Economy & Market

We plan to go ahead with our expansion plans to satisfy market demand

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2021

admin

Rajesh Kawoor, Vice- President (Concrete Business), Universal Construction, Machinery & Equipment.

To enhance the growth in RMC industry, the awareness about its advantages has to spread among concrete users. The stakeholders of RMC industry, especially the cement manufacturers, have to take initiative to educate the concrete consumers about the advantages about RMC, especially in Tier- II and Tier- III cities, says Rajesh Kawoor, Vice- President (Concrete Business), Universal Construction, Machinery & Equipment. Excerpts from the interview.

Could you brief us on the range of equipment for the RMC segment?

We have a complete range of concreting equipment which includes the smaller concrete mixing machines to bigger concrete batching and mixing plants. We also manufacture and supply truck mixers of 4 cu m and 6 cu m capacity, and concrete pumps including the placer booms. Our core product range consists of RMC equipment which includes concrete batching and mixing plants up to capacity of 60 cu m/hr. We will also be launching the bigger capacity batching and mixing plants of 90 cu m/hr. and above shortly. Currently more that 1,500 batching and mixing plants are in operation in India. We offer the Zoomlion range of concrete pumps up to a output capacity of 140 cu m/hr and pumps that can pump upto a height of 450 m. We also offer boom pumps with vertical reach up to 43 m. We also offer higher capacity boom pumps which can vertically reach 101 m.

Tell us the USP of this range of products.

The RMC products offered by Universal are of highest quality standard and reliability. Due to the longstanding experience in concrete industry, we are able to maintain the highest quality in our concrete batching and mixing plants and truck mixers. All the concrete pumps and truck- mounted boom pumps offered by Universal are equipped with automatic centralised lubrication system which ensures proper and timely lubrication. Also, all the models offered are equipped with hydraulic accumulator which avoids overloading on the hydraulic systems. The concrete pumps offered by us are of highest quality and fuel efficient, easy to maintain.

Do you have any capacity expansion plans?

Looking at today’s scenario in the construction industry, we definitely plan to go ahead with our expansion plans to satisfy market demand. As far as capacity expansion plans are concerned, we already have three manufacturing facilities in place. Two plants are located near Pune and one in Uttarakhand. We have already developed these plants considering the long- term demand of the market. Our focus for the next five years will be on exports. Currently we are exporting to African countries and shortly we will be initiating business in other countries globally. Also, we are ready to provide end- to- end solutions with equipment for the concrete industry domestically as well as internationally.

What is your current capacity utilisation?

With the current market situation, we are not able to achieve hundred per cent capacity, but however the built- up capacity is sufficient to cater to the current market demand for the next couple of years. We have considered all the factors affecting the growth in construction industry and the market trends for deciding on our manufacturing capacities and we are confident that the built- up capacity utilisation will be maximum.

What are the most important growth drivers for this industry?

Due to the global players coming to the Indian market, the manufacturers have to invest heavily in R&D to match the standards maintained by the global leaders. The advantage of low cost manufacturing and availability of easy credit will support the growth of the industry. Considering the current market situation the most important factor affecting the growth is that the investments in the infrastructure is not as much as required by the industry.

What make Universal stand out in an intensely competitive space?

Universal has developed a wide sales and service network at more than 75 locations across India, which is one of the biggest networks for a construction equipment manufacturer in India. With a vast experience of more than three decades, Universal manufactures the equipment with maximum customisation of products considering the requirements of the market.

Universal is the only company offering the most comprehensive product range from small concrete mixers to bigger equipment like high- capacity batching and mixing plants and boom placers. With a strong R&D team working on new product development as well as enhancing the current product range, Universal is able to satisfy the Indian market’s requirements. Universal’s advance manufacturing facility includes robotic welding which is unique in construction equipment industry. The above aspects makes Universal stand out in comparison to the competition.

What are the major challenges faced by the RMC equipment industry?

Looking back, we have seen a substantial growth in the RMC industry for last 5-6 years but compared with the global trend of RMC usage, we are far behind. The biggest difference we see is that the cement consumption in terms of percentage is still in single digits, whereas in the advanced countries the cement consumption in RMC is about 70-75 per cent.

To enhance the growth in RMC industry, the awareness about the advantages of RMC has to spread among the concrete users. The stakeholders of RMC industry especially cement manufacturers; have to take initiative to educate the concrete consumers about the advantages about RMC, especially in Tier- II and Tier- III cities.

What is your take on the availability of skilled and trained manpower especially for the RMC segment?

The industry association is in discussion with the government agencies to develop skilled manpower for the construction equipment industry. We will have to wait and watch to see how this initiative takes shape.

What steps do you think the government should take to boost growth of this industry?

There is a big challenge for the government to boost the RMC industry. As the market is not looking positive, we feel that the government should initiate the funding for the infrastructure industry at the earliest. This will provide some relief to the industry which will also support the concrete equipment segment.

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

4 days ago

October 9, 2026

admin

Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

Published

5 days ago

October 8, 2026

admin

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA,
Mumbai

JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”

Concrete

UltraTech becomes first Indian cement firm to cross 2 GW green energy

Published

6 days ago

October 7, 2026

admin

UltraTech Cement has crossed 2 GW of captive green energy capacity, with renewables and waste heat recovery meeting 48 per cent of its power needs.

Mumbai

UltraTech Cement Limited has surpassed 2 GW of installed green energy capacity for captive use, becoming the first cement company in India to achieve the milestone. The Aditya Birla Group company commissioned 116.55 MW of wind capacity at its Inter-State Transmission System-connected wind-solar hybrid project in Barmer, Rajasthan, along with 10 MW of Waste Heat Recovery System capacity at Sarlanagar Cement Works in Karnataka.

With these additions, UltraTech’s cumulative installed green energy capacity has reached 2,024 MW. This includes 1,580 MW of renewable energy capacity and 444 MW of waste heat recovery capacity, together meeting around 48 per cent of the company’s current power requirements.

The company said the milestone reflects the progress of its long-term energy transition strategy. In FY27 so far, nearly one-third of UltraTech’s 76 manufacturing units in India have maintained green energy utilisation above 50 per cent of their electricity requirements, while five units have crossed 95 per cent.

K C Jhanwar, Managing Director, UltraTech Cement Limited, said, “Crossing the 2 GW green energy milestone is the result of a strategy we have pursued consistently over the past decade. Cement is an energy-intensive, hard-to-abate sector, and showing that reliability and growth can go hand in hand with a rapid shift to green energy sets a benchmark for the industry. With nearly half of our power needs now met through green energy, we are significantly less exposed to fossil fuel supply constraints and power price volatility. As we scale up renewables, waste heat recovery and battery storage across our operations, we are building an energy foundation for stable, long-term growth.”

UltraTech commissioned 430 MW of green energy capacity in FY26 and continues to expand its renewable energy and waste heat recovery portfolio.

The company is also progressively integrating Battery Energy Storage Systems across its operations to improve renewable energy utilisation and supply reliability.

In 2025, UltraTech operationalised what it described as India’s first on-site hybrid round-the-clock renewable energy project at Sewagram Cement Works in Gujarat. The project combines solar, wind and battery storage.

As part of its decarbonisation strategy, UltraTech said it has not invested in new captive thermal power capacity for either greenfield projects or brownfield expansions at its integrated units for more than a decade.

The company said its expanding green energy portfolio is helping reduce dependence on conventional grid electricity and fossil fuel-based power, while lowering exposure to fluctuations in coal and electricity prices.

UltraTech aims to increase green energy’s share in its total power mix to 85 per cent by 2030. As a member of RE100, it has also committed to meeting 100 per cent of its electricity requirement through renewable sources by 2050.

UltraTech Cement, the cement flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has a total grey cement capacity of 210.1 MTPA and white cement and putty capacity of 3.5 MTPA. The company is also a signatory to the GCCA Climate Ambition 2050 and has committed to the GCCA Net Zero Concrete roadmap.