The leading cement producers have posted high single-digit volume growth and better sales realisation in the July–September quarter, setting a positive tone for the second half of FY26. Companies are upbeat on demand prospects, supported by a strong housing sector and continued government spending on major infrastructure projects.

UltraTech, Ambuja Cement, Shree Cement, Dalmia Bharat and Nuvoco Vistas recorded revenue growth of up to 18 per cent in the September quarter. The rise was driven by firm realisations, softer input costs and an increased share of premium products.

With coal prices easing and diesel rates remaining stable year-on-year, companies expect margins to improve further in the coming months despite a rise in petcoke costs. In recent earnings calls, cement makers highlighted that the individual home builders segment across rural and urban markets is likely to drive demand, aided by favourable monsoon conditions, recent tax benefits and GST reforms.

A 12-acre innovation campus enables Fornnax to design, test and validate high-performance recycling solutions at global standards in record time.

Fornnax has launched one of the world’s largest New Product Development (NPD) centres and demo plants, spanning more than 12 acres, marking a major step toward its vision of becoming a global recycling technology leader by 2030. Designed to accelerate real-world innovation, the facility will enable faster product design cycles, large-scale performance validation, and more reliable equipment for high-demand recycling applications.

At the core of the new campus is a live demo plant engineered to support application-specific testing. Fornnax will use this facility to upgrade its entire line of shredders and granulators—enhancing capacity, improving energy efficiency, and reducing downtime. With controlled test environments, machines can be validated for 3,000 to 15,000 hours of operation, ensuring real-world durability and high availability of 18–20 hours per day. This approach gives customers proven performance data before deployment.

“Innovation in product development is the key to becoming a global leader,” said Jignesh Kundariya, Director and CEO of Fornnax. “With this facility, we can design, test and validate new technologies in 6–8 months, compared to 4–5 years in a customer’s plant. Every machine will undergo rigorous Engineering Build (EB) and Manufacturing Build (MB) testing in line with international standards.”

Engineering Excellence Powered by Gate Review Methodology

Fornnax’s NPD framework follows a structured Gate Review Process, ensuring precision and discipline at every step. Projects begin with market research and ideation led by Sales and Marketing, followed by strategic review from the Leadership Team. Detailed engineering is then developed by the Design Team and evaluated by Manufacturing, Service and Safety before approval. A functional prototype is built and tested for 6–8 months, after which the design is optimised for mass production and commercial rollout.

Open-Door Customer Demonstration and Material Testing

The facility features an open-door demonstration model, allowing customers to bring their actual materials and test multiple machines under varied operating conditions. Clients can evaluate performance parameters, compare configurations and make informed purchasing decisions without operational risk.

The centre will also advance research into emerging sectors including E-waste, cables, lithium-ion batteries and niche heterogeneous waste streams. Highly qualified engineering and R&D teams will conduct feasibility studies and performance analysis to develop customised solutions for unfamiliar or challenging materials. This capability reinforces Fornnax’s reputation as a solution-oriented technology provider capable of solving real recycling problems.

Developing Global Recycling Talent

Beyond technology, the facility also houses a comprehensive OEM training centre. It will prepare operators and maintenance technicians for real-world plant conditions. Trainees will gain hands-on experience in assembly, disassembly and grinding operations before deployment at customer sites. Post-training, they will serve as skilled support professionals for Fornnax installations. The company will also deliver corporate training programs for international and domestic clients to enable optimal operation, swift troubleshooting and high-availability performance.

A Roadmap to Capture Global Demand

Fornnax plans to scale its offerings in response to high-growth verticals including Tyre recycling, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), E-waste, Cable and Aluminium recycling. The company is also preparing solutions for new opportunities such as Auto Shredder Residue (ASR) and Lithium-Ion Battery recovery. With research, training, validation and customer engagement housed under one roof, Fornnax is laying the foundation for the next generation of recycling technologies.

“Our goal is to empower customers with clarity and confidence before they invest,” added Kundariya. “This facility allows them to test their own materials, compare equipment and see real performance. It’s not just about selling machines—it’s about building trust through transparency and delivering solutions that work.”

With this milestone, Fornnax reinforces its long-term commitment to enabling industries worldwide with proven, future-ready recycling solutions rooted in innovation, engineering discipline and customer collaboration.

India’s finished steel imports fell 34.1 per cent year-on-year to 2.5 million tonnes in the first seven months of the financial year, according to government data. Despite the decline, the world’s second-largest crude steel producer remained a net importer of finished steel during the April–October period. The fall in imports came alongside a 7.4 per cent rise in domestic consumption, which reached 92.2 million tonnes.

South Korea emerged as India’s largest source of finished steel imports, supplying 1.4 million tonnes. It was followed by China, Japan and Russia. Although total imports declined sharply, the figures show a continued inflow of foreign steel into the Indian market.

Domestic production remained strong. Finished steel output stood at 91.6 million tonnes for April–October, while crude steel production reached 95.7 million tonnes, underscoring the scale and resilience of India’s steel industry despite external competition.

In contrast to the fall in imports, India’s finished steel exports jumped 25.3 per cent year-on-year to 3.5 million tonnes. Europe was a major destination, with Italy and Belgium leading as top importers of Indian steel, followed by Spain. This highlights the growing global competitiveness of Indian steel in select markets.

The government noted that domestic steel prices have come under pressure due to weak demand and high supply. Trading activity also remained subdued during the festival season. This challenging environment has been particularly difficult for smaller steel producers, as previously reported.

Overall, the combination of declining imports, rising exports and increasing domestic consumption reflects the complex landscape of the Indian steel sector as it navigates muted internal demand and evolving international trade dynamics.