Concrete

Manufactured sand gaining traction

Published

5 years ago

December 21, 2021

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The state government should device a mechanism to ensure the quality of M-sand distributed in the state. Low quality material not only gives a low quality precast but also affects the durability of concrete, says Joseph Jacob, Director, POABS Group

Manufactured sand or M-sand is gaining popularity among customers as many states have banned the use of river sand. What were the challenges?

M-sand is a registered trademark of POABS. This concept was launched in 2002, in Kerala. The company had some crusher plants and was looking at ways to use crusher dust/ crusher sand—the byproduct from the plants, in concrete. However, there were challenges like the shape of the dust and presence of varied percentages of microcytes. Use of these type of concrete dust can cause durability and load bearing (strength) issues. So, these were used as landfill or dumped. However, with the price of river sand moving upward, and the restriction on extraction of river sand led us to innovate and convert the crusher sand to usable manufactured sand. With the support of College of Engineering Trivandrum, we have established the first M-sand plant in Thiruvananthapuram. Till then the industry was dependent on river sand that is cylindrical in shape which blends well in the concrete mix.

With new concepts come new technologies. Can you describe the technologies being used in manufacturing sand?

The first plant was set up with wet technology. Crushed particles are first passed through a vertical shaft and then through a wet process. While the river sand is cylindrical in shape, crushed sand it is cubical. The cubical shape adds more strength to the concrete. The only challenge now remaining is the removal of microcytes. The Indian Bureau of standards permits use of 150 microns not exceeding 10 percent and 75 microns not exceeding 2 percent in the concrete mixture. When crush sand is washed, in the process we lose 300 and 600 microns. So, challenge was to retain the 300 and 600 microns and remove the 150 and 75 microns from the same lot.

What is your market in m-sand?

Till FY2009 -10, we held 50 percent market share in Kerala. Increase in number of palmers and import of m-sand from the neighboring states has impacted our market share. Also, there is no mechanism in Kerala to check the quality of m-sand distributed in the state. Cheap quality material is easily available in the market at lower rates, and that is chief competition.

What are the regulatory challenges?

There is no quality check for the m-sand coming from different places. The QC is possible only if it is produced locally. If the material is transported from other states, implementing QC check is very difficult. Once such low-grade m-sand is used in concrete, there are ways to check the strength but difficult to gauge durability.

Which segment is your major consumer RMC or retail? And what are your expansion plans?

We have our own RMC business arm. We do cater to both—RMC and the retailers. The demand for m-sand is growing is rising from states where local governments have imposed restrictions on river sand. Most South Indian and West Indian states have moved to m-sand now. Considering the opportunities, we are definitely looking at expanding. We are in advanced talks with some states, though it is too early to divulge details. Currently we operate only in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Renjini Liza Varghese

Concrete

India’s Core Sector Growth Eases to 4.8 Per Cent in August

Cement, electricity and iron ore offset declines in other sectors

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2026

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India’s output across eight core industries grew 4.8 per cent year-on-year in August 2026, easing from the revised 5.0 per cent growth recorded in July, according to provisional data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Index of Core Industries (ICI), which tracks eight key infrastructure sectors, accounts for a significant share of the Index of Industrial Production.

Cement production led the expansion with growth of 12.5 per cent, followed by electricity at 11.6 per cent and iron ore at 5.5 per cent. Steel output increased 3.4 per cent, while refinery products rose 2.6 per cent during the month. The ministry identified cement, electricity and iron ore as the main contributors to overall core sector growth in recent months.

The gains were partly offset by contractions in several sectors. Coal output declined 3.8 per cent year-on-year, while natural gas and crude oil production fell 4.9 per cent and 3.6 per cent, respectively. Fertiliser production recorded the sharpest decline, falling 12.4 per cent in August.

Cumulative growth in the ICI during April-August 2026 stood at 4.3 per cent, compared with 2.4 per cent in the corresponding period a year earlier. Steel output increased 4.1 per cent during the period, while cement and electricity production grew 10.3 per cent and 9.6 per cent, respectively.

Coal, natural gas, crude oil, refinery products and fertilisers recorded negative cumulative growth during April-August. Their contractions stood at 3.2 per cent, 4.4 per cent, 4.1 per cent, 1.4 per cent and 6.7 per cent, respectively. The ministry also revised the final ICI for July to 120.8 from the earlier provisional estimate of 121.2, resulting in a downward revision in the month’s growth rate to 5.0 per cent from 5.4 per cent.

Concrete

Jammu Division Begins First Cement Rail Traffic to Anantnag

Cement Loading From Kathua for Anantnag to Begin on September 14

Published

6 days ago

September 21, 2026

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Jammu Railway Division has placed an indent for the first movement of cement by rail within the division, linking Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua Railway Station with Anantnag Railway Station. Loading for the consignment is scheduled to begin on September 14.

Concrete

Hard Worker Wins Three Honours at Kyoorius Design Awards

Ramco Cements’ brand secures Grand Prix and two Blue Elephant honours.

Published

6 days ago

September 21, 2026

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The Ramco Cements Limited’s construction chemicals brand, Hard Worker, has won three honours at the Kyoorius Design Awards 2026, including the Grand Prix – Grey Elephant in the Design in Action category.

The brand also secured two Blue Elephant honours, one for Design in Action and another for Packaging, recognising the design approach behind its brand identity and packaging.

Launched in 2025, Hard Worker entered the construction chemicals segment with the brand promise, “Hard-working products for hardworking people.” Its visual identity uses animals and birds to represent product benefits. The camel represents the water-retention capability of Hard Worker Eco Plaster, while the cheetah represents the speed and performance of Hard Worker Block Fix.

The visual language has been extended across packaging, retail, communication, literature, digital platforms and other brand touchpoints. Hard Worker uses bold colours, distinctive animal illustrations and simple visual storytelling to communicate product benefits across markets and audiences, including construction workers and applicators.

“For Hard Worker, design was never an afterthought. It was fundamental to how we wanted to build the brand. In a category that is largely functional, we wanted to create a brand that people could recognise, understand and remember instantly. The Kyoorius recognition is a wonderful validation of this design-led approach,” said Mr. AV Dharmakrishnan, CEO, The Ramco Cements Limited.

Mr. Balaji K. Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, Ramco Cements said “In a category where communication has traditionally been product-led and functional, we wanted Hard Worker to stand apart by making design an integral part of the brand experience. From the distinctive animal-led packaging to our communication across consumer and trade touchpoints, every element was designed to make the brand more memorable and the product benefits easier to understand.”

Within its first 12 months, Hard Worker crossed Rs 3.5 bn in sales. The latest recognition follows six honours secured by the brand’s campaign at the Kyoorius Creative Awards earlier in 2026, including the Grey Elephant Grand Prix for its Eco Plaster film.

The Kyoorius Design Awards recognise outstanding design work in India’s visual communications sector across multiple categories and platforms. The 2026 awards were announced on 12 September in Goa.

The Ramco Cements Limited is part of the Ramco Group and operates across cement and allied building-material solutions. Hard Worker is its construction chemicals brand, offering solutions across key construction applications.