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India follows Japanese tech in manufactured sand segmen

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Manufactured sand is fulfilling 50 per cent of the total demand for sand being used in concrete mixtures in the country.

Manufactured sand is fulfilling 50 per cent of the total demand for sand being used in concrete mixtures in the country. Sanjay Nikam, CEO and Principal Business Consultant with Suru09 Business Services, feels that with the shortfall in river sand, the demand for m-sand will accelerate manifolds.

Can you explain the different types of sand?

There are different kinds of sands. For instance, the crush stone sand is a fine aggregate produced by crushing hard stone. The crush grail sand is a fine aggregate produced by crushing natural gravel; mix sand is a mix of the two. Then there is manufactured sand which is produced from resources other than natural resources

What are the key challenges faced by the manufactured sand industry?

The industry is facing many challenges. First and foremost is the challenge being the paucity of a uniform regulation pan India. Presently, different state governments have different licensing provisions, norms for royalty payments, sand dredging, etc. This results in disparity, cost undercutting and the easy availability of low-grade sand at cheaper rates in the market. Secondly, the crush quarry are smaller in size (25-50 acres) as compared to a cement mining area that can range beyond 1000 acres. That means one cannot have bigger area of operations. The output from these crusher plants range from 25,000 to 40,000 tons a month. Thirdly, logistics and local issues play a key role in this industry essentially because we are located very close to the city.

What is the ratio of aggregates and m-sand used in concrete?

In concrete, for every ton of cement used, the ration of aggregates used is 7 to 10 times higher. Of this, 50 percent is sand. For e.g., if the requirement of sand is 15,000 million tons, manufactured sand constitutes 50 percent.

Manufactured sand consumption has picked up from 2008, and the uptake was faster because of a decline in the volume of supplied river sand. While river sand registered a negative CAGR (-2 percent), the manufactured sand is registering a CAGR of 35 percent for the past couple of years. Fine aggregate offers better benefit and value than the coarse aggregator.

What kind of investments or expansion plans are you witnessing in the m-sand segment?

Realizing the poetical of the segment, there is a steady flow of investments. The number of players in m-sand segment has increased which encourages healthy competition. Also, there are players who are looking at aggregators and m-sand as apart of portfolio diversification. Globally if you take the leading cement players, they are present in the cement, RMC and aggregator segments. The trend will soon follow in India.

You mentioned changing global trends in the usage of m-sand. Can you elaborate further?

Globally, Japan is the first country to develop technology in the engineered sand segment because of the shortage of river sand. In Asia, China took the first move in the same direction because of the shortfall faced. Now that India also has challenges with river sand, the country has adopted Japanese technology to manufacture m- sand in the country. The adoption of m-sand in Europe and US is comparatively lower as governments in these continents have not imposed restriction on river sand dredging.

Renjini Liza Varghese

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Concrete

Cement Prices To Hold Steady Amid Monsoon Slump

Centrum report says demand weakness will limit hikes

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Centrum, a financial services firm, has reported that cement prices are likely to remain largely unchanged in July as weak demand during the monsoon season constrains pricing power. The report noted that construction activity remained subdued in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 owing to labour shortages and slower execution of government projects. While June showed some volume recovery driven by delayed monsoons and quarter end sales, dealers are cautious about sustaining any price increases.

The analysis suggested that seasonal slowdown related to monsoon will prolong demand and pricing challenges through the second quarter. Dealers saw most recent attempts at price hikes as protective measures rather than genuine shifts in market fundamentals. They signalled that pockets of demand in select regions could prompt isolated adjustments but that broad based increases were unlikely while construction activity remained weak. Market participants therefore expected a cautious stance on pricing.

The report highlighted that despite intermittent recovery in shipments during June, the underlying demand trajectory remained muted as monsoon hampered site level activity and logistics. Commercial builders and retail dealers both reported constrained order books and slower payment cycles, which in turn reduced room for margin expansion among manufacturers. Analysts noted that unless government project execution accelerates markedly, demand improvement would be gradual. Price setters were thus likely to focus on protecting market shares rather than pursuing aggressive increases.

Market watchers said the near term outlook would be shaped by monsoon progress and fiscal spending patterns, with any acceleration in public works offering the most tangible support. Traders expected that regional variations would persist and that trade flows between surplus and deficit centres would determine local price movements. The report concluded that stakeholders should prepare for a period of subdued pricing until demand signals strengthen.

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Concrete

Cement Prices Set To Stay Under Pressure In July

Monsoon and weak demand keep prices under strain

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A report by Centrum said cement prices are expected to remain largely flat in July as the monsoon and weak demand weigh on the sector. The report said demand during the first quarter of FY27 remained range-bound and below expectations, with dealers across markets pointing to subdued construction activity, labour shortages, elections, heatwaves and slower execution of government projects as key reasons. It noted that some recovery was witnessed in June due to delayed onset of the monsoon and quarter-end volume push.\n\nDealers across most markets do not expect any meaningful price increases in July, the report said, adding that attempts to raise prices in some markets are aimed at defending existing levels rather than achieving significant gains. The sharp correction following the rollback of April hikes has largely played out across most regions, limiting scope for further immediate increases. Seasonal slowdown in construction activity during the monsoon is expected to continue affecting demand and pricing in the coming months.\n\nCentrum indicated that pricing pressure is likely to persist through the second quarter of FY27 as monsoon-related softness continues. Dealers remain cautious about sustainability of any price rise attempts and do not rule out further weakness during the peak monsoon period. The combination of subdued demand and seasonal factors is likely to constrain the industry’s ability to raise prices in the near term. While June saw some improvement in volumes because of delayed rains and quarter-end sales efforts, the broader demand environment remains challenging.\n\nCement companies are therefore expected to focus on maintaining current price levels rather than pursuing aggressive increases as the sector navigates weak demand and seasonal headwinds. The report suggested that unless demand conditions improve significantly, limited scope will exist for meaningful price recovery. Market participants remain watchful for any shifts in execution of infrastructure projects or construction activity that could alter the outlook.

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Concrete

TARIL Secures Ultra Mega Transformer Order From PGCIL

Order for manufacturing transformers to be delivered in 30 months

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Transformers and Rectifiers (India) Limited has received Notifications of Awards from Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) for multiple contracts to manufacture transformers and undertake associated works. The company submitted the disclosure to BSE and the National Stock Exchange under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Regulations. The submission cited security code 532928 and trading symbol TARIL, and the filings cite the award reference and confirm execution in accordance with the terms and conditions stipulated in the notifications.

The contracts are described as an Ultra Mega Order under the company classification, indicating a value at or above Rs 10 billion (bn) on conversion. The filing identifies the contracts as domestic orders and specifies a scheduled delivery period of 30 months. The scope covers manufacturing of transformers of various ratings together with all associated work. The order size places it in the highest project classification defined in the company’s disclosure.

The disclosure states that the promoter group and group companies have no interest in the awarding entity and that the contracts do not constitute related party transactions. The company noted that the awards will be executed in the normal course of business and not fall within related party transactions. The document reiterates that the company is committed to delivering high quality products and services and has established itself as a leading manufacturer of transformers in the country over time.

Chief Financial Officer Mehul Shah authorised the filing and requested the exchanges to take the information on record, with the company providing the requisite filing reference in its submission. The company indicated that the orders will be executed as per the notifications of awards and the applicable regulatory framework. The original filing is available on the stock exchange portal at the provided link.

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