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Holcim to make cement more sustainable & environment friendly

Holcim said cement production needs high temps, greenhouse emissions

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It’s as puzzling as it is bold for building materials manufacturing MNC to pull the plug on a country where 10-15 million families still live in kutcha and semi-pucca houses with mud, wood, or bamboo floors. Although Jan Jenisch, Holcim CEO, recognised that cement and climate are becoming increasingly incompatible.

Holcim’s founders, the Swiss Schmidheiny family, were unable to escape a controversy involving the Italian asbestos manufacturer Eternit Genova, which was determined to be responsible for the deaths of over 2,000 people supposedly exposed to the poisonous substance.

Stephan Schmidheiny, the primary shareholder of Eternit Genova, was found guilty by a Turin court in 2012 of refusing to implement asbestos-prevention measures that would have protected employees and residents.

The verdict was reversed by the Italian Supreme Court two years later, but the reputational harm had already been done.

Jenisch and his shareholders wouldn’t want another malignant sore point after the lingering controversy and the 2016 discovery that the then-post-merger firm LafargeHolcim had paid taxes to Islamic State (IS) intermediaries in 2013-14 to keep its facility in Jalabiya, Syria, operational.

Therefore, Jenisch has started preparing the groundwork for a new Holcim, moving away from past obsessions with cement, aggregates, and ready-mix concrete and toward a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.

Cement production necessitates high temperatures and produces significant volumes of greenhouse emissions.

Jenisch is not shying away from divesting Holcim’s sprawling India operations, as well as similar sales in Brazil, Mozambique, and Northern Ireland, to speed up its transition to a green company.

The company aims to over halve its cement revenue share by 2025 while increasing its greener portfolio by more than 3.5 times.

It also makes business sense to promote ESG in today’s era of conscientious capitalism (environmental, social and governance).

Holcim, which trades at a 12.8 price-to-earnings (PE) ratio, might see its valuation rise if it transitions from a pure commodities player to offering solutions or diversifying into building chemicals.

Sika, on the other hand, trades for over four times the multiples. And if you consider Pidilite, the Indian adhesives behemoth, which is presently trading at 97.9 PE, the value difference is eight times larger.

This Holcim playbook will be adopted by an increasing number of industrial enterprises throughout the world, including India. Asian Paints has progressed to become a home renovation expert, while cement companies JSW and JK, like the Aditya Birla Group, have expanded into paints and other value-added services.

A rising number of industrial firms throughout the world, particularly in India, will follow Holcim’s lead. Asian Paints has evolved into a home remodelling specialist, while JSW and JK, like the Aditya Birla Group, have diversified into paints and other value-added services.

An intermediate way might be to use the moat of predictable cash flows created by old activities.

Ambani’s move into telecommunications and retail was first financed by his conventional petrochemicals sector, just like ITC did with tobacco to support its hotels, FMCG, and paper verticals.


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Concrete

Cement Margins to Erode as Energy Costs Rise: CRISIL

CRISIL warns of 150–200 bps margin decline this fiscal

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Crisil Intelligence (CRISIL) released a report on April 13, 2026, indicating Indian cement manufacturers face margin erosion of 150–200 basis points this fiscal, reducing operating margins to between 16 per cent and 18 per cent. The firm noted that this represents a reversal from the prior year when margins expanded by 260–280 basis points. The analysis attributed the shift to rising input costs despite steady demand.

The report said that power and fuel, which typically account for about 26–28 per cent of production cost, are expected to increase by 10–12 per cent year on year, driven by higher prices for crude oil, petroleum coke and thermal coal. Brent crude was assessed as likely to trade between $82 and $87 per barrel, and industrial diesel prices rose by 25 per cent in March, raising logistics and procurement expenses. Such increases have therefore heightened cost pressures across the value chain.

Producers plan to raise selling prices by one–three per cent, which would put the average retail price of a cement bag at around Rs355–Rs360, according to the report. CRISIL’s director Sehul Bhatt was cited as saying that these hikes will at best offset a four–six per cent rise in production costs, leaving little room for higher profitability. The report added that intense competition and continual capacity additions constrain the extent to which firms can pass on costs.

Demand conditions remain supportive, with CRISIL projecting volume growth of six point five–seven point five per cent this fiscal on the back of accelerated infrastructure projects and steady industrial and commercial consumption. Nonetheless, the pace of recovery is sensitive to developments in West Asia, the speed of government infrastructure execution and monsoon performance. The agency noted that any further escalation in energy prices or delays in project execution would widen margin pressures.

Overall, the sector will continue to grow but with compressed margins as energy cost inflation outpaces the limited ability to raise prices. Investors and policymakers will therefore monitor both input cost trajectories and policy measures aimed at alleviating supply chain constraints.

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Concrete

Haver & Boecker Niagara to showcase solutions at Hillhead

Focus on screening tech, diagnostics and quarrying efficiency

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Haver & Boecker Niagara will showcase its mineral processing technologies at Hillhead 2026, scheduled from June 23–25 in Buxton, UK.
At Stand PA3, the company will present its end-to-end solutions including screeners, screen media and advanced diagnostics, with a focus on improving efficiency, uptime and throughput for aggregates producers.
Highlighting its screen media portfolio, the company will feature Ty-Wire media with hybrid design offering up to 80 per cent more open area, alongside FLEX-MAT® solutions designed to enhance wear life and throughput while reducing blinding and clogging.
The showcase will also include its PULSE Diagnostics suite, comprising vibration analysis, condition monitoring and impact testing, aimed at assessing equipment health and preventing unplanned downtime.
Commenting on the event, Martin Loughran, Sales Manager, UK & Ireland, said, “Hillhead presents an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate how we deliver innovative technologies along with long-term service and technical support.”
The company will also highlight its Niagara F-Class vibrating screen, designed to reduce structural vibration and improve operational reliability under demanding conditions.
The participation reflects Haver & Boecker Niagara’s focus on supporting quarrying operations with advanced screening solutions and predictive maintenance technologies.

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Siyaram Recycling Secures Rs 21.03 mn Order From Anurag Impex

Domestic Fixed Cost Contract To Be Executed Within Seven Days

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Siyaram Recycling Industries Limited (Siyaram Recycling) has informed the stock exchange that it has secured a purchase order for brass scrap honey from Anurag Impex. The company submitted the intimation on 10 April 2026 from Jamnagar and requested the filing be taken on record. The filing was made under the provisions of regulation 30 of the SEBI listing regulations and accompanying circular. The intimation referenced the SEBI circular dated 13 July 2023 and included an annexure detailing the terms.

The order carries a fixed cost value of Rs 21.03 million (mn) and is to be executed domestically within seven days. The contract was described as a fixed cost engagement and the customer was identified as Anurag Impex. The announcement specified that the order size contributes a short term consideration to the company. Owing to the brief execution window, logistics and dispatch were expected to be prioritised.

The filing clarified that neither the promoter group nor group companies have any interest in the purchaser and that the transaction does not constitute a related party transaction. Details were provided in an annexure and the document was signed by the managing director, Bhavesh Ramgopal Maheshwari. The company referenced compliance with SEBI disclosure requirements in its notification. The notice indicated that no related party approvals were required owing to the nature of the transaction.

The order is expected to provide a modest near term revenue inflow and to be processed within the stated execution window given the nature of the product and the fixed cost terms. Management indicated the contract will be executed in accordance with standard operational procedures and accounting recognition at completion. The development signals continuing demand in the secondary metals market for brass scrap.

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