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A volatile market leads to hedging of price

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Jatin Shah, Chief Technical Officer and Managing Director, TDD, Colliers India, discusses the various aspects of the construction business that are getting affected by the fluctuations in cement prices and input costs.

How has the rise in cement and building materials costs impacted your business?
Cement price as per last report has risen by about 9 per cent in October 2022 compared to March 2022. Other components like steel, aluminium, copper etc., which are significant contributors
also remain volatile. The construction cost has gone up due to various factors like labour cost and cost of transport coupled with material
price volatility. This remains a concern for the developer, contractors and will continue to impact the industry.

As the costs are expected to remain volatile for a few more months, is there any change in your strategy or approach towards the launch of new projects?
The volatile market will impact developers.
The launch of projects by grade A developers will not be impacted as these developers do command a premium. However, the projects in tier II cities and grade B developers will witness a restraint unless there is some stability in the market, since they operate on thin margins. Apart from on-going Russian-Ukraine conditions, we may observe challenges due to a new surge in Covid-19 infections in some countries.

Tell us about the impact on the timely delivery of developer projects.
Developers (grade A) will continue to deliver their projects. Thanks to RERA and incremental involvement of end buyers and investment from funds, projects will be delivered with only small delays. The impact, as mentioned earlier, will mostly be on the grade B developers or the projects planned in tier II cities where possibly a wait and watch policy may happen.
How has consumer behaviour changed with a change in property costs? Do you expect the demand to decrease?
The residential sector has seen a good run
since the pandemic. Sales momentum has remained intact despite the rise in construction costs and property prices, led by robust demand for home ownership and schemes offered by developers during the festive season. However, led by increased property prices and rise in interest rates, we might see some moderation in demand in the short term. The demand might see a drop in affordable and mid-segment, while the demand for the luxury segment is expected to remain firm.

What is the major challenge that you have come across with the rising costs and how are you combating the same?
A volatile market leads to hedging of prices.
We recommend the developers to remain watchful for bulk procurement and approach projects with just-in-time approach, tweak contracts to bring in more materials linked to basic prices and take contractors into confidence. The transparency between developer and contractors at this stage will insulate both from the issues of fluctuating prices. Additionally, the selection of material, of suppliers and vendors should be reviewed holistically and not only be driven by the ‘lowest price’ concept.

How do you envision the future of real estate development and consumer behaviour with the rising cost of cement and other construction materials?
Real estate investments will continue to remain in focus and a preferred investment vehicle. Focus may shift to investments in grade A assets or projects by grade A developers where end buyer / user has the confidence on projects being
completed in time and with quality. While developers are expected to step ahead with caution, consumers might also adopt a wait and watch approach for decision making.

-Kanika Mathur

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Concrete

Dalmia Bharat to Buy Jaypee Cement Assets for Rs 28.5 bn

Purchase under Adani led resolution plan valued at Rs 28.5 bn

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Dalmia Bharat will acquire the cement assets of JAL (Jaypee Associates Limited) for Rs 28.5 bn under an Adani led resolution plan, according to company sources. The transaction involves the purchase of manufacturing facilities and associated assets that form part of JAL’s cement operations, and it is framed as a strategic acquisition within a larger insolvency resolution overseen by an Adani group consortium. The move is presented as a consolidation play in a fragmented domestic cement market.

The company indicated that the acquisition will strengthen Dalmia Bharat’s geographic footprint and supply chain, enhancing its ability to serve regional demand and optimise logistics. The assets are expected to complement the purchaser’s existing capacity and provide additional clinker and grinding resources, allowing for potential efficiency gains through integration. Executives have described the deal as aligned with a broader strategy of targeted inorganic growth.

Financially, the headline consideration converts to roughly Rs 28.5 bn, reflecting the resolution price agreed under the plan. The purchase price and related terms are structured as part of the approved resolution framework and are subject to completion formalities. The parties expect customary regulatory clearances and creditor or adjudicatory confirmations to be completed before closing, with standard conditions precedent governing the transfer of assets.

Market observers noted that the deal illustrates ongoing consolidation in the sector, where larger groups are acquiring stressed or non core assets as part of resolution processes. Such transactions are seen as a mechanism to expedite recovery of value while enabling active players to expand capacity without developing greenfield projects. The combination of strategic fit and available asset bases is likely to influence competitive dynamics in specific regional markets.

Upon completion, Dalmia Bharat will integrate the acquired operations into its existing reporting and operational framework, with the intention of preserving operational continuity. Stakeholders will monitor execution on integration, regulatory approvals and the realisation of anticipated synergies as the parties move towards finalising the transfer of assets.

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Concrete

Dalmia Acquires Five Point Two MnTPA Cement Assets in Central Region

Acquisition adds capacity, power and rail access

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Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited (DCBL) executed a business transfer agreement on 21 May 2026 to acquire a cement undertaking from Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL) and Adani Infra (India) Limited. The assets include plants at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh and Churk, Chunar and Sadwa in Uttar Pradesh with five point two million tonnes per annum (mn tpa) cement capacity and three point three mn tpa clinker capacity, plus 99 megawatt (MW) thermal power and railway sidings. The transaction carries an enterprise value of Rs 28.5 billion (bn).

DCBL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dalmia Bharat Limited (DBL), will see cement capacity rise to 54.7 mn tpa on completion. Ongoing expansions at Belgaum, Pune and Kadapa are expected to raise capacity to 66.7 mn tpa by the second to third quarter of fiscal 2028. The company said the transaction would be consummated within two weeks.

The deal follows a framework signed in December 2022 to settle long running disputes with JAL, including a long term clinker supply arrangement. Completion was delayed when JAL entered insolvency and the earlier sale did not finalise. Following approval of a resolution plan under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, DCBL executed a fresh business transfer agreement to resolve pending legal and arbitral matters.

Company statements described the acquisition as strategic, accelerating access to central markets compared with a greenfield route and offering scope for expansion through debottlenecking and brownfield investment. Proximity to the company’s captive mines and established vendor relationships should support faster ramp up. The assets should augment EBITDA delivery and enhance returns by enabling entry into newer markets with relatively better prices.

Senior executives said the addition aligned with a long term plan to build a pan India presence and would provide a head start in central markets. They noted that familiarity with the plants under earlier tolling arrangements offers operational insight and strengthens channel relationships, supporting quicker market entry. Management expressed confidence that the assets’ expansion potential would generate value for stakeholders.

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Ramco Cements Reports FY26 Revenue Growth And Higher Profit

Net debt reduced as exceptional items boost FY26 earnings

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Ramco Cements reported standalone audited results for FY26 with net revenue of Rs 90,560 million (mn) and profit after tax of Rs 6,940 mn. EBIDTA rose to Rs 14,820 mn and blended EBIDTA per tonne was Rs 788 on a two per cent volume rise to 18.81 million (mn) tonne (t). Cement revenue increased by five per cent and construction chemicals revenue rose by 66 per cent.

Raw material cost per tonne rose to Rs 1,023 from Rs 956 mainly due to a mineral bearing land tax of Rs 160 per t in Tamil Nadu, adding about Rs 86 per t. Power and fuel cost per tonne fell to Rs 1,098 from Rs 1,123 with petcoke mix down to 47 per cent and green power up to 40 per cent.

Profit before tax after exceptional items was Rs 8,790 mn. Net exceptional items were Rs 5,530 mn, including Rs 5,740 mn from sale of surplus land and Rs 200 mn of past service cost. The company monetised Rs 10,980 mn from non core asset sales over the past two years and recorded capex of Rs 9,970 mn, with guidance of Rs 8,000 mn for FY27.

Net debt fell by Rs 8,170 mn to Rs 36,640 mn at 31 March 2026 and cost of debt eased to 7.29 per cent, reducing net debt to EBIDTA to 2.47 times. Management indicated the full impact of higher fuel costs is expected from Q2 FY27, while packing and diesel cost increases will be visible in Q1 FY27. The board has proposed a dividend of Rs two point five zero per equity share and the company flagged risks from elevated fuel and logistics costs, commodity volatility and competitive pricing.

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