Concrete

Innovation & efficiency to drive market

Published

4 years ago

December 21, 2021

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Prashant Jha, Chief Ready-Mix Business,Nuvoco Vistas Corp

Can you elaborate on the learnings for RMC segment from the standstill period of the global pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the construction industry. The suspension of construction activities has led to delays in delivery, especially in China, India and Singapore, in the Asia-Pacific region, causing a decline in the demand for ready-mix concrete in construction operations.

There are two sides to every coin and RMC segment has learned from this difficult phase:

Work with optimum manpower
Keep limited resource
Raw materials management
Use energy in an optimal way
Risk analysis in terms of sales etc.
Virtual platform for meetings and training to cut travel costs.

What new innovations has the segment seen in the last two years?

Nuvoco has introduced several innovations in the concrete segment like structural light-weight concrete, called Structural Xlite. Typical concrete has a density of 2,400 kg per cm3, but Xlite has a density of around 800 to 1,600 kg per cm3. We have also developed radiation-proof concrete solutions for cancer hospitals. There are also types of concrete that can tolerate running water and extreme cold temperatures.

To make working with concrete easier with lesser manpower, Nuvoco has developed wet concrete that can just be poured on the site without the need of water. This concrete has retention of up to eight hours, while normal concrete usually has a retention period of four hours. This product addresses the concerns of typically narrowed bylanes with a requirement of small quantities of concrete.

What has been the the improvement in efficiency and overall?

RMC is advantageous for projects with a scarcity of labour, where smaller quantities of concrete or intermittent placing is required. The commonly used ready-mix concrete called Transit Mix prevents issues associated with slump loss or early hardening of concrete.

How do you see the market panning out in the next two years?

The recovery of the construction sector and strong growth opportunities in residential and infrastructure construction projects is expected to boost demand for construction materials. Currently, RMC capacity is close to 45 million cm3. With a boost to infrastructure and government initiatives such as Housing for All, we expect a growth of 7-10% in the next five years.

What is Nuvoco’s roadmap for the next three years?

In the short-term, we will focus on further strengthening our position in the building materials space. We will cater to the demand for cement and building materials which is likely to rebound as the country emerges from the pandemic. We expect the demand to be driven by the state and centre-level government initiatives to boost affordable housing.

We are optimistic about positive business growth in the long term and will continue to strengthen our market share by focusing on strategic interventions and drive to incorporate newer ideas. We will step up our efforts to deliver innovative products to our customers.

Nuvoco will also continue to work towards preserving natural resources and working towards our vision of ‘building a safer, smarter and sustainable world’.

Concrete

Nuvoco Vistas Reports Record Q2 EBITDA, Expands Capacity to 35 MTPA

Cement Major Nuvoco Posts Rs 3.71 bn EBITDA in Q2 FY26

Published

1 week ago

October 22, 2025

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Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd., one of India’s leading building materials companies, has reported its highest-ever second-quarter consolidated EBITDA of Rs 3.71 billion for Q2 FY26, reflecting an 8% year-on-year revenue growth to Rs 24.58 billion. Cement sales volume stood at 4.3 MMT during the quarter, driven by robust demand and a rising share of premium products, which reached an all-time high of 44%.

The company continued its deleveraging journey, reducing like-to-like net debt by Rs 10.09 billion year-on-year to Rs 34.92 billion. Commenting on the performance, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, said, “Despite macro headwinds, disciplined execution and focus on premiumisation helped us achieve record performance. We remain confident in our structural growth trajectory.”

Nuvoco’s capacity expansion plans remain on track, with refurbishment of the Vadraj Cement facility progressing towards operationalisation by Q3 FY27. In addition, the company’s 4 MTPA phased expansion in eastern India, expected between December 2025 and March 2027, will raise its total cement capacity to 35 MTPA by FY27.

Reinforcing its sustainability credentials, Nuvoco continues to lead the sector with one of the lowest carbon emission intensities at 453.8 kg CO? per tonne of cementitious material.

Concrete

Jindal Stainless to Invest $150 Mn in Odisha Metal Recovery Plant

New Jajpur facility to double metal recovery capacity and cut emissions

Published

2 weeks ago

October 17, 2025

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Jindal Stainless Limited has announced an investment of $150 million to build and operate a new wet milling plant in Jajpur, Odisha, aimed at doubling its capacity to recover metal from industrial waste. The project is being developed in partnership with Harsco Environmental under a 15-year agreement.

The facility will enable the recovery of valuable metals from slag and other waste materials, significantly improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The initiative aligns with Jindal Stainless’s sustainability roadmap, which focuses on circular economy practices and low-carbon operations.

In financial year 2025, the company reduced its carbon footprint by about 14 per cent through key decarbonisation initiatives, including commissioning India’s first green hydrogen plant for stainless steel production and setting up the country’s largest captive solar energy plant within a single industrial campus in Odisha.

Shares of Jindal Stainless rose 1.8 per cent to Rs 789.4 per share following the announcement, extending a 5 per cent gain over the past month.

Concrete

Vedanta gets CCI Approval for Rs 17,000 MnJaiprakash buyout

Acquisition marks Vedanta’s expansion into cement, real estate, and infra

Published

2 weeks ago

October 17, 2025

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Vedanta Limited has received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to acquire Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL) for approximately Rs 17,000 million under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) process. The move marks Vedanta’s strategic expansion beyond its core mining and metals portfolio into cement, real estate, and infrastructure sectors.

Once the flagship of the Jaypee Group, JAL has faced severe financial distress with creditors’ claims exceeding Rs 59,000 million. Vedanta emerged as the preferred bidder in a competitive auction, outbidding the Adani Group with an overall offer of Rs 17,000 million, equivalent to Rs 12,505 million in net present value terms. The payment structure involves an upfront settlement of around Rs 3,800 million, followed by annual instalments of Rs 2,500–3,000 million over five years.

The National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL), which acquired the group’s stressed loans from a State Bank of India-led consortium, now leads the creditor committee. Lenders are expected to take a haircut of around 71 per cent based on Vedanta’s offer. Despite approvals for other bidders, Vedanta’s proposal stood out as the most viable resolution plan, paving the way for the company’s diversification into new business verticals.