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Strong branding can create customer loyalty

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Meghna Bhimrajka, Independent Marketing Consultant, speaks about branding being essential to the cement industry for differentiation and customer loyalty, despite the challenge of commoditisation.

How critical is branding in the highly competitive cement industry, and what unique challenges does it present?
Branding in the cement industry is crucial because it helps differentiate products in a market where the core product is largely commoditised. Strong branding can create customer loyalty, justify premium pricing and enhance market perception. The unique challenges in the cement industry can include overcoming the perception of cement as a low-involvement product, communicating technical superiority and sustainability efforts and addressing the diverse needs of both B2B and B2C segments.

What specific branding strategies do you recommend for cement manufacturers to differentiate them from competitors?
To stand out, cement manufacturers can focus on the following:

  • Visual identity: A brand’s look and feel make a lasting impression on customers. Associating the brand with colours like yellow or green can reinforce that impression.
  • Appropriate associations: Align with brand with ambassadors that embody the brand’s value to reinform messaging and value proposition
  • Localise the content: Use of local languages rather than Hindi/English can help customers relate to the brand better
  • Customer engagement: Brands can boost customer engagement through CSR activities, on-ground events, and building communities.
  • Emotional Branding: Connect with customers on an emotional level by associating the brand with reliability, strength and trust.

How can cement brands effectively communicate their value proposition to both B2B and B2C segments?
For B2B segments, emphasise the technical benefits, cost-efficiency and reliability of the products. Use case studies, whitepapers and technical datasheets to communicate these points.
For B2C segments, focus on ease of use, aesthetic appeal and the brand’s reputation for quality and safety. Use marketing materials like brochures, social media content and testimonials from satisfied customers to highlight these aspects.

Cite examples of successful cement branding initiatives that have significantly impacted market perception and sales.
One notable example is the ‘Duracem’ campaign by UltraTech Cement. By emphasising the durability and strength of their products through a series of impactful advertisements and on-ground activations, UltraTech successfully repositioned itself as the go-to brand for long-lasting construction projects.

How does sustainability factor into the branding of cement products, and what best practices should companies follow to highlight their green initiatives?
Sustainability is increasingly important in the cement industry due to regulatory pressures and growing environmental awareness among consumers. Companies should:

Certifications obtained and display eco-certifications for their products.
Transparency: Provide clear information about their sustainable practices and achievements.
Engagement: Involve stakeholders in sustainability initiatives and share success stories.
Education: Use marketing campaigns to educate customers on the benefits of using sustainable cement products.
Branding: Use brand touchpoints like stores, packaging, website and social media to further promote all sustainable practices undertaken by the brand

In what ways can digital marketing and social media be leveraged to enhance the visibility and reach of a cement brand?
Digital marketing and social media can amplify a cement brand’s visibility by:

Content marketing: Sharing informative and engaging content about product benefits, industry trends, and company initiatives.
SEO and PPC: Optimising websites for search engines and using pay-per-click advertising to drive traffic.
Social media campaigns: Utilising platforms like LinkedIn for B2B marketing and Facebook or Instagram for B2C engagement.
Video marketing: Creating videos that demonstrate product applications, customer testimonials, and behind-the-scenes looks at manufacturing processes.
Email marketing: Sending targeted email campaigns to nurture leads and maintain customer relationships.

What are the key elements of a consistent branding strategy across various product lines and markets in the cement industry?
Consistency in branding involves:

  • Unified visual identity: Maintain a consistent logo, colour scheme and design across all materials.
  • Core message: Create a central brand message that can be adapted to different products and markets.
  • Brand values: Communicate core values, such as innovation, sustainability and reliability, across all platforms and interactions.

How do you measure the effectiveness of branding efforts for a cement company, and which metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) are most indicative of success?
Effectiveness can be measured through:

  • Brand awareness: Track metrics like social media mentions, website traffic, and search engine ranking.
  • Customer engagement: Monitor social media interactions, email open rates and website engagement metrics.
  • Sales performance: Analyse sales data to see if there’s a correlation with branding initiatives.
  • Customer loyalty: Measure repeat purchase rates and customer satisfaction scores.
  • Market share: Compare market share before and after branding campaigns.
  • Return on investment: Calculate the ROI of branding efforts by comparing the cost of campaigns to the increase in revenue and market presence.

– Kanika Mathur

Concrete

FORNNAX Appoints Dieter Jerschl as Sales Partner for Central Europe

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FORNNAX TECHNOLOGY has appointed industry veteran Dieter Jerschl as its new sales partner in Germany to strengthen its presence across Central Europe. The partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of FORNNAX’s high-capacity, sustainable recycling solutions while building long-term regional capabilities.

FORNNAX TECHNOLOGY, one of the leading advanced recycling equipment manufacturers, has announced the appointment of a new sales partner in Germany as part of its strategic expansion into Central Europe. The company has entered into a collaborative agreement with Mr. Dieter Jerschl, a seasoned industry professional with over 20 years of experience in the shredding and recycling sector, to represent and promote FORNNAX’s solutions across key European markets.

Mr. Jerschl brings extensive expertise from his work with renowned companies such as BHS, Eldan, Vecoplan, and others. Over the course of his career, he has successfully led the deployment of both single machines and complete turnkey installations for a wide range of applications, including tyre recycling, cable recycling, municipal solid waste, e-waste, and industrial waste processing.

Speaking about the partnership, Mr. Jerschl said,
“I’ve known FORNNAX for over a decade and have followed their growth closely. What attracted me to this collaboration is their state-of-the-art & high-capacity technology, it is powerful, sustainable, and economically viable. There is great potential to introduce FORNNAX’s innovative systems to more markets across Europe, and I am excited to be part of that journey.”

The partnership will primarily focus on Central Europe, including Germany, Austria, and neighbouring countries, with the flexibility to extend the geographical scope based on project requirements and mutual agreement. The collaboration is structured to evolve over time, with performance-driven expansion and ongoing strategic discussions with FORNNAX’s management. The immediate priority is to build a strong project pipeline and enhance FORNNAX’s brand presence across the region.

FORNNAX’s portfolio of high-performance shredding and pre-processing solutions is well aligned with Europe’s growing demand for sustainable and efficient waste treatment technologies. By partnering with Mr. Jerschl—who brings deep market insight and established industry relationships—FORNNAX aims to accelerate adoption of its solutions and participate in upcoming recycling projects across the region.

As part of the partnership, Mr. Jerschl will also deliver value-added services, including equipment installation, maintenance, and spare parts support through a dedicated technical team. This local service capability is expected to ensure faster project execution, minimise downtime, and enhance overall customer experience.

Commenting on the long-term vision, Mr. Jerschl added,
“We are committed to increasing market awareness and establishing new reference projects across the region. My goal is not only to generate business but to lay the foundation for long-term growth. Ideally, we aim to establish a dedicated FORNNAX legal entity or operational site in Germany over the next five to ten years.”

For FORNNAX, this partnership aligns closely with its global strategy of expanding into key markets through strong regional representation. The company believes that local partnerships are critical for navigating complex market dynamics and delivering solutions tailored to region-specific waste management challenges.

“We see tremendous potential in the Central European market,” said Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Director and CEO of FORNNAX.
“Partnering with someone as experienced and well-established as Mr. Jerschl gives us a strong foothold and allows us to better serve our customers. This marks a major milestone in our efforts to promote reliable, efficient and future-ready recycling solutions globally,” he added.

This collaboration further strengthens FORNNAX’s commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation, and sustainable waste management, supporting the transition toward a greener and more circular future.

 

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Budget 2026–27 infra thrust and CCUS outlay to lift cement sector outlook

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Higher capex, city-led growth and CCUS funding improve demand visibility and decarbonisation prospects for cement

Mumbai

Cement manufacturers have welcomed the Union Budget 2026–27’s strong infrastructure thrust, with public capital expenditure increased to Rs 12.2 trillion, saying it reinforces infrastructure as the central engine of economic growth and strengthens medium-term prospects for the cement sector. In a statement, the Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) has welcomed the Union budget 2026-27 for reinforcing the ambitions for the nation’s growth balancing the aspirations of the people through inclusivity inspired by the vision of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, for a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and Atmanirbharta.

The budget underscores India’s steady economic trajectory over the past 12 years, marked by fiscal discipline, sustained growth and moderate inflation, and offers strong demand visibility for infrastructure linked sectors such as cement.

The Budget’s strong infrastructure push, with public capital expenditure rising from Rs 11.2 trillion in fiscal year 2025–26 to Rs 12.2 trillion in fiscal year 2026–27, recognises infrastructure as the primary anchor for economic growth creating positive prospects for the Indian cement industry and improving long term visibility for the cement sector. The emphasis on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with populations above 5 lakh and the creation of City Economic Regions (CERs) with an allocation of Rs 50 billion per CER over five years, should accelerate construction activity across housing, transport and urban services, supporting broad based cement consumption.

Logistics and connectivity measures announced in the budget are particularly significant for the cement industry. The announcement of new dedicated freight corridors, the operationalisation of 20 additional National Waterways over the next five years, the launch of the Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme to raise the modal share of waterways and coastal shipping from 6 per cent to 12 per cent by 2047, and the development of ship repair ecosystems should enhance multimodal freight efficiency, reduce logistics costs and improve the sector’s carbon footprint. The announcement of seven high speed rail corridors as growth corridors can be expected to further stimulate regional development and construction demand.

Commenting on the budget, Parth Jindal, President, Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA), said, “As India advances towards a Viksit Bharat, the three kartavya articulated in the Union Budget provide a clear context for the Nation’s growth and aspirations, combining economic momentum with capacity building and inclusive progress. The Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) appreciates the Union Budget 2026-27 for the continued emphasis on manufacturing competitiveness, urban development and infrastructure modernisation, supported by over 350 reforms spanning GST simplification, labour codes, quality control rationalisation and coordinated deregulation with States. These reforms, alongside the Budget’s focus on Youth Power and domestic manufacturing capacity under Atmanirbharta, stand to strengthen the investment environment for capital intensive sectors such as Cement. The Union Budget 2026-27 reflects the Government’s focus on infrastructure led development emerging as a structural pillar of India’s growth strategy.”

He added, “The Rs 200 billion CCUS outlay for various sectors, including Cement, fundamentally alters the decarbonisation landscape for India’s emissions intensive industries. CCUS is a significant enabler for large scale decarbonisation of industries such as Cement and this intervention directly addresses the technology and cost requirements of the Cement sector in context. The Cement Industry, fully aligned with the Government of India’s Net Zero commitment by 2070, views this support as critical to enabling the adoption and scale up of CCUS technologies while continuing to meet the Country’s long term infrastructure needs.”

Dr Raghavpat Singhania, Vice President, CMA, said, “The government’s sustained infrastructure push supports employment, regional development and stronger local supply chains. Cement manufacturing clusters act as economic anchors across regions, generating livelihoods in construction, logistics and allied sectors. The budget’s focus on inclusive growth, execution and system level enablers creates a supportive environment for responsible and efficient expansion offering opportunities for economic growth and lending momentum to the cement sector. The increase in public capex to Rs 12.2 trillion, the focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and the creation of City Economic Regions stand to strengthen the growth of the cement sector. We welcome the budget’s emphasis on tourism, cultural and social infrastructure, which should broaden construction activity across regions. Investments in tourism facilities, heritage and Buddhist circuits, regional connectivity in Purvodaya and North Eastern States, and the strengthening of emergency and trauma care infrastructure in district hospitals reinforce the cement sector’s role in enabling inclusive growth.”

CMA also noted the Government’s continued commitment to fiscal discipline, with the fiscal deficit estimated at 4.3 per cent of GDP in FY27, reinforcing macroeconomic stability and investor confidence.

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Steel: Shielded or Strengthened?

CW explores the impact of pro-steel policies on construction and infrastructure and identifies gaps that need to be addressed.

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Going forward, domestic steel mills are targeting capacity expansion
of nearly 40 per cent through till FY31, adding 80-85 mt, translating
into an investment pipeline of $ 45-50 billion. So, Jhunjhunwala points
out that continuing the safeguard duty will be vital to prevent a surge
in imports and protect domestic prices from external shocks. While in
FY26, the industry operating profit per tonne is expected to hold at
around $ 108, similar to last year, the industry’s earnings must
meaningfully improve from hereon to sustain large-scale investments.
Else, domestic mills could experience a significant spike in industry
leverage levels over the medium term, increasing their vulnerability to
external macroeconomic shocks.(~$ 60/tonne) over the past one month,
compressing the import parity discount to ~$ 23-25/tonne from previous
highs of ~$ 70-90/tonne, adds Jhunjhunwala. With this, he says, “the
industry can expect high resistance to further steel price increases.”

Domestic HRC prices have increased by ~Rs 5,000/tonne
“Aggressive
capacity additions (~15 mt commissioned in FY25, with 5 mt more by
FY26) have created a supply overhang, temporarily outpacing demand
growth of ~11-12 mt,” he says…

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