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Ambuja rivals UltraTech in limestone reserves via acquisitions

Ambuja Cements reported limestone reserves of eight billion tonnes

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Ambuja Cements, under the Adani Group, is making strategic acquisitions to compete with India’s largest cement manufacturer, UltraTech Cement, and has significantly increased its limestone reserves over the past few years.

As of June, Ambuja Cements reported limestone reserves of eight billion tonnes, while UltraTech disclosed reserves of ten billion tonnes. Despite UltraTech’s cautious approach to limestone auction bids in the last year, Ambuja Cements has bolstered its reserves by participating in various state auctions, accumulating nearly one billion tonnes.

With the Adani Group as new promoters, Ambuja Cements has aggressively built its limestone reserves, similar to UltraTech’s approach. In FY24, Ambuja Cements secured 587 million tonnes of limestone reserves through auctions and added another 275 million tonnes in the first quarter of FY25. The eight billion tonnes figure does not include the 83 million tonnes won in a recent auction from July to September.

Recent acquisitions have also enhanced Ambuja Cements’ limestone holdings. The 2023 acquisition of Sanghi Industries added one billion tonnes to its reserves, and a recent deal to acquire Orient Cement has introduced additional limestone mines in Rajasthan.

Limestone is a crucial raw material in cement production, necessitating that cement units are located near limestone sources. With the top four cement manufacturers planning significant capacity expansions, access to limestone reserves is vital.

Ravleen Sethi, associate director at CareEdge, noted, “Cement companies are pursuing two strategies on limestone: securing supply for planned expansions and preparing for lease expiries and increased costs under the MMDR Act.” Many leases are set to expire from 2030 onwards, which could lead to cost increases and access challenges.

Sethi further explained that lease expirations and new bidding could heighten competition, potentially forcing companies to seek alternative deposits at higher auction premiums and freight costs. In a worst-case scenario, a plant might need to shut down temporarily or permanently if it loses its limestone lease to a new competitor.

In FY24, Ambuja Cements emerged as the top bidder in limestone auctions, with Nuvoco Vistas Corp and JK Cement also actively participating in FY25.

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

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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.

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Concrete

Shree Cement Approves Rs 1,800 Crore Meghalaya Plant

Integrated unit to be completed by quarter ending March 2028

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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.

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WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

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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.

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