Concrete

ArcelorMittal intends to acquire Holcim’s stake at over $10 bn

Published

4 years ago

May 17, 2022

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Holcim owns 63%, 50.02% stakes in Ambuja Cement, ACC, respectively

The stake of Holcim Group in Ambuja Cement and ACC Cement combined has intensified, with ArcelorMittal showing interest in acquiring the asset valued at over $10 billion.ArcelorMittal emerged as a formidable contender in Holcim Group. Its entry into the cement business will enable ArcelorMittal to establish brand recognition in India and complement the steel business.Holcim can extract a premium from the new entrants into the cement business as it will make it the second-largest producer in India.Ambuja Cement and ACC have a combined production capacity of 66 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), which will increase to 80 mtpa after completing the ongoing expansion projects.Holcim holds a 63% stake in Ambuja Cement and a 50.05% stake in ACC.Since September, Holcim has been selling its non-core assets and divested its Brazilian unit for $1 billion.Ambuja Cement reported a 30% decline in the March quarter, with net profit at Rs 856 crore, compared to Rs 1,228 crore, even as its income increased 3% to ₹7,990 crore from Rs 7,812 crore.The net profit of ACC was down by 30% to ₹396 crore from Rs 563 crore, while its net sales increased by 3% to Rs 4,322 crore from Rs 4,213 crore.ArcelorMittal is competing with other firms, including Adani Cement and JSW Group, for acquiring Holcim stakes. Other players are UltraTech Cement and Shree Cement.JSW Group has offered $4.5 billion in its own equity share and $2.5 billion jointly with private equity partners.ArcelorMittal, with the acquisition of Essar Steel assets, has been bullish on investment in India. This year in March, it entered into a strategic partnership with Greenko Group to develop a 975 MW renewable energy project at Rs 4,570 crore in Andhra Pradesh.This project is estimated to complete in two years. After completion, it will provide uninterrupted green energy to ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS) India for 25 years.

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Also read: Holcim Group to sell Ambuja Cement and ACC Ltd

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Concrete

Jammu Division Begins First Cement Rail Traffic to Anantnag

Cement Loading From Kathua for Anantnag to Begin on September 14

Published

4 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

4 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.

Concrete

Cement Firms to Invest Rs. 130 bn in Green Energy by FY28

Cement companies plan to expand clean energy capacity to 6 GW by FY28

Published

1 week ago

September 17, 2026

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India’s major cement companies are set to raise their clean energy capacity to 6 GW by March 2028 from around 4 GW at the end of March 2026, according to ratings agency ICRA. The planned expansion is expected to involve investments of Rs. 130 bn over the next two years.

The additional capacity could generate annual savings of Rs. 62 bn to Rs. 67 bn, resulting in an estimated payback period of 1.8 to 2.2 years. Cement is an emission-intensive industry, and leading producers have established net-zero roadmaps covering the next 15 to 20 years.

The calcination process accounts for 57 to 60 per cent of the sector’s total emissions, while fuel combustion contributes 27 to 30 per cent and electricity consumption accounts for 10 to 13 per cent. ICRA said the figures highlighted the need for a broad decarbonisation strategy involving green power, blended cement, alternative fuels and improvements in clinker efficiency.

Green energy is considered one of the most commercially attractive decarbonisation options because it can reduce emissions while lowering operating costs. Every 5 per cent increase in green power replacement can reduce power and fuel costs by Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per tonne. A 25 per cent replacement level could therefore save Rs. 75 to Rs. 80 per tonne and expand operating margins by 140 to 160 basis points.

Cement producers are also assessing carbon capture, utilisation and storage, although high implementation costs, energy requirements and limited transport and storage infrastructure are expected to slow commercial adoption. The government has proposed Rs. 200 bn over five years to support deployment across key sectors. Meanwhile, companies are targeting thermal substitution rates of 10 to 15 per cent over the next three to five years, compared with the current industry level of around 6 per cent.