Despite a decision to divest cement in 2000, Tata Chemicals, finds that cement is a success story for the company especially since the product was born out of an environmental initiative.
Tata Chemicals is a global company with interests in businesses that focus on LIFE: Living, Industry and Farm Essentials. The story of the company is about harnessing the fruits of science for goals that go beyond business. This story began in Mithapur, Gujarat in western India with the creation of a plant that would raise a wealth of marine chemicals from the ocean, with the potential to touch human lives in many ways. From these humble beginnings, a market-leading international business has been created, with operations across four continents. Through its living essentials portfolio the company has positively impacted the lives of millions of Indians. Tata Chemicals is the pioneer and market leader in India’s branded Iodised salt segment. With the introduction of an innovative, low-cost, nanotechnology-based water purifier, it is providing affordable, safe drinking water to the masses.
Tata Chemicals is the world’s second largest producer of soda ash with manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. The company’s industry essentials product range provides key ingredients to some of the world’s largest manufacturers of glass, detergents and other industrial products. With its farm essentials portfolio the company has carved a niche in India as a crop nutrients provider. It is a leading manufacturer of urea and phosphatic fertilisers and, through its subsidiary, Rallis, has a strong position in the crop protection business. TCL’s cement business grew out of a sustainability and environment activity; the cement plant at Mithapur was set up to consume solid waste generated during the manufacture of soda ash. The area around Mithapur is rich in limestone. Given the region’s proximity to the sea, salt is also found here in abundance. Lime and salt are the main ingredients in the production of soda ash. The manufacturing process of soda ash leaves behind a large quantity of unutilised limestone and calcium products in the slurry. In order to utilise the by-products and unutilised limestone, TCL put up a modern cement plant at Mithapur. Tata Chemicals supplies high quality, premium grade cement in the Gujarat market.
Builders, architects and masons know that if they use cement of poor quality their building will be unsafe and suffer from seepages during monsoon. They trust Tata Chemicals, which manufactures two varieties of cement under the brand name Shudh Cement. The company manufactures OPC grade 53 and masonry cement.
OPC grade 53: TATA Shudh OPC 53 Grade is high performance cement far exceeding the codal requirement of IS 12269-1987. It is produced from high quality clinker ground with high purity gypsum. TATA Shudh 53 Grade OPC with superior compressive strength is ideal for:
Residential, Commercial multi-storeyed building and complexes. All types of RCC. Masonry, Plastering. Flooring and foundation works.Industrial works and heavy defence structures like Bunkers Culverts, roads, water retaining structures. Pre-stresscd concrete work like bridges, silos, etc.
Pre-cast elements such as Railway sleepers and concrete poles.
• Consistent compressive strength, best suitable for Indian climate.
• Optimum particle size distribution
• High fineness enhances workability with proper water cement ratio ensuring dense and durable concrete.
• Low heal of hydration, reduces cracks
• Highly durable and sound concrete due to very low percentage of alkalis, chlorides, magnesia and free lime in its composition.
• Almost a negligible chloride content result in restraining corrosion of RCC structure in hostile environment.
• Consistent quality for consistent performance.
• Significant saving in cement consumption while making cement concrete and increases output of precast due to high early strength.
• Dark colour wthaesthetic benefit.
Masonry Cement: Masonry Cement has characteristics to ensure economy and quality at the site. Masonry cement generally contains Portland cement for early strength, plasticizers for water retention and plasticity and Air entraining agents for workability.
TATA Shudh Masonry is manufactured using the best quality clinker made out of high purity limestone. These ingredients are accurately proportioned and controlled throughout the manufacturing process to ensure uniform product.
Mortar acts as binder, but it is much more than that. It is a spacer, a leveling method, a means of maintaining plumb and most importantly, a method of sealing the joints and preventing water penetration.
Mortar made of TATA Shudh Masonry offers excellent strength and water resistance, along with other advantages such as,
• Ease of use (buttery consistency), spreading easily off the trowel.
• Adhering to vertical surfaces and even the under sides of horizontal surfaces.
• High on fineness giving excellent aesthetics to the structures.
• Remains plastic longer so that masonry units can be properly placed.
• Superior resistance to sulphate attack.
• Excellent resistance to freeze and thaw deterioration, ultimately achieving durable construction.
• Good water retentivity with presence of air entraining agents.
• High on crack resistance with low heat of hydration and more resistance to water permeability
• Improved efficiency of masons as this is easy to use and isn’t heavy
It is important to know that the ability to resist the extremes of repeated freeze-thaw cycles without deterioration is critical for the long-term performance of mortar.
Masonry cement mortars have greater resistance to freeze-thaw action than Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) Mortar.
The cement products are made in a 1,500 tonne per day capacity plant with state-of-the-art technology, which includes quality control at every stage of the production process with an online x-ray analyser. This ensures a high level of consistency of quality in the manufacturing process.
Shudh Cement has already acquired a three percent share of the cement market in Gujarat despite tough competition. It has been recognised in the market as a superior product, ideally suited for quality constructions. Shudh Cement far exceeds the quality norms and specifications prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The plant was set up way back in the year 1993 and the product has carved a niche for itself.
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