Concrete

Cement Packaging : A Crucial Step in Getting Cement to End Consumers

Published

5 years ago

January 15, 2022

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Packaging, across the value chain of cement operations, is a crucial process. ICR explores the various aspects of cement packaging, and its different types, while assessing the challenges and innovations that are expected in the future.

India is one of the largest producers of cement. With the ongoing infrastructural development in the country, the demand is ever rising for cement. Similarly, India also exports a significant amount of cement. Cement from the manufacturers must travel the lengths of the country to reach the users and cross borders during export. This requires strong packaging to avoid coming in contact with moisture and prevent wastage due to leakage. Once cement comes in contact with moisture it turns into concrete and that makes it of no use.

Packaging of cement plays a crucial rule in the process of taking it from the makers to the consumers. Manufacturer’s source highest grade technology and packaging material to protect their product from damage, wastage and to reach the end user in an unharmed manner. Packaging happens at the last leg of the cement manufacturing process. Cement is extracted from the silo bottom by aeration and transported to electronic packing machines by air slides and bucket elevators. Cement is packed in 50 kg packs, and HDPV bags or paper bags are used as per the customers’ requirement. Electronic packing machines are calibrated to deliver the correct weight.

The constant demand of good packaging material for cement gives way to two industries – the technology developers for automation of packaging and packaging material industry. According to a study conducted by the Data Bridge Market Research, the global cement packaging industry is expected to grow at a rate of 3.4 and from 2021 to 2027. This growth shall be credited to the increasing demand from construction industry, surging application of paper bags as it provides ease of printability and replacement of conventional plastic bags. On the other hand, evolution of advanced products will further create new and ample opportunities for the growth of cement packaging market in the above-mentioned forecast period. This will also be seen in the sustainable packaging solutions vertical over the years to come as that demand is growing in most sectors related to cement.

Standards and types of packaging bags for the cement industry
The industry largely uses Polypropylene bags for packaging of cement as it offers protection from moisture and strength to packaging. There are various categories of polypropylene bags available with coatings, linings etc. PP plain woven bags are simple bags made out of plastic and stitched together with to hold cement. The next type is PP lined bags that have an extra lining of plastic in the inside which protects cement from coming in contact with moisture. Next, are the laminated PP bags that have an extra layer of poly film on them. Their strength is higher than simple woven bags and provide greater resistance to air coming in touch with cement. They also give way to bigger branding and storing of cement in uncovered storages.
The higher quality in laminated bags is the BOPP laminated bags. BOPP stands for Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene. It is a layer that is added as an extra layer to the PP woven bags to enhance its strength. BOPP laminated bags have higher durability and are attractive and durable. These bags are primarily used to store and transport multiple contents, including grains, animal feed, and fertilizers.

PP Woven bags have various advantages when put in use for storing cement. They are highly chemical and weather resistant. They have high tear strength, which enables it to carry heavyweight materials. PP woven bags are 100 per cent reusable and have high durability making it the less pollutant product compared to other packaging bags.

Quality control for cement packaging is very important. The BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) has set norms for cement packaging. As per Cl 9.2 of IS 455: 1989, the average net mass of cement per bag shall be 50 kg. The average net mass of cement per bag may also be 25 kg subject to tolerances and packed in suitable bags as agreed to between the purchaser and the manufacturer. Similarly, as per Cl 10.2 of IS 1489 (Part 1): 1991 and IS 1489 (Part 2): 1991, the average net mass of cement per bag shall be 50 kg. The average net mass of cement per bag may also be 25 kg subject to tolerances and packed in suitable bags as agreed to between the purchaser and the manufacturer. Also, as per IS 8112: 1989, the average net mass of cement per bag may also be 25 kg, 10 kg, 5 kg, 2 kg or 1 kg, subject to tolerances and packed in suitable bag as agreed to between the purchaser and the manufacturer.

The history of cement bags has seen advancement and evolution. Up to 1970s, all cement bags used to be made of jute, which had zero moisture resistance and was prone to high spillage during handling and transportation. Since then, the switchover has been to plain woven polypropylene (PP) sacks. To upgrade PP bags, the concept of lamination was introduced which came with increase in packaging and handling cost. Some manufacturers are also using BOPP laminated bags to enhance brand value.

The technology of cement packaging
The process of cement manufacturing is incomplete till the end product i.e., is packed in bags and is ready to be shipped out. This process takes place with the help of machine and equipment in an automated process. They are mainly used to complete the automatic packing of cement and other powder materials with good fluidity, such as fly ash, gypsum powder, cement additives, etc.

These machines can be classified as a fixed type and rotatory type. The fixed type usually has 1-4 cement discharging nozzles. The rotary type includes 6-14 nozzles and operates in a rotating way to realize the automatic cement bag filling.

With this machinery, cement bags are filled continuously through the discharging mouth by the impeller running at high speed. A weight is set for the filling and when the cement reached that set weight, a signal is transmitted to the main system and the filling is stopped. This process is electronically controlled; however, bags of the desired size are manually fed to the machine.

Automation of the bag filling process has various advantages like having a stable operation, giving uniformity and structure to the bags, clean and hygienic filling of cement bags, ease of maintenance and lesser mechanical faults.

Challenges faced by users of cement due to cement packaging
Karan Sabhlok, Director, Kamdhenu Realities says, “one of the major challenges we face is when the labour unloads the packages of cement using hooks which leads to tearing of the packages and further lead to spillage of cement. We buy 50 kg packs and while loading and unloading the cement falls from packages and the rest in the pack gets hard and due to coming in contact with air, the strength of cement also decreases”.

He suggests that, “Cement should be packed in 2 bags, outer bag on which we will attach the hook and the inner bag which should be of at least 50 microns so that it keeps the cement safe from air. Also, the hook on the outer bag should be attached near the stitching so that there is least amount of damage to the bag”.

Some of the common challenges that users of cement like construction workers and builders face are wastage, leakage and tearing of cement bags while handling them. They are looking for cement manufacturers to provide stronger packaging materials or provisions where hooks can work without causing damage.

Throwing some more light on the challenges faced by builders Raj Kamal Yadav, General Manager – Strategy, Lodha Group says, “Cement industry uses unlaminated polypropylene bags with valves which allows them to pack cement very easily and fast, Since the bags are without lamination so cost of bags is low. However, the use of hooks in their logistics during the loading and unloading of cement causes tearage and leakage. These bags also have lower UV resistance and when placed in sunlight leads to cement losing its strength”.

These issues direct the cement packing industry to strive for innovation in packaging that can lead to lesser wastage and more ease of use.

Cement packaging taking a sustainable route
Cement manufacturers are moving towards paper packaging and makers of packaging are trying everyday to make cement packing material better for the environment and sustainable. While innovations are on the way, it is imperative that the environment is protected from the waste that may happen with used plastic bags.

Alpesh Patel, Managing Director, Knack Packaging says, “Every cement manufacturing company must ensure that used cement bags must be collected and either sent back for recycling or must be used as fuel in their kilns. This way they prevent waste accumulation in the ground and reduce the usage of natural resources for fuel supporting the environment.”
It is a question to dwell upon if the industry shall lean towards paper packaging that is recyclable, better in aesthetics, supports branding and is cost effective but does not protect cement well enough from environmental factors like moisture or they shall lean towards plastic sacks that do protect cement from moisture but produce larger amount of dust and are more prone to leakages.

Kanika Mathur

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Concrete

Cement Makers’ Margins To Fall Rs 50-75 Per Tonne Amid West Asia Conflict

Crisil Sees Margins Easing Despite Steady Demand

Published

2 weeks ago

July 29, 2026

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Crisil said operating margins of Indian cement manufacturers are expected to decline by Rs 50-75 per tonne (t) this fiscal to Rs 925-950 per t due to higher input costs triggered by the West Asia conflict. The analysis covered 18 cement companies accounting for nearly 90 per cent of India’s domestic cement capacity and noted margins had improved sharply to around Rs 1,000 per t in fiscal 2026.

Crisil noted that the reduction would be driven mainly by higher power and fuel costs, which account for about 30 per cent of total costs, as petcoke and imported coal prices have surged amid geopolitical uncertainties. Freight costs, which account for about a quarter of total costs, are also expected to remain elevated because of higher diesel prices. The impact on profitability is likely to be more pronounced in the first half of the fiscal year before easing commodity prices moderate cost pressures later.

The rating agency said steady domestic demand and strong balance sheets should keep credit profiles stable despite the moderation in margins. Green energy currently accounts for 35-40 per cent of the sector’s total electricity consumption and is expected to partly cushion higher energy costs. Operating cash flows are likely to remain resilient, supported by projected 6-7 per cent growth in cement demand this fiscal.

Crisil highlighted that demand growth will be driven primarily by infrastructure spending, which meets about one-third of sector consumption, and by a nearly 18 per cent higher budgetary allocation for core ministries that should support project execution. Weaker rural housing demand amid pressure on agricultural incomes from a possible below-average monsoon may be offset by improved urban housing demand supported by favourable home-loan rates and a strong pipeline of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban projects. Ongoing capacity additions will keep capital expenditure elevated and may lift net debt to EBITDA to between 1.2 and 1.4 times from around 1.0 time last fiscal, though ratios are expected to remain healthy.

Concrete

UltraTech Board Approves Rs 50 bn Fundraise Via NCDs

Company to issue half a million debentures for expansion plan

Published

2 weeks ago

July 28, 2026

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UltraTech Cement’s board of directors has approved raising Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 bn) through non?convertible debentures issued in rupees.

The finance committee cleared a proposal to issue up to 500,000 fully paid, unsecured, listed, rated, redeemable, rupee?denominated, non?convertible, non?cumulative debentures of Rs 1 lakh each (Rs 0.1 mn each), aggregating to the Rs 5,000 crore programme.

As of June 2026 the firm reported net debt of Rs 15,875 crore (Rs 158.75 bn) and said its capacity expansion projects under execution are backed by capital expenditure of about Rs 17,000 crore (Rs 170 bn) over the next two to two?and?a?half years.

UltraTech spent Rs 9,500 crore (Rs 95 bn) on capital expenditure in financial year 2026 and in April the group crossed 200.1 mn tonnes per annum of domestic grey cement capacity and 205.5 mn tonnes per annum of global capacity.

The chief financial officer indicated the company would take consolidated capacity beyond 242 mn tonnes per annum, with grey cement capacity reaching 212.7 mn tonnes per annum by the end of financial year 2027. He noted the net debt?to?earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation ratio stood at 0.87 times as of June 2026 and the company was confident of ending financial year 2027 with the ratio below one time.

In the first quarter of financial year 2026?27 UltraTech’s net profit attributable to owners rose 16.8 per cent year?on?year to Rs 2,599.3 crore (Rs 25.993 bn) and revenue from operations increased 15.9 per cent to Rs 24,648.20 crore (Rs 246.482 bn). The board approval is expected to complement internal cash flows as the company advances its expansion programme.

Concrete

Lokesh Lays Stone For Rs 31 Billion Cement Unit In Kadapa

Line-2 expansion to make Kadapa a major cement hub

Published

3 weeks ago

July 20, 2026

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Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the Line-2 expansion of Dalmia Bharat Cement at Chinnakomerla village in Mylavaram Mandal in Kadapa district. The project carries an investment of Rs 31 billion (bn) and is slated for completion by the third quarter of the financial year 2028. The expansion is intended to boost industrial growth and employment generation across the Rayalaseema region.

Once commissioned, the Kadapa facility will become Dalmia Bharat’s largest integrated cement manufacturing ecosystem in southern India, creating over 1,000 direct and indirect jobs and opening new business avenues for regional micro, small and medium enterprises and transport operators. Lokesh said the expansion signalled growing corporate confidence in the state and reflected the practical ease of doing business that secured repeat investment.

He placed the project within the government’s wider economic targets and recalled the Yuvagalam padayatra commitment to generate two million (mn) jobs within five years, noting that the state would cultivate talent while industry created opportunities. Lokesh highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s competitive pursuit of major manufacturing accounts, mentioning past successes and a personal initiative to engage global investors when persuading them to anchor expansion in the state.

The plant will leverage Kadapa’s abundant limestone reserves to scale production and sustainability. Clinker capacity is planned to rise from two point five million tonnes per annum (mn tpa) to six point one mn tpa, while overall cement output will increase from three point six mn tpa to nine point six mn tpa. The unit is designed to operate on over eighty per cent renewable energy and deploy waste heat recovery, zero liquid discharge, water recycling and advanced AI systems to optimise efficiency. Industries Minister TG Bharat, BC Welfare Minister S. Savitha and Jammalamadugu MLA C. Adinarayana Reddy attended the ceremony.