Leaders of Indian cement industry brought together on single platform
The 8th Indian Cement Review Conference and 13th Cement Expo held in Hyderabad on 24th February, 2023 brought the thought leaders of Indian cement industry on a single platform to discuss the efforts towards sustainability and decarbonisation, with a laser focus on C.A.S.E. cost-efficiency, automation, skilling and energy-efficiency.
Indian Cement Review Conference
The day turned out to become the epicenter of the cement industry leaders wherein Shantanu Sharma, Brand Manager, ExxonMobil underscored the importance of taking assured steps towards sustainability. Dr Sriharsha Reddy, Director, IMT Hyderabad brought up a number of important issues pertaining to fund procurement through traditional methods and the challenges therein.
A high-octane panel discussion was revolved around C.A.S.E for sustainability and decarbonisation. It witnessed deep deliberations from Sudipta Ghosh, Partner, PwC; Dr BN Mohapatra, DG, NCCBM; KN Rao, Corporate Head, MY Home Industries; Manoj Rustgi, EVP & Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer, JSW Cement; Manoj Vyas, LEAD – AFR Sourcing & BD, VICAT; Dr Sriharsha Reddy and Shantanu Sharma.
Saurabh Palsania, ED & Group Commercial Head, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) shared deep insights on carbon capture technology and how it can revolutionise the cement industry.
The event also witnessed showcasing of innovate products and services to revolutionise the cement and allied industries by various industry experts including Jayesh Patil, Asst. Manager, Flow Aids, Martin Engineering; Nischal Basavaraj, Regional Head – South, Liugong India; Sasi M Kumar, BDM – Cement, ExxonMobil; and S Chakravarti, MD, Ecodea Projects and Control.
The highlight of the day was the high-profile roundtable session, with the cement industry leaders sharing their rich views on demystifying digitalisation and maximising the value chain impact. This forum was participated by various influencers like Madhav Vemuri, Industry Digital Transformation Entrepreneur; Ashok Dembla, President & MD, KHD Humboldt Wedag; Ganesh Jirkuntwar, ED & Head Manufacturing, Dalmia Cement; Subhasis Chattopadhyay, Head – Projects, Birla Corporation; Karthick Raja, CIO, Orient Cement; SS Luthra, Global Cement Digital, ABB; and Vishal Bhargava, Associate Director, Global Industries, IBM.
On the cement logistics part, innovative supply chain strategies in the cement industry were shared by Gaurav Gautam, Head of Sales, Beumer Group, Raveen Reddy, CAO – Systems, Indian Railways; Praveen Garg, Sr VP – Logistics & Energy Sourcing, VICAT; and Vaibhav Agarwal, Research Analyst, PhillipCapital.
ICR Awards
Indian Cement Review Awards 2023 were presented to the fastest growing cement companies in various categories.
Large Category (over Rs 5000 cr turnover)
Ranking
Brand Name
1
UltraTech Cement
2
JK Cement
3
JK Lakshmi Cement
3
Dalmia Cement (Bharat)
Medium Category (between Rs 2000-5000 cr turnover)
Ranking
Brand Name
1
JSW Cement
2
Star Cement
Small Category (under Rs 2000cr turnover)
Ranking
Brand Name
1
Udaipur Cement Works
2
Shree Digvijay Cement
KC Jhanwar, MD, UltraTech stole the show as recipient of the ‘Man of the Year 2022-23’ award.
Centrum, a financial services firm, has reported that cement prices are likely to remain largely unchanged in July as weak demand during the monsoon season constrains pricing power. The report noted that construction activity remained subdued in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 owing to labour shortages and slower execution of government projects. While June showed some volume recovery driven by delayed monsoons and quarter end sales, dealers are cautious about sustaining any price increases.
The analysis suggested that seasonal slowdown related to monsoon will prolong demand and pricing challenges through the second quarter. Dealers saw most recent attempts at price hikes as protective measures rather than genuine shifts in market fundamentals. They signalled that pockets of demand in select regions could prompt isolated adjustments but that broad based increases were unlikely while construction activity remained weak. Market participants therefore expected a cautious stance on pricing.
The report highlighted that despite intermittent recovery in shipments during June, the underlying demand trajectory remained muted as monsoon hampered site level activity and logistics. Commercial builders and retail dealers both reported constrained order books and slower payment cycles, which in turn reduced room for margin expansion among manufacturers. Analysts noted that unless government project execution accelerates markedly, demand improvement would be gradual. Price setters were thus likely to focus on protecting market shares rather than pursuing aggressive increases.
Market watchers said the near term outlook would be shaped by monsoon progress and fiscal spending patterns, with any acceleration in public works offering the most tangible support. Traders expected that regional variations would persist and that trade flows between surplus and deficit centres would determine local price movements. The report concluded that stakeholders should prepare for a period of subdued pricing until demand signals strengthen.
A report by Centrum said cement prices are expected to remain largely flat in July as the monsoon and weak demand weigh on the sector. The report said demand during the first quarter of FY27 remained range-bound and below expectations, with dealers across markets pointing to subdued construction activity, labour shortages, elections, heatwaves and slower execution of government projects as key reasons. It noted that some recovery was witnessed in June due to delayed onset of the monsoon and quarter-end volume push.\n\nDealers across most markets do not expect any meaningful price increases in July, the report said, adding that attempts to raise prices in some markets are aimed at defending existing levels rather than achieving significant gains. The sharp correction following the rollback of April hikes has largely played out across most regions, limiting scope for further immediate increases. Seasonal slowdown in construction activity during the monsoon is expected to continue affecting demand and pricing in the coming months.\n\nCentrum indicated that pricing pressure is likely to persist through the second quarter of FY27 as monsoon-related softness continues. Dealers remain cautious about sustainability of any price rise attempts and do not rule out further weakness during the peak monsoon period. The combination of subdued demand and seasonal factors is likely to constrain the industry’s ability to raise prices in the near term. While June saw some improvement in volumes because of delayed rains and quarter-end sales efforts, the broader demand environment remains challenging.\n\nCement companies are therefore expected to focus on maintaining current price levels rather than pursuing aggressive increases as the sector navigates weak demand and seasonal headwinds. The report suggested that unless demand conditions improve significantly, limited scope will exist for meaningful price recovery. Market participants remain watchful for any shifts in execution of infrastructure projects or construction activity that could alter the outlook.
Transformers and Rectifiers (India) Limited has received Notifications of Awards from Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) for multiple contracts to manufacture transformers and undertake associated works. The company submitted the disclosure to BSE and the National Stock Exchange under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Regulations. The submission cited security code 532928 and trading symbol TARIL, and the filings cite the award reference and confirm execution in accordance with the terms and conditions stipulated in the notifications.
The contracts are described as an Ultra Mega Order under the company classification, indicating a value at or above Rs 10 billion (bn) on conversion. The filing identifies the contracts as domestic orders and specifies a scheduled delivery period of 30 months. The scope covers manufacturing of transformers of various ratings together with all associated work. The order size places it in the highest project classification defined in the company’s disclosure.
The disclosure states that the promoter group and group companies have no interest in the awarding entity and that the contracts do not constitute related party transactions. The company noted that the awards will be executed in the normal course of business and not fall within related party transactions. The document reiterates that the company is committed to delivering high quality products and services and has established itself as a leading manufacturer of transformers in the country over time.
Chief Financial Officer Mehul Shah authorised the filing and requested the exchanges to take the information on record, with the company providing the requisite filing reference in its submission. The company indicated that the orders will be executed as per the notifications of awards and the applicable regulatory framework. The original filing is available on the stock exchange portal at the provided link.