Concrete

Cement companies should avoid giving any negative message

Published

6 years ago

March 5, 2021

admin

Branding has become the need of an hour today. You need to have the right pricing, right quality, and right message delivered while creating a successful brand. M Ravinder Reddy, Director ??Marketing, Vicat, believes that a lot of hard work is required behind creating a successful brand. He shares his company?? journey of creating cement as a brand.

How has been the journey of cement from commodity to brand?

I am quite satisfied with the journey of cement as a brand so far. If you consider the control days, the situation has changed significantly since 1982 when partial decontrol was introduced. Cement started selling as a brand since then. Initially it was in a radius of around 400 km around the plant. Then in the year 1989, cement became an independent commodity without any controls. It was then when the cement companies started advertisements for branding. The manufacturers went from one location to multiple locations.

Today if you see there is one mother brand and under it, there are a few more sub-brands. Today, cement is almost like any FMCG product. While creating a brand there is a lot of hard work that goes behind. Quality of the product and packing of the finished item is extremely important.

What are the three important attributes of cement as a brand?

Today?? customer is extremely sensitive and conscious about weights and measurement. He is aware of his rights. When we have moved from jute bags to laminated bags we must also make sure about what we are delivering to the customer. Today customer does not accept any compromise on quality.
The customer wants a consistent quality. Many times we give a quality product but it is not uniform in strength, colour, fineness, etc. There will be variation in the limestone quality but in the process, we must make sure of what comes out of the kiln that is in our hands.
The third important aspect is service associated with the product and delivery of the product.
When cement producers are trying to establish as a brand they will have to respond to all the three attributes stated above.

What do you think cement companies should avoid while establishing their product as a brand?

Cement companies should avoid giving any negative message. It will always go against the company. The producers should try to create a good image of the product and the company. As I said above, the customer today is very sensitive and fully aware of his rights. We should not try and hoodwink him; we should give him what we promise.

How important is the compressive strength of cement while creating a brand?

No doubt strength is an important property of cement. But today we not only talk of strength. We talk about setting time, water requirement, fly ash, or slag present. Properties that will impart durability to the structure that is being constructed. The industry is going away from strength as a property. Today?? advertisements are revolving around relations, durability, and sustainability.

Is it necessary to attach a personality to cement while creating a brand?

Yes, personality is important. When new cement is launched, we would engage a personality that can give confidence to the buyer. It is necessary for any new product but when the product is already established you can think of a different type of campaign.

I remember at Bharathi cement, we had hired the well-known Telugu actor Surya as a brand ambassador. We came to know before he took up our assignment, he had used our cement for his own construction and was a quite satisfied customer. This gives another dimension to the entire campaign.

Talking about cement as a product, what we produce today is backed by strong technological inputs and is comparable to a product in Europe or the US. When we launched our cement in Sri Lanka, our product was far superior to any local product. Apart from the consumer, we are also associating with engineers and masons who are part of the user chain. Their response to our product is equally important and valuable.

M Ravinder Reddy holds a MBA degree in Marketing and has over 34 years of experience in cement industry. While at Priya cement, he had introduced HDPE packing by replacing Jute packing. He joined Bharathi Cement as a Whole-time Director in September 2008, and he heads the company?? sales and marketing operations of Vicat India. In 2009, he successfully launched the ??harathi Cement??in premium segment. He is recipient of many national and international awards.In addition, he is an elected Chairman of Cement, Clinkers and Asbestos Cement products panel of CAPEXIL and also Vice President of South India Cement Manufacturer?? Association.

Concrete

Dhanekula Institute Signs MoU with Adani Cement

Agreement to expand internships, industrial visits and practical learning

Published

1 day ago

November 5, 2026

admin

The Department of Civil Engineering at Dhanekula Institute of Engineering & Technology, Ganguru, organised an industrial interaction programme under the Adani FutureX Programme on Thursday. The programme focused on strengthening engagement between the institute and the cement industry while giving students greater exposure to professional practices.

Yedukondalu, technical head for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at Adani Cement, delivered a technical lecture on concrete as a man-made material. The session covered the importance of concrete in construction, its properties and applications, and its significance in modern infrastructure development.

The lecture also addressed the role of quality cement and suitable concrete technology in supporting durable and sustainable construction. The discussion connected classroom learning with the technical considerations involved in infrastructure projects and construction practices.

A key part of the programme was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Department of Civil Engineering and Adani Cement under the Adani FutureX Partnership Agreement. The agreement is intended to strengthen industry-academia collaboration through opportunities for student internships and industrial visits.

The initiative is expected to provide students with practical exposure, improve their understanding of industrial practices and help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications. Dhanekula Institute Chairman Dhanekula Ravindranath Tagore, Secretary Dhanekula Venkata Bhavani Prasad and Director DKRK Ravi Prasad supported the initiative, with the institute leadership highlighting the importance of industry-institution interaction in enhancing students’ technical employability.

Concrete

JK Lakshmi Cement Begins Rs. 110 bn Assam Plant Project

Project Kamakshi will produce 2.5 mn t of cement annually by FY2029.

Published

1 day ago

November 5, 2026

admin

JK Lakshmi Cement has laid the foundation stone for Project Kamakshi, its first integrated cement manufacturing facility in Assam, marking the company’s entry into Northeast India. The groundbreaking ceremony took place at Umrangso village in Dima Hasao district in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The project involves an investment of Rs. 110 bn, including the mining lease. It will have annual cement production capacity of 2.5 mn t and a 1 mn t clinkerisation unit, with completion scheduled for FY2029.

The facility is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs and will primarily serve the growing Northeast market. It will also include dedicated railway sidings for transporting raw materials and finished cement, supporting supply chain reliability and regional distribution.

Chairperson and Managing Director Vinita Singhania said the project represented the beginning of a long-term relationship with Assam and the wider Northeast. She said the plant would help provide locally produced cement, employment and dependable supplies as the region’s infrastructure development accelerated, while enabling the company to grow alongside the communities it serves.

The investment supports JK Lakshmi Cement’s strategy of expanding into high-growth markets beyond its established presence in Northern, Western and Eastern India. The company expects the project to contribute to regional economic development and infrastructure growth while pursuing its long-term objective of achieving net-zero emissions by 2047.

Concrete

Kshatriya Engineering College Signs MoU with Adani Cement

Agreement to provide students with industrial exposure and training

Published

1 day ago

November 5, 2026

admin

The civil engineering department of Kshatriya Engineering College in Nizamabad has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Adani Cement to provide students with industry-oriented training and practical exposure. The agreement is intended to connect classroom learning with workplace requirements in the construction sector.

Under the partnership, students will receive opportunities to take part in industrial visits and internships. The arrangement will also include guest lectures by industry experts and guidance on live projects, allowing students to gain first-hand understanding of industry practices and emerging construction technologies.

College secretary and correspondent Aljapur Devender said the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between academic instruction and industry expectations. He said the collaboration would help students develop practical skills and improve their employment prospects after completing their studies.

Principal Dr Katakam Srinivas said exposure to industrial practices was important for civil engineering students and would complement their academic learning. He said the MoU would support the development of their technical knowledge and confidence through greater familiarity with professional work environments.

Administrative officer B. Narender said the collaboration would familiarise students with modern construction technologies, quality standards and project management practices. Civil engineering department head N. Deepika said the agreement would help students understand recent developments in the construction sector and prepare for professional careers. The college said the partnership would give learners a broader view of the processes and standards followed in the industry, while helping them relate their academic studies to practical project requirements.