comparable period last year.
  • Only 17 per cent of the disinvestment budgeted target has been achieved during the first nine months of FY20, lower than the 43 per cent last year. Disinvestment proceeds amounted to Rs 18,100 crore out of Rs 1.05 lakh crore budget target.
  • Revenue expenditure is on par with last year at 75.7 per cent of the budget target.
  • Capital expenditure is higher at 75.6 per cent of budget compared with 70.6 per cent in the comparable period last year indicative of focus of the government on asset creation.
  • We are expecting around 0.5 per cent slippage in the fiscal deficit, which is expected to move to 3.8 per cent of GDP for FY20.

    Core Sector update -December 2019
    The core sector growth for December 2019 improved and grew by 1.3 per cent as against the 0.6 per cent contraction seen a month ago. However, it was lower than 2.1 per cent growth witnessed in December 2018. The growth has been aided by improvement in the production in 3 industries namely refinery products, coal and fertilizers. In terms of cumulative growth in the eight core industries during April-December 2019, the growth was 0.2 per cent compared with the 4.8 per cent growth registered during April-December 2018.

    Industry-wise growth:

  • Coal production increased by 6.1 per cent in December 2019 over December 2018 with after sustained contraction seen in the previous five months.
  • Crude Oil production declined by 7.4 per cent in the month compared with the contraction by 4.3 per cent in the comparable month a year ago.
  • The production of the natural gas too has contracted by 9.2 per cent as against 4.2 per cent growth seen in December 2018 registering sustained contraction for the nine months.
  • Refinery products, which have highest weight in core sector, grew by 3 per cent as against a contraction by -4.8 per cent in December 2018.
  • Fertilizers have seen a double digit growth by 10.2 per cent in December 2019 as against -2.3 per cent de-growth seen in December 2018.
  • Steel production increased by 1.9 per cent in December 2019, after registering sustained contraction in the past 3 months. It is also lower than the 10.1 per cent growth seen in December 2018.
  • The production of cement grew by 5.5 per cent higher than previous month (4.3 per cent in November 2019) but it was much lower than the 11.6 per cent growth seen in December 2018.
  • Electricity production contracted for the successive fifth month in December 2019 by 1.9 per cent as against the 4.4 per cent growth seen in the corresponding month a year ago.
  • CARE Ratings- view
    Based on the core sector growth, IIP is expected to grow by 2 per cent for December 2019 which would also be aided by the base effect. We are expecting IIP to grow by 4 per cent for FY20.

    COURTESY: CARE RATINGS- Fiscal and Core Sector Update
    Disclaimer: This report is prepared by CARE Ratings Ltd. CARE Ratings has taken utmost care to ensure accuracy and objectivity while developing this report based on information available in public domain. However, neither the accuracy nor completeness of information contained in this report is guaranteed. CARE Ratings is not responsible for any errors or omissions in analysis/inferences/views or for results obtained from the use of information contained in this report and especially states that CARE Ratings has no financial liability whatsoever to the user of this report.

    ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

  • Madan Sabnavis is Chief Economist. He can be contacted on: madan.sabnavis@careratings.com or 91-22-68374433
  • Dr Rucha Ranadive is Economist. She can be contacted on: rucha.ranadive@careratings.com or 91-22-68374406
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    Concrete

    Adani’s Strategic Emergence in India’s Cement Landscape

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    Milind Khangan, Marketing Head, Vertex Market Research, sheds light on Adani’s rapid cement consolidation under its ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy while positioning it to rival UltraTech, and thus, shaping a potential duopoly in India’s booming cement market.

    India is the second-largest cement-producing country in the world, following China. This expansion is being driven by tremendous public investment in the housing and infrastructure sectors. The industry is accelerating, with a boost from schemes such as PM Gati Shakti, Bharatmala, and the Vande Bharat corridors. An upsurge in affordable housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) further supports this expansion. In May 2025, local cement production increased about 9 per cent from last year to about 40 million metric tonnes for the month. The combined cement capacity in India was recorded at 670 million metric tonnes in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA). For the financial year 2026, this is set to grow by another 9 per cent.
    In spite of the growing demand, the Indian cement industry is highly competitive. UltraTech Cement (Aditya Birla Group) is still the market leader with domestic installed capacity of more than 186 MTPA as on 2025. It is targeted to achieve 200 MTPA. Adani Cement recently became a major player and is now India’s second-largest cement company. It did this through aggressive consolidation, operational synergies, and scale efficiencies. Indian players in the cement industry are increasingly valuing operational efficiency and sustainability. Some of the strategies with high impact are alternative fuels and materials (AFR) adoption, green cement expansion, and digital technology investments to offset changing regulatory pressure and increasing energy prices.

    Building Adani Cement brand
    Vertex Market Research explains that the Adani Group is executing a comprehensive reorganisation and consolidation of its cement business under the ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy. The plan is to integrate its diversified holdings into one consolidated corporate entity named Adani Cement. The focus is on operating integration, governance streamlining, and cost reduction in its expanding cement business.
    Integration roadmap and key milestones:

    • September 2022: The consolidation process started with the $6.4 billion buyout of Holcim’s majority stakes in Ambuja Cements and ACC, with Ambuja becoming the focal point of the consolidation.
    • December 2023: Bought Sanghi Industries to strengthen the firm’s presence in western India.
    • August 2024: Added Penna Cement to the portfolio, improving penetration of the southern market of India.
    • April 2025: Further holding addition in Orient Cement to 46.66 per cent by purchasing the same from CK Birla Group, becoming the promoter with control.
    • Ambuja Cements amalgamated with Adani Cement: This was sanctioned by the NCLT on 18th July 2025 with effect from April 1, 2024. This amalgamation brings in limestone reserves and fresh assets into Ambuja.
    • Subject to Sanghi and Penna merger with Ambuja: Board approvals in December 2024 with the aim to finish between September to December 2025.
    • Ambuja-ACC future integration: The latter is being contemplated as the final step towards consolidation.
    • Orient Cement: It would serve as a principal manufacturing facility following the merger.

    Scale, capacity expansion and market position
    In financial year-2025, Adani Cement, including Ambuja, surpassed 100 MTPA. This makes it one of the world’s top ten cement companies. Along with ACC’s operations, it is now firmly placed as India’s second-largest cement company. In FY25, the Adani group’s sales volume per annum clocked 65 million metric tonnes. Adani Group claims that it now supplies close to 30 per cent of the cement consumed in India’s homes and infrastructure as of June 2025.
    The organisation is pursuing aggressive brownfield expansion:

    • By FY 2026: Reach 118 MTPA
    • By FY 2028: Target 140 MTPA

    These goals will be driven by commissioning new clinker and grinding units at key sites, with civil and mechanical works underway.
    As of 2024, Adani Cement had its market share pegged at around 14 to 15 per cent, with an ambition to scale this up to 20 per cent by FY?2028, emerging as a potent competitor to UltraTech’s 192?MTPA capacity (186 domestic and overseas).

    Strategic advantages and competitive benefits
    The consolidation simplifies decision-making by reducing legal entities, centralising oversight, and removing redundant functions. This drives compliance efficiency and transparent reporting. Using procurement power for raw materials and energy lowers costs per ton. Integrated logistics with Adani Ports and freight infrastructure has resulted in an estimated 6 per cent savings in logistics. The group aims for additional savings of INR 500 to 550 per tonne by FY 2028 by integrating green energy, using alternative fuel resources, and improving sourcing methods.

    Market coverage and brand consistency
    Brand integration under one strategy will provide uniform product quality and easier distribution networks. Integration with Orient Cement’s dealer base, 60 per cent of which already distributes Ambuja/ACC products, enhances outreach and responsiveness.
    By having captive limestone reserves at Lakhpat (approximately 275 million tonnes) and proposed new manufacturing facilities in Raigad, Maharashtra, Adani Cement derives cost advantage, raw material security, and long-term operational robustness.

    Strategic implications and risks
    Consolidation at Adani Cement makes it not just a capacity leader but also an operationally agile competitor with the ability to reap digital and sustainability benefits. Its vertically integrated platform enables cost leadership, market responsiveness, and scalability.

    Challenges potentially include:

    • Integration challenges across systems, corporate cultures, and plant operations
    • Regulatory sanctions for pending mergers and new capacity additions
    • Environmental clearances in environmentally sensitive areas and debt management with input price volatility

    When materialised, this revolution would create a formidable Adani–UltraTech duopoly, redefining Indian cement on the basis of scale, innovation, and sustainability. India’s leading four cement players such as Adani (ACC and Ambuja), Dalmia Cement, Shree Cement, and UltraTech are expected to dominate the cement market.

    Conclusion
    Adani’s aggressive consolidation under the ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy signals a decisive shift in the Indian cement industry, positioning the group as a formidable challenger to UltraTech and setting the stage for a potential duopoly that could dominate the sector for years to come. By unifying operations, leveraging economies of scale, and securing vertical integration—from raw material reserves to distribution networks—Adani Cement is building both capacity and resilience, with clear advantages in cost efficiency, market reach, and sustainability. While integration complexities, regulatory hurdles, and environmental approvals remain key challenges, the scale and strategic alignment of this consolidation promise to redefine competition, pricing dynamics, and operational benchmarks in one of the world’s fastest-growing cement markets.

    About the author:
    Milind Khangan is the Marketing Head at Vertex Market Research and comes with over five years of experience in market research, lead generation and team management.

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    Concrete

    Precision in Motion: A Deep Dive into PowerBuild’s Core Gear Series

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    PowerBuild’s flagship Series M, C, F, and K geared motors deliver robust, efficient, and versatile power transmission solutions for industries worldwide.

    Products – M, C, F, K: At the heart of every high-performance industrial system lies the need for robust, reliable, and efficient power transmission. PowerBuild answers this need with its flagship geared motor series: M, C, F, and K. Each series is meticulously engineered to serve specific operational demands while maintaining the universal promise of durability, efficiency, and performance.
    Series M – Helical Inline Geared Motors: Compact and powerful, the Series M delivers exceptional drive solutions for a broad range of applications. With power handling up to 160kW and torque capacity reaching 20,000 Nm, it is the trusted solution for industries requiring quiet operation, high efficiency, and space-saving design. Series M is available with multiple mounting and motor options, making it a versatile choice for manufacturers and OEMs globally.
    Series C – Right Angled Heli-Worm Geared Motors: Combining the benefits of helical and worm gearing, the Series C is designed for right-angled power transmission. With gear ratios of up to 16,000:1 and torque capacities of up to 10,000 Nm, this series is optimal for applications demanding precision in compact spaces. Industries looking for a smooth, low-noise operation with maximum torque efficiency rely on Series C for dependable performance.
    Series F – Parallel Shaft Mounted Geared Motors: Built for endurance in the most demanding environments, Series F is widely adopted in steel plants, hoists, cranes, and heavy-duty conveyors. Offering torque up to 10,000 Nm and high gear ratios up to 20,000:1, this product features an integral torque arm and diverse output configurations to meet industry-specific challenges head-on.
    Series K – Right Angle Helical Bevel Geared Motors: For industries seeking high efficiency and torque-heavy performance, Series K is the answer. This right-angled geared motor series delivers torque up to 50,000 Nm, making it a preferred choice in core infrastructure sectors such as cement, power, mining, and material handling. Its flexibility in mounting and broad motor options offer engineers’ freedom in design and reliability in execution.
    Together, these four series reflect PowerBuild’s commitment to excellence in mechanical power transmission. From compact inline designs to robust right-angle drives, each geared motor is a result of decades of engineering innovation, customer-focused design, and field-tested reliability. Whether the requirement is speed control, torque multiplication, or space efficiency, Radicon’s Series M, C, F, and K stand as trusted powerhouses for global industries.

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    Concrete

    Driving Measurable Gains

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    Klüber Lubrication India’s Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N upgrades synthetic gear oil for energy efficiency.

    Klüber Lubrication India has introduced a strategic upgrade for the tyre manufacturing industry by retrofitting its high-performance synthetic gear oil, Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N, into Barrel Cold Feed Extruder gearboxes. This smart substitution, requiring no hardware changes, delivered energy savings of 4-6 per cent, as validated by an internationally recognised energy audit firm under IPMVP – Option B protocols, aligned with
    ISO 50015 standards.

    Beyond energy efficiency, the retrofit significantly improved operational parameters:

    • Lower thermal stress on equipment
    • Extended lubricant drain intervals
    • Reduction in CO2 emissions and operational costs

    These benefits position Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N as a powerful enabler of sustainability goals in line with India’s Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) guidelines and global Net Zero commitments.

    Verified sustainability, zero compromise
    This retrofit case illustrates that meaningful environmental impact doesn’t always require capital-intensive overhauls. Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N demonstrated high performance in demanding operating environments, offering:

    • Enhanced component protection
    • Extended oil life under high loads
    • Stable performance across fluctuating temperatures

    By enabling quick wins in efficiency and sustainability without disrupting operations, Klüber reinforces its role as a trusted partner in India’s evolving industrial landscape.

    Klüber wins EcoVadis Gold again
    Further affirming its global leadership in responsible business practices, Klüber Lubrication has been awarded the EcoVadis Gold certification for the fourth consecutive year in 2025. This recognition places it in the top three per cent
    of over 150,000 companies worldwide evaluated for environmental, ethical and sustainable procurement practices.
    Klüber’s ongoing investments in R&D and product innovation reflect its commitment to providing data-backed, application-specific lubrication solutions that exceed industry expectations and support long-term sustainability goals.

    A trusted industrial ally
    Backed by 90+ years of tribology expertise and a global support network, Klüber Lubrication is helping customers transition toward a greener tomorrow. With Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N, tyre manufacturers can take measurable, low-risk steps to boost energy efficiency and regulatory alignment—proving that even the smallest change can spark a significant transformation.

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