Connect with us

Concrete

UFlex is the ‘first company in the world to recycle mix plastic waste.’

Published

4 years ago

on

Shares

India Cement Review took an exclusive interview with Shashi Garg, Business Head, Cement Packaging business at Uflex Ltd. about the entire Cement packaging scenario, the ??ain points??that generally intrigue manufacturers, and their ground-breaking solutions.

What is the best advantage of Uflex packaging to Cement customers?

Owing to the full backward integration into films (BOPP, Metalized and others), Chemicals (Inks, Coatings, Adhesives), Engineering (Converting & Packing Equipments), Holography (Films, Labels) and Cylinders (Electronic, Laser and even base-shell manufacturing), UFlex has an exclusive advantage to deliver customized solutions to customers. We provide end-to-end packaging support to our customers starting from design to delivery.

Uflex BOPP film, unlike other packaging films, is an innovation in itself. With their diverse and enormous features like transparent & matte, heat-sealable and non-sealable, direct embossible, superior ink adhesion, anti-skid, high barrier, cold release or direct extrusion coatable films, Uflex is able to make revolutionary BOPP bags.

Explain the role played by packaging of a product in brand building. How you have beenhelping the consumer industry in building a brand through packaging?

The primary objective of Uflex is to deliver our customers with a unique packaging experience. I think, that is only possible when they are able to observe and analyse themselves what difference packaging can bring them, in terms of market positioning, and product pricing. Packaging is one of the primary mediums in which suppliers communicate with their end consumers. In the Indian mind-set, an attractive packaging always influences the buyer decision. We always design our packaging keeping this in mind, and ensure that the dimensions have the largest branding exposure. With our high-end technologies, we are able to create a virtual reality in form of packaging bags, and we always encourage our customers, to take the most added benefits out of our technology and services. Our packaging is the face of any product.

Give us a brief idea about your association with cement industry. With what products you started and what are new products added in your bouquet?

Uflex began its venture into the Cement industry around seven years back with our fresh and new-born BOPP bags. We were the pioneers in BOPP and the journey has not been very smooth. The market was different then. Customers were limated to using the common and inferior PP sacks. Branding in cement bags was not commonly accepted. It took us quite some time to educate customers about the unchallenged benefits of BOPP bags, and the need for branding on packaging. However, in only a couple of years, our bags were a great success and were loved by our customers across the nation. We started with standard BOPP bags, and presently, our bags are available in glossy and matte variants, they are UV- protected, have a high co-efficient of friction for easy stacking, and our most recent launch have been the shower-proof bags to save any of our customer?? losses due to unwanted weather conditions.

Provide us some information on these Shower Proof bags. Are you in a position to supply this product? What is the advantage of using Showerproof bags?

Moisture ingression and product wastage has been a long-discussed concern with our customers that involved saving the products from random showers, and also moisture seepage at coastal regions. Products with comparatively slower consumption, stacked at the bottom rows are generally damaged at depot locations leading to entire product loss. Also the supply chain of Cement and Construction industry is exposed to severe mishandling concerns including uncontrolled exposure to weather conditions. Keeping this in mind, we designed very special shower proof bags which can be converted to complete airtight and moisture proof bags by debarring any chance of external air and moisture seepage into the bags. The bags are allowed with limited passage to release the air captured in the bags at the time of filling.

What is Uflex doing to handle the sustainability concerns of customers? Are your products eco-friendly?

UFlex believes in Environmental Sustainability and has taken several key initiatives in India towards reducing Carbon Foot Print and Improving Productivity. UFlex has constantly invested in newer technologies which consume less energy per Ton of Flexible Packaging. All in-house wastages are recycled and ploughed back in to the life cycle to reduce pressure on landfills thereby arresting pollution.

Our six prolonged sustainability initiative focuses on :

  • Lowering Carbon Footprint

  • Using Renewable Resources in Manufacturing

  • Recycling Wastages

  • Energy Efficient Production Technologies

  • Reducing Plastic consumption

  • Encouraging Green Polymers

What is Project Plastic Fix ?

UFlex Group has been a trendsetter when it comes to sustainable innovation and commitment towards the ??ircular Economy?? It was the ??irst company in the world to recycle mix plastic waste??for which it earned recognition at Davos Recycle Forum in 1995, way ahead of other companies from developed economies.

Our Project Plastic Fix is a mix of four innovative ways to create wealth from plastic waste:

Pyrolysis, Recycling, Biomass & Asclepius.

Recycling of plastic is the need of the hour. UFlex, India?? largest flexible packaging company recognized the need to recycle plastic waste more than two decades back and established recycling units in its plants that convert MLP Waste into Pellets. An added feature of the recycled material (pellets) is that it is re-used to manufacture industrial and household products like roads, outdoor furniture, paver tiles, ladders and many more such essential

items. Thus, UFlex is helping create a circular plastic economy by keeping plastic 'In the Economy' and 'Out of the Environment'.

Our Pyrolysis plant has also been setup at Noida, which is an upcoming resource recovery process that converts waste into energy helping environment clear the plastic waste. At its Noida Packaging plant, UFlex will be converting 6 tonnes of discarded waste material that??

generated every day from printing, unused trim, laminates, tubes and other unprocessed material into Liquid Fuel, Hydrocarbon Gas and Carbon Black.

Shashi Garg is a Chartered Accountant having 38 years of wide experience in Finance, Production and Marketing. He looks after overall packaging production, sales & marketing as Business Head of the Cement Packaging Division.

About UFlex: It is India?? largest flexible packaging company with headquarters and three manufacturing facilities in Noida, the National Capital Region of Delhi, supplies to a majority of customers in India and also to multinational companies across the globe. With a strong presence in North America, Europe, Africa, Hungary, Russia, South East Asia and the Middle East, UFlex has established itself as the largest flexible packaging manufacturer and exporter. UFlex has its manufacturing capacity of over 135000 TPA with plants is located in Noida and Jammu.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Concrete

Cement Margins Seen Rising 12–18 per cent in FY26

Healthy demand and GST cut to boost cement profits per tonne.

Published

7 hours ago

on

September 29, 2025

By

Shares
Cement companies’ operating profit for fiscal year 2026 (FY26) is projected to grow by 12–18 per cent, reaching Rs 900–950 per metric tonne (MT), supported by robust demand, improved realisations, and stable input costs, according to ratings agency Icra.
In FY25, operating profit before interest, depreciation, tax and amortisation (OPBIDTA) stood at Rs 806 per MT, declining 16 per cent year-on-year due to weak realisations amid an extended monsoon and subdued government capital expenditure during the general elections.
Icra’s sample covers ACC, Ambuja Cements, JK Cements, JK Lakshmi Cement, The Ramco Cements, UltraTech Cement, Dalmia Bharat, Birla Corporation, Shree Cement, Sagar Cements, and Heidelberg Cement India, which together account for 74 per cent of industry capacity.
The recent GST cut on cement is expected to lower rural housing construction costs by 0.8–1.0 per cent, boosting volumes and supporting additional capacity. Average cement realisations are expected to rise 3–5 per cent in FY26.
Cement volumes increased by 8.5 per cent in the first five months of FY26, driven by strong demand from housing and infrastructure projects, despite early monsoons in some regions. During this period, cement prices rose 7.4 per cent year-on-year, particularly in northern and eastern markets. Input costs, especially for pet coke and freight, remain sensitive to global crude price movements and geopolitical factors.
Anupama Reddy, vice-president and co-group head of corporate ratings at Icra, said: “With the GST rate cut from 28 per cent to 18 per cent expected to be passed on to consumers, the average retail price of cement, currently Rs 350–360 per bag, will offer savings of Rs 26–28 per bag. Driven by strong demand, capacity additions may rise to 41–43 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) in FY26 from 31 MMTPA in FY25, with the eastern region leading the growth in grinding capacity.”

Continue Reading

Concrete

Adani’s Strategic Emergence in India’s Cement Landscape

Published

2 weeks ago

on

September 16, 2025

By

Shares

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.

Continue Reading

Concrete

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

Published

1 month ago

on

August 16, 2025

By

Shares

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.

Continue Reading

Trending News