Economy & Market

Birla Corp to spend Rs 22 bn to add its cement capacity

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2021

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Birla Corp (BCORP), an Indian cement maker that reported its first profit increase in three years this week, plans to spend Rs 22 billion ($397 million) to add capacity, forecasting demand will revive. The company, based in Kolkata, will increase its capability to make the construction material by 48 per cent to 13.8 million tonne a year by 2015, Executive President G Jayaraman said in Hyderabad.

Birla, which sells 80 per cent of its cement to home builders, will set up three plants to add to its seven factories, he said. Birla, founded in 1919 as a maker of jute products, and larger rivals including Holcim (HOLN) are expanding on optimism lower borrowing costs will rekindle demand from homebuyers after a slowdown propelled unsold apartments to a record in the final quarter of last year. The maker of Samrat and Chetak brands of cement forecasts sales will increase 56 per cent to Rs 40 billion by the year ending March 31, 2016, according to Jayaraman.

Concrete

WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

Published

1 week ago

April 13, 2026

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The World Cement Association (WCA) has announced SiloConnect as its newest associate corporate member, expanding its network of technology providers supporting digitalisation in the cement industry. SiloConnect offers smart sensor technology that provides real-time visibility of cement inventory levels at customer silos, enabling producers to monitor stock remotely and plan deliveries more efficiently. The solution helps companies move from reactive to proactive logistics, improving delivery planning, operational efficiency and safety by reducing manual inspections. The technology is already used by major cement producers such as Holcim, Cemex and Heidelberg Materials and is deployed across more than 30 countries worldwide.

Concrete

TotalEnergies and Holcim Launch Floating Solar Plant in Belgium

Published

1 week ago

April 13, 2026

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TotalEnergies and Holcim have commissioned a floating solar power plant in Obourg, Belgium, built on a rehabilitated former chalk quarry that has been converted into a lake. The project has a generation capacity of 31 MW and produces around 30 GWh of renewable electricity annually, which will be used to power Holcim’s nearby industrial operations. The project is currently the largest floating solar installation in Europe dedicated entirely to industrial self-consumption. To ensure minimal impact on the surrounding landscape, more than 700 metres of horizontal directional drilling were used to connect the solar installation to the electrical substation. The project reflects ongoing collaboration between the two companies to support industrial decarbonisation through renewable energy solutions and innovative infrastructure development.

Concrete

Cortec® Corporation applauded for its strong safety performance

Published

1 week ago

April 13, 2026

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Cortec® Corporation has been recognised for its strong safety performance, receiving its sixth Governor’s Workplace Safety Award for its outstanding performance in 2025. As a Silver Achievement recipient, the company continues to maintain safety metrics well above national industry averages, an impressive accomplishment for a chemical manufacturing organisation. This achievement reflects Cortec’s proactive approach to workplace safety, focused on early hazard detection and employee involvement. The company will be formally recognised at the Minnesota Safety and Health Conference in May, highlighting how industrial companies are effectively strengthening workplace safety standards.