Concrete

New cement association on the anvil

Published

4 years ago

July 1, 2021

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Cement and Steel producers are once again under the ire of government as union minister Nitin Gadkari indicated a brewing cartel in the two industries. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has assured the Builders??Association of India (BAI) that he would look into their demand for a regulatory authority for the cement and steel sectors. He said the Central government is serious about curbing instances of cartelisation.

Expressing concern, Gadkari said he felt there is cartelisation in these industries. The minister made the comments while virtually interacting with the members and office-bearers of the BAI in the month of January 2021.

??e have taken serious note of it [cartelisation] and I have discussed this with the Prime Minister. Most steel companies own iron ore mines and with no increase in labour and power charges, why should there be an increase in steel prices? It is very difficult to understand,??the minister said.

Big players in the steel and cement industry are conspiring together to jack up prices, he said. The steel prices have risen by 55 per cent in the last six months, even though the cost of key inputs like raw materials and power remained the same.

“It will be difficult to achieve Prime Minister Modi?? dream of making India a $5 trillion economy if the steel and cement prices keep rising,” Gadkari had said. Cartel is a collection of companies in the same industry that collude together to control the price of a product/service.

This comes a month after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) conducted searches in the offices of major cement producers to find the evidence of price collusion.

Background

In 2019, country’s anti-trust body started examining complaints of cartelisation in the cement industry. Following this, in December 2020, it raided top five cement companies, including UltraTech Cement offices and two subsidiaries of LafargeHolcim, world?? largest cement maker.

It conducted the searches simultaneously in multiple offices across the country and seized electronic and physical data, pieces of equipment and material. The agency had also hired private IT experts to decode the data it collected from the seize.

By December 2020, the industry had hiked cement prices by 23 percent, whereas steel prices rose by whooping 45 percent since January 2020. In January 2020, the price of one cement bag (50 kg) was Rs 349, in December 2020, real estate developers were buying the same bag at Rs 430.

On the other hand, during the same period, the price of steel surged from Rs 40,000 to Rs 58,000. Gadkari had made similar comments then too, saying these two industries keep taking unfair advantage of government’s initiatives to help them. He had said, “I decided to make all roads concrete. I wanted to encourage the cement industry. But they are only taking (unfair) advantage of the situation and making cartels. So, I am now allowing bitumen for road construction.??/p>

A month after the investigation, Gadkari has brought the matter into the limelight once again. Cement and steel factories exploit people by levying higher rates while there is no noticeable hike in either power or labor costs. This is a clear indication of a cartel in both the industries, union minister Nitin Gadkari said. All the players in the industry have their own iron ore mines and do not have to face any hikes in labour or power rates, he added.

Speaking to the Builders Association of India of Western Region, he wondered why the industry is hiking prices when prices of other input factors have been constant. He indicated government has infra projects worth more than Rs 100 crore in the pipeline and their sustenance would be difficult if both the industries keep this up.

To deal with the situation, the government is mulling over setting a regulator for cement and steel industry. Earlier, Gadkari had written to the PM seeking his intervention on price collusion in the two industries.

Concrete

Berger Paints Announces Financial Results for the Quarter Ended

Net Profit for the quarter was Rs 2.06 billion, compared to Rs 2.69 billion in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Published

7 hours ago

November 5, 2025

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Berger Paints India announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025.

The company reported Revenue from Operations of Rs 28.27 billion, compared to Rs 27.74 billion in the corresponding quarter last year, reflecting a growth of 1.9 per cent year-on-year.

EBITDA (excluding other income) stood at Rs 3.52 billion, as against Rs 4.34 billion in the same period last year, registering a decline of 18.9 per cent.

Net Profit for the quarter was Rs 2.06 billion, compared to Rs 2.69 billion in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, marking a decline of 23.5 per cent year-on-year.

Commenting on the performance, Abhijit Roy, Managing Director & CEO, Berger Paints India, said, “At Berger Paints, we remain committed to driving growth through network expansion, innovation, and brand building. Our focus continues to be on delivering long-term value for our investors and stakeholders.”

Concrete

Ambuja Cements posts record Q2, lifts FY28 capacity target

PAT rises to Rs 23.02 bn; volumes up 20%; margin widens 450 bps

Published

7 hours ago

November 5, 2025

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Ahmedabad, recently — Ambuja Cements, part of the Adani Portfolio, reported a strong Q2 FY26 performance with consolidated PAT of Rs 23.02 billion (up 364 per cent year on year), highest-ever Q2 sales volume of 16.6 million tonnes (up 20 per cent) and revenue of Rs 91.74 billion (up 21 per cent). EBITDA rose to Rs 17.61 billion with a margin of 19.2 per cent, while EBITDA per tonne reached Rs 1,060 (up 32 per cent). EPS stood at Rs 7.2 (up 267 per cent). The PAT figure includes an income-tax provision reversal of Rs 16.97 billion.

The company raised its FY28 capacity goal by 15 MTPA to 155 MTPA, largely through low-capex debottlenecking at about USD 48 per tonne. Thirteen new blenders are being installed to optimise product mix and lift the share of premium cement, and logistics debottlenecking is expected to add around three per cent utilisation to the existing 107 MTPA base over 24 months.

On projects, a 4 MTPA kiln at Bhatapara has begun trial runs, the 2 MTPA Krishnapatnam grinding unit has been operationalised, and an additional 7 MTPA across three locations is slated for Q3. Renewable power capacity reached 673 MW after commissioning 200 MW, with targets of 900 MW by year-end and 1,122 MW by FY27.

Cost discipline continued: kiln fuel, power and logistics costs declined year on year; green power share of consumption rose to 32.9 per cent; and logistics cost stood at Rs 1,224 per tonne. Management reiterated end-FY26 total cost guidance of about Rs 4,000 per tonne and a pathway to Rs 3,650 per tonne by FY28, supported by higher coal share, newer assets, shorter lead distances (including a growing sea-logistics share), and long-term fly ash/slag tie-ups.

Strategically, Ambuja launched CiNOC (Cement Intelligent Network Operations Centre) to embed AI across sales, production and logistics; deepened engagements with CONCOR, CREDAI and 400+ academic partners; and ordered seven vessels totalling 65,800 DWT to lift coastal movement to five per cent. The company remains debt-free with net worth of Rs 694.93 billion and the highest Crisil ratings (AAA/Stable; A1+).

Concrete

India, EU Resume Talks To Finalise Free Trade Agreement

High-level negotiators meet in Delhi to push balanced trade deal

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2025

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A senior delegation from the European Union (EU) is in New Delhi from 3 to 7 November 2025 to hold detailed discussions with Indian counterparts on the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The negotiations aim to resolve key pending issues and move closer to a comprehensive, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade framework.

The visit follows Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal’s official trip to Brussels on 27–28 October 2025, during which he held forward-looking talks with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šef?ovi?. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to intensify dialogue and strengthen cooperation towards finalising the FTA.

This week’s deliberations will focus on trade in goods and services, rules of origin, and technical and institutional matters, guided by the shared goal of creating a modern and future-ready trade pact that reflects the priorities and sensitivities of both India and the EU.

The discussions gained further momentum after a virtual meeting on 3 November 2025 between Minister Piyush Goyal, Commissioner Maroš Šef?ovi?, and EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen, which helped align positions on key areas of mutual interest.

As part of the ongoing negotiations, Ms. Sabine Weyand, Director-General for Trade at the European Commission (EU DG Trade), will visit New Delhi on 5–6 November for high-level consultations with India’s Commerce Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal. The talks will address technical and policy matters critical to concluding the agreement.

The EU delegation’s visit underscores the shared determination of India and the European Union to conclude a fair, transparent, and equitable FTA, aimed at boosting trade, investment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.

Both sides view the FTA as a strategic pillar in their partnership, capable of enhancing market access, creating new opportunities for businesses, and promoting a resilient and diversified global supply chain.