Concrete

We are focusing on cost-effective solutions

Published

3 years ago

January 16, 2023

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Abhishek Jain, COO, Satellite Developers, looks at the repercussions of the rising costs of cement on construction projects and the effective means through which developers can work around it.

How has the rise in cement and building materials cost impacted your business?
We understand that most of our projects are close to completion and therefore, there will be minimal impact. However, for under construction projects, the rising costs of cement and building materials will have a significant impact. We are proactively planning and managing these costs to mitigate the impacts and provide customers with competitive prices and quality products and services.

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?
We have taken several measures to address the volatility of cement and building materials costs. We have tried to lock the prices with our vendors in certain cases. We are also closely monitoring prices and adjusting our strategies accordingly throughout the launch of new projects. We are focusing on cost-effective solutions while still delivering high quality end products. Additionally, we are exploring alternate sources of materials to reduce our reliance on conventional materials.

Tell us about the impact on timely delivery of developer projects.
The rising costs of cement and building materials have had an impact on the timely delivery of developer projects. This is true for other developers as well. We are working to ensure that the increased operational costs do not affect the quality of services we provide. We are actively managing our resources and focusing on cost-effective solutions to ensure timely delivery of projects while still maintaining a high level of quality.

How has the consumer behaviour changed with change in property costs? Do you expect the demand to decrease?
We have seen a shift in consumer behaviour due to the increase in property costs. Consumers are more conscious of their budgets and are seeking value for money when investing in properties. Although the demand for properties may decrease in the short term, we believe that if developers can offer quality products at competitive prices, there will be an increase in the demand for properties in the long term.

What is the major challenge that you have come across with the rising costs and how are you combating the same?
The major challenge we are facing with the rising costs for our real estate projects is finding cost-effective solutions that still provide high quality results. We have been exploring different ways to reduce costs, such as utilising new technologies and materials, negotiating with suppliers to get the best deals, and looking into other alternative options.

How do you envision the future of real estate development and consumer behaviour with the rising cost of cement and other construction materials?
We believe that real estate development and consumer behaviour in the future will be heavily impacted by the rising cost of building materials. A certain section of the consumers will rely more heavily on existing real estate, such as rentals and second homes, to meet their needs instead of buying new properties. However, a bulk of them will certainly opt for their own houses as they have realised the value of owning a home post the pandemic. Developers and investors will focus on creating more efficient, cost-effective designs and materials and will look for ways to maximise their return on investments.

-Kanika Mathur

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Concrete

Ultra Concrete Age

Prof. A. S. Khanna (Retd., IIT Bombay) on how Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) improves strength, durability and lifecycle performance.

Published

1 week ago

April 1, 2026

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The need of present time is stronger buildings, industrial or common utility buildings, such as Malls, Railway stations, hospitals, offices, bridges etc. For this, there is need of long durable, tough and stable concrete, which could stand under normal and seismic conditions. Tough railway bridges are required for bullet trains to pass without any damage. Railway tunnels, sea-links, coastal roads, bridges and multistorey buildings, are the need of the hour. The question comes, is the normal cement called OPC is sufficient to take care of such requirements or better combination of cements and sand mixtures is required?

Introduction

A good stable building structure can be made with a good quality of cement+sand+water system. Its quality can be enhanced by keeping the density of admixture higher (varies from 30 in normal buildings to bridges etc to 80). Further enhancement in the properties of various cements admixtures is made by adding several additives which give additional strength, waterproofing, flexibility etc. These are called construction chemicals…

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Concrete

NCB Signs MoU With Cement Manufacturer To Boost Construction Skills

Partnership to deliver nationwide training and certification

Published

1 week ago

March 31, 2026

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The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) has signed a memorandum of understanding with a leading cement manufacturer to strengthen skill development and capacity building in the construction sector. The agreement was formalised at NCB premises in Ballabgarh and was signed by the Director General of NCB, Dr L. P. Singh, and the head of technical services at UltraTech Cement Limited, Er Rahul Goel. The collaboration seeks to bring institutional resources and industry expertise into a structured national training effort.

The partnership will deliver structured training and certification programmes across the country aimed at enhancing the capabilities of civil engineers, ready?mix concrete (RMC) professionals, contractors, construction workers and masons. Programme curricula will cover material quality testing, concrete mix proportioning, durability assessment and sustainable construction practices to support improved construction outcomes. Emphasis is to be placed on standardised assessment and certification to raise practice levels across diverse construction roles.

Practical learning elements will include workshops, site demonstrations, technical seminars and exposure visits to plants and RMC facilities to strengthen applied skills and on?site decision making. The Director General indicated confidence that a large number of professionals and workers would be trained over the next three to five years under the initiative. The partnership is designed to complement flagship government schemes such as the Skill India Mission and to align training outputs with national infrastructure priorities.

By combining the council’s technical mandate with industry experience, the initiative aims to develop a more skilled and quality?conscious workforce capable of meeting rising demand in infrastructure and housing. NCB will continue to coordinate programme delivery and quality assurance while industry partners provide practical exposure and technical inputs. The collaboration is expected to support long?term capacity building and more sustainable construction practices nationwide.

Concrete

JSW Cement Commissions Nagaur Plant, Enters North India

New Rajasthan unit boosts capacity to 24.1 MTPA and expands reach

Published

2 weeks ago

March 30, 2026

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JSW Cement has strengthened its national presence by commencing production at its greenfield integrated cement plant in Nagaur, Rajasthan, marking its entry into the north Indian market.

With this commissioning, the company’s installed grinding capacity has increased to 24.1 MTPA, while total clinker capacity, including its joint venture operations, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

The Nagaur facility comprises a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and a 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit, with an additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity currently under development. Strategically located, the plant is positioned to serve high-growth markets across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR.

The project has been funded through a mix of equity and long-term debt, with Rs 800 crore allocated from IPO proceeds towards part-financing the unit.

Parth Jindal, Managing Director, JSW Cement, stated that the commissioning marks a key milestone in the company’s ambition to become a pan-India player. He added that the project was completed within 21 months and positions the company to achieve its targeted capacity of 41.85 MTPA by FY29.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, highlighted that the expansion aligns with the company’s strategy to tap into rapidly growing northern markets driven by infrastructure development. He noted that the company remains focused on delivering high-quality, eco-friendly cement solutions while progressing towards its long-term capacity goal of 60 MTPA.

The Nagaur plant has been designed with sustainability features, including co-processing of alternative fuels and a 7 km overland belt conveyor for limestone transport to reduce road emissions. The facility will also incorporate a 16 MW Waste Heat Recovery System to improve energy efficiency and lower its carbon footprint.

JSW Cement, part of the JSW Group, operates across the building materials value chain and currently has eight plants across India, along with a clinker unit in the UAE through its joint venture.