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Green Concrete

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Rising property rates have made it imperative for builders and developers to look out for ways to use the available space effectively. Conventionally-in any housing structure-around 30-40 per cent of the space on which the structure is built is lost to walls and supporting pillars. It is a loss to both the developers and to the home buyers. Modern construction materials such as Flyocrete AAC blocks are here to rescue both. Yuvraj Patil demonstrates to ICR how these blocks can save space and do a lot more.

Flyocrete´s autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks are manufactured from fly ash. The fly ash used is a waste from thermal power. Use of fly ash in making AAC blocks save a lot of soil. Bricks on other hand require fertile soil, which is an important resource. Brick manufacturing also leads production of carbon dioxide. From the process of manufacturing till the end use, Flyocrete AAC saves natural resources. Apart from being a green product it also has several other advantages, including:

Lightweight: Oven-dry Flyocrete AAC blocks have a density between 551 to 650 Kg/cum making them 1/3 in thickness than brick and 1/4 that of concrete. So more material can be packed in a truck

for a given structure. It helps in reduction of transport cost as well as the fuel consumed. It is lightweight and leads to reduction of the depth of foundations, sizes of the structural units, saving the cost of cement, steel, coarse aggregate, fine aggregates required for concrete structure. It is suitable for the structures that are erected on low bearing soil, marshy lands, and is useful for all types of residential, commercial, industrial and multi-storeyed projects. This opens avenues for using additional FSI/TDR on existing buildings/societies

Thermal insulation: Its low thermal conductivity leads to saving on energy consumption for heating as well as cooling, suitable as insulating material for steel works, boilers, furnaces, heat exchangers, and oven in different P2 industries, forges. It is also suitable and economical for hotels, malls, multiplexes and hospitals, and all types of commercial projects where air conditioners are used.

Fire resistant: Flyocrete AAC has an extremely high fire rating of at least four hours (200 mm) and more. Due to its high fire resistance, it is useful for the construction of fire wall of lift room/walls of hazardous chemical, paint storage rooms, etc. in textile industries and cotton mills where there is a danger of fire hazard.

High strength to weight ratio: Flyocrete AAC products have strength to weight ratio between 18 to 22 against 16 for the concrete of grade M150. This means thinner walls and thinner pillars can be constructed with Flyocrete. It also means more carpet area for developers to sell.

High dimension accuracy and uniform surface: Due to high dimensional accuracy, it is extremely easy to install. It requires less cement mortar for joining. The uniform and flat surface requires very less plastering material Water penetration: Flyocrete block structures are of closed cells hence there is very little capillary action. The high surface activity allows faster evaporation rates. So the problems of water seepage are minimal with the fly ash-based product. High workability: Flyocrete AAC can be easily cut sawed drilled, nailed, milled like wood, making it a comfortable workable product than bricks, concrete blocks and fly ash bricks.

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Concrete

Jefferies’ Optimism Fuels Cement Stock Rally

The industry is aiming price hikes of Rs 10-15 per bag in December.

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Cement stocks surged over 5% on Monday, driven by Jefferies’ positive outlook on demand recovery, supported by increased government capital expenditure and favourable price trends.

JK Cement led the rally with a 5.3% jump, while UltraTech Cement rose 3.82%, making it the top performer on the Nifty 50. Dalmia Bharat and Grasim Industries gained over 3% each, with Shree Cement and Ambuja Cement adding 2.77% and 1.32%, respectively.

“Cement stocks have been consolidating without significant upward movement for over a year,” noted Vikas Jain, head of research at Reliance Securities. “The Jefferies report with positive price feedback prompted a revaluation of these stocks today.”

According to Jefferies, cement prices were stable in November, with earlier declines bottoming out. The industry is now targeting price hikes of Rs 10-15 per bag in December.

The brokerage highlighted moderate demand growth in October and November, with recovery expected to strengthen in the fourth quarter, supported by a revival in government infrastructure spending.
Analysts are optimistic about a stronger recovery in the latter half of FY25, driven by anticipated increases in government investments in infrastructure projects.
(ET)

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Concrete

Steel Ministry Proposes 25% Safeguard Duty on Steel Imports

The duty aims to counter the impact of rising low-cost steel imports.

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The Ministry of Steel has proposed a 25% safeguard duty on certain steel imports to address concerns raised by domestic producers. The proposal emerged during a meeting between Union Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi, attended by senior officials and executives from leading steel companies like SAIL, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, and AMNS India.

Following the meeting, Goyal highlighted on X the importance of steel and metallurgical coke industries in India’s development, emphasising discussions on boosting production, improving quality, and enhancing global competitiveness. Kumaraswamy echoed the sentiment, pledging collaboration between ministries to create a business-friendly environment for domestic steelmakers.

The safeguard duty proposal aims to counter the impact of rising low-cost steel imports, particularly from free trade agreement (FTA) nations. Steel Secretary Sandeep Poundrik noted that 62% of steel imports currently enter at zero duty under FTAs, with imports rising to 5.51 million tonnes (MT) during April-September 2024-25, compared to 3.66 MT in the same period last year. Imports from China surged significantly, reaching 1.85 MT, up from 1.02 MT a year ago.

Industry experts, including think tank GTRI, have raised concerns about FTAs, highlighting cases where foreign producers partner with Indian firms to re-import steel at concessional rates. GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava also pointed to challenges like port delays and regulatory hurdles, which strain over 10,000 steel user units in India.

The government’s proposal reflects its commitment to supporting the domestic steel industry while addressing trade imbalances and promoting a self-reliant manufacturing sector.

(ET)

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Concrete

India Imposes Anti-Dumping Duty on Solar Panel Aluminium Frames

Move boosts domestic aluminium industry, curbs low-cost imports

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The Indian government has introduced anti-dumping duties on anodized aluminium frames for solar panels and modules imported from China, a move hailed by the Aluminium Association of India (AAI) as a significant step toward fostering a self-reliant aluminium sector.

The duties, effective for five years, aim to counter the influx of low-cost imports that have hindered domestic manufacturing. According to the Ministry of Finance, Chinese dumping has limited India’s ability to develop local production capabilities.

Ahead of Budget 2025, the aluminium industry has urged the government to introduce stronger trade protections. Key demands include raising import duties on primary and downstream aluminium products from 7.5% to 10% and imposing a uniform 7.5% duty on aluminium scrap to curb the influx of low-quality imports.

India’s heavy reliance on aluminium imports, which now account for 54% of the country’s demand, has resulted in an annual foreign exchange outflow of Rupees 562.91 billion. Scrap imports, doubling over the last decade, have surged to 1,825 KT in FY25, primarily sourced from China, the Middle East, the US, and the UK.

The AAI noted that while advanced economies like the US and China impose strict tariffs and restrictions to protect their aluminium industries, India has become the largest importer of aluminium scrap globally. This trend undermines local producers, who are urging robust measures to enhance the domestic aluminium ecosystem.

With India’s aluminium demand projected to reach 10 million tonnes by 2030, industry leaders emphasize the need for stronger policies to support local production and drive investments in capacity expansion. The anti-dumping duties on solar panel components, they say, are a vital first step in building a sustainable and competitive aluminium sector.

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