Concrete

Cement producers to bear testing costs at NABL-approved labs

Published

4 years ago

April 6, 2022

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Substandard cement affects cement quality, reduces building life

Cement manufacturers will have to contain the cost of testing at the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) approved labs to ensure supplying quality cement for government works.The Civil Supplies Corporation has introduced this system. The cement is supplied at subsidised rates to the state governments by Ambuja Cements Limited, Ultratech Cement, ACC Cement and Duraton.Supplying substandard cement affects the quality of work and also reduces the lifespan of a building. Because it is supplied at a subsidised rate to the governments, the product quality cannot be ruled out.Lalit Jain, Corporation Managing Director, told the media that to ensure good quality cement is supplied by manufacturers for various government works, the companies would have to bear the testing costs only through NABL-approved labs. Each test costs Rs 20,000, which now will be paid by the manufacturer.Earlier, the testing fee was borne by the corporation, and the higher cost acted as a deterrent to adequate testing.The quality testing will be undertaken on the receipt of complaints as cases of substandard cement also pour in. The corporation has 117 godowns, and complaints of substandard cement come from the Sirmaur district.Cement is supplied at a subsidised rate of Rs 195 per bag by the manufacturer to the corporation. The cost is then enhanced to Rs 310 to Rs 330 after adding labour charges, goods and services tax (GST) and the profit margin of the corporation. The freight charges are also added to the final cost through various truck unions transporting cement at lower prices.Cement manufacturers said that complaints of the substandard cement supply are sometimes fake to allow the entry of other players, and their product had the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification.Image Source

Also read: Cement prices shows an uptick in March as demand grows

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Concrete

Central Technical Team To Survey Sites For Bhadradri Kothagudem Airport

Delegation to assess feasibility and ground conditions

Published

8 hours ago

September 8, 2026

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A central technical team will visit possible sites identified for the Bhadradri Kothagudem airport in Telangana to assess their suitability for airport development. The team will conduct on-site inspections to evaluate terrain, accessibility and existing infrastructure and will examine factors relevant to safe operations and construction feasibility. The exercise is being carried out in coordination with the state government and local administration to ensure alignment with regional planning objectives.

Members will survey topography, drainage patterns, soil conditions and potential approach paths and will note proximity to habitations and transport corridors. The inspection team will interact with revenue officials, the public works department and representatives of the civil aviation authority to collect technical inputs and records. Satellite imagery and prior site reports will be reviewed alongside ground observations to develop a comprehensive assessment.

Environmental considerations will form a central part of the review, with attention to forest patches, water bodies and biodiversity corridors in and around shortlisted locations. The team will examine regulatory clearances required and will flag areas where detailed environmental impact assessment and mitigation planning are necessary. Land acquisition records and options for minimising displacement will be evaluated in consultation with district authorities.

Findings will be compiled into a technical report for submission to state and central agencies to inform subsequent decision making. The assessment is intended to support careful site selection and to identify infrastructure and connectivity requirements that would need to be addressed during project planning. Stakeholder consultations with local communities and businesses will be part of the follow up process to capture ground level concerns and logistical inputs. The state government will consider the technical report before taking further steps towards detailed design and approvals.

Concrete

Kirby India Breaks Ground on Fourth PEB Plant in Tamil Nadu

New Manapparai facility will lift annual capacity to 400,000 tonnes by mid-2027

Published

1 day ago

September 7, 2026

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Kirby Building Systems & Structures India has recently broken ground on its fourth manufacturing facility in Manapparai, near Trichy, Tamil Nadu. The plant will be developed across approximately 33.2 acres and have an annual manufacturing capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes, with commercial operations expected to begin by mid-2027.

Once operational, the facility will increase Kirby India’s total annual manufacturing capacity from 300,000 metric tonnes to 400,000 metric tonnes. The expansion is aimed at strengthening the company’s presence in Southern India and enabling faster and more flexible deliveries to customers across key industrial markets.

The new facility will complement Kirby India’s existing manufacturing plants in Hyderabad, Haridwar and Halol, Gujarat. The company said it continues to invest in advanced engineering, automation, digital technologies and manufacturing capabilities to meet growing demand from India’s industrial and infrastructure sectors.

Kirby India has operated in the country for more than 26 years and is supported by over 25 sales offices and more than 150 certified builders. The company has completed more than 45,000 buildings in India, representing a total built-up area of approximately 50 million sq m. The Tamil Nadu expansion also supports Kirby’s broader transition from a PEB manufacturer to an engineering and structural steel solutions provider.

Concrete

UltraTech to Deploy 600+ Electric Trucks by Dec 2026

Cement major expands green logistics to cut emissions across supply chain

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2026

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UltraTech Cement Limited, an Aditya Birla Group company, plans to expand its electric vehicle fleet in logistics operations to more than 600 EV trucks by December 2026, strengthening its green transport initiatives.

The company has signed service agreements with leading EV prime mover manufacturers, including Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, IPLTech, Energy in Motion and Sany, along with their subsidiaries and logistics partners, for deploying electric trucks.

The expanded fleet will transport around five million MT of clinker and other key materials annually across Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Odisha. Once operational, the fleet is expected to reduce annual CO₂ emissions by over 1,17,000 tonnes and replace nearly 39 million litres of diesel consumption.

K C Jhanwar, Managing Director, UltraTech Cement Limited, said the company is extending sustainability beyond its manufacturing plants by adopting greener logistics solutions and decarbonising its value chain.

UltraTech has been among the early adopters of sustainable transport in the cement sector, introducing CNG trucks in 2021 and electric trucks in 2024. The company currently operates more than 850 trucks under its green logistics programme, including CNG and electric vehicles.

With a grey cement capacity exceeding 200 MTPA in India, UltraTech is integrating electrification across its logistics network, covering mine-to-plant movement and inter-plant transportation of clinker and other materials.