Concrete

Gearing up for Cement EXPO 2023

Published

2 years ago

October 19, 2023

admin

The seismic shift in India’s building materials industry, brought about by the departure of the Holcim Group and the entry of Adani Group number two position, has spurred the race for mergers and acquisitions.

The Indian cement sector is likely to receive yet another shot in the arm with the impending exit of Heidelberg Materials. JSW Cement is reportedly in talks with the German cement maker to acquire their local entities. Heidelberg produces 13.4 million tonnes of cement annually, and if the merger comes through, it will move JSW Cement notches higher on the production ladder. To stay ahead of competition, which will only get tougher in the future, market leader Ultratech has set a target of 200 million tonnes of capacity for itself. Their current capacity 137 million tonnes, so it would mean a 45 percent increase in capacity.
While the JSW Cement-Heidelberg Materials news bodes well for the industry, it also indicates that consolidation in the cement sector is still ‘work-in-progress.’ Market dynamics are changing and cement companies have to constantly face challenges related to rising energy and raw material costs. This is reflected in the rising per bag cost of cement, with fluctuations across the different states. Yet every challenge has a silver lining.
During the lead-up to elections, Year 2023 is marked by heightened political activity. Driven by the government’s desire to showcase development and gain voter support, it results in a substantial increase in the demand for cement. The Central Government is poised to expedite these infrastructure projects with a sense of urgency, recognising that the timely completion of high-profile initiatives serves as a potent form of political campaigning. Therefore, cement demand is expected to increase by 10-12 per cent this fiscal.
Issues such as how political and economic trends are affecting the cement business and how technology can pave the way for achieving net-zero targets will be analysed and discussed at length at the 14th Cement EXPO 2023.
ASAPP Info Global Group (the publisher of Indian Cement Review) will be hosting the 14th Cement EXPO on 14-15 December, 2023, at Manekshaw Centre in Delhi, where the CEOs from the cement industry, who are planning investments of 145 MT in the next five years, are headed. They need to plan for automation, logistics, material handling, energy efficiency etc. To exhibit and know more about Cement EXPO, simply scan the QR Code below.

Follow me on twitter @PratapPadode

Up Next

Consistent flow of materials is a critical aspect

Don't Miss

Refractories: Enabling Sustainability

Concrete

BMC Cement Concretisation Cuts Pothole Repairs By 70 Per Cent

Project worth Rs 170 billion (Rs 170 bn) aims to concretise 1,900 km by 2027

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

admin

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s cement concretisation project, valued at Rs 170 billion (Rs 170 bn), has reduced expenditure on pothole repairs by 70 per cent over three years. Spending on repairs fell from Rs 2.02 billion in 2023–24 to Rs 1.56 billion in 2024–25 and then to Rs 890 million (Rs 890 mn) in 2025–26. The current tender is expected to be about Rs 440 million, representing a further 50 per cent reduction.

The project is being executed in two phases, with Phase I covering 307 km from October 2023 and Phase II covering 370 km from October 2024. The Indian Institute of Technology is auditing Phase II and will now also audit Phase I to ensure quality and accountability. Mumbai’s total road network spans approximately 2,050 km, of which about 1,200 km had been converted to cement concrete before 2022.

Since 2022 an additional 677 km were taken up for concretisation and nearly 71 per cent of that work, amounting to 481 km, has been completed. Municipal officials indicated that 10–15 per cent of the remaining work is expected to be completed by May 2026 and another 10 per cent by December 2026. The entire programme is scheduled for completion by May 2027, by which time nearly 1,900 km of Mumbai’s roads are expected to be fully concretised.

The administration has also developed a real time dashboard that displays detailed information about contracts, contractors and progress and citizens can access the latest updates online. The dashboard includes contact details for the civic officials and contractors responsible for particular roads to enhance transparency and accountability. The commissioner directed that ongoing works be completed by 31 May ahead of the monsoon to safeguard completion targets and minimise disruption.

Concrete

Shree Cement Approves Rs 1,800 Crore Meghalaya Plant

Integrated unit to be completed by quarter ending March 2028

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

admin

Shree Cement has approved the establishment of an integrated cement plant in Meghalaya, signalling a targeted capacity expansion to serve regional demand. The board cleared a unit at Village Daistong in East Jaintia Hills District with a clinker capacity of zero point nine five million tonnes per annum (mn t) and a cement capacity of zero point nine nine million tonnes per annum (mn t). The project was approved on April four, 2026 and is designed as a new addition to the company’s production network where it currently has no existing plant.

The company has earmarked an estimated investment of Rs 1,800 crore (Rs 18 billion (bn)) for the project, which will be financed through a mix of internal accruals and debt. Management has indicated a balanced financing strategy to preserve cash flows while supporting long-term growth and operational investment. The financing approach is intended to avoid over reliance on external borrowing and to maintain financial discipline during the build out.

The plant is expected to improve logistics efficiency and compress distribution distances to emerging demand centres in the north-east, potentially lowering transportation costs and lead times. By locating production closer to demand the company aims to strengthen market access and respond more effectively to regional construction activity. The project forms part of a broader strategy to diversify the production base across geographies and reduce concentration risk.

Execution is planned over a multi-year window with completion targeted by the quarter ending March 2028 and the company will proceed with construction and requisite regulatory clearances. The integrated design is intended to enhance operational control and production efficiency once operational. The decision follows a regulatory filing dated April four, 2026 and the disclosed details have not been independently verified.

Concrete

WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

admin

The World Cement Association (WCA) has announced SiloConnect as its newest associate corporate member, expanding its network of technology providers supporting digitalisation in the cement industry. SiloConnect offers smart sensor technology that provides real-time visibility of cement inventory levels at customer silos, enabling producers to monitor stock remotely and plan deliveries more efficiently. The solution helps companies move from reactive to proactive logistics, improving delivery planning, operational efficiency and safety by reducing manual inspections. The technology is already used by major cement producers such as Holcim, Cemex and Heidelberg Materials and is deployed across more than 30 countries worldwide.