Concrete

Ambuja rivals UltraTech in limestone reserves via acquisitions

Ambuja Cements reported limestone reserves of eight billion tonnes

Published

2 years ago

October 29, 2024

admin

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.

Up Next

Aluminium industry seeks higher import duties to enhance self-sufficiency

Don't Miss

Ambuja Cements Acquires Orient Cement

Concrete

Jammu Division Begins First Cement Rail Traffic to Anantnag

Cement Loading From Kathua for Anantnag to Begin on September 14

Published

2 days ago

September 21, 2026

admin

Jammu Railway Division has placed an indent for the first movement of cement by rail within the division, linking Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua Railway Station with Anantnag Railway Station. Loading for the consignment is scheduled to begin on September 14.

Concrete

Hard Worker Wins Three Honours at Kyoorius Design Awards

Ramco Cements’ brand secures Grand Prix and two Blue Elephant honours.

Published

2 days ago

September 21, 2026

admin

The Ramco Cements Limited’s construction chemicals brand, Hard Worker, has won three honours at the Kyoorius Design Awards 2026, including the Grand Prix – Grey Elephant in the Design in Action category.

The brand also secured two Blue Elephant honours, one for Design in Action and another for Packaging, recognising the design approach behind its brand identity and packaging.

Launched in 2025, Hard Worker entered the construction chemicals segment with the brand promise, “Hard-working products for hardworking people.” Its visual identity uses animals and birds to represent product benefits. The camel represents the water-retention capability of Hard Worker Eco Plaster, while the cheetah represents the speed and performance of Hard Worker Block Fix.

The visual language has been extended across packaging, retail, communication, literature, digital platforms and other brand touchpoints. Hard Worker uses bold colours, distinctive animal illustrations and simple visual storytelling to communicate product benefits across markets and audiences, including construction workers and applicators.

“For Hard Worker, design was never an afterthought. It was fundamental to how we wanted to build the brand. In a category that is largely functional, we wanted to create a brand that people could recognise, understand and remember instantly. The Kyoorius recognition is a wonderful validation of this design-led approach,” said Mr. AV Dharmakrishnan, CEO, The Ramco Cements Limited.

Mr. Balaji K. Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, Ramco Cements said “In a category where communication has traditionally been product-led and functional, we wanted Hard Worker to stand apart by making design an integral part of the brand experience. From the distinctive animal-led packaging to our communication across consumer and trade touchpoints, every element was designed to make the brand more memorable and the product benefits easier to understand.”

Within its first 12 months, Hard Worker crossed Rs 3.5 bn in sales. The latest recognition follows six honours secured by the brand’s campaign at the Kyoorius Creative Awards earlier in 2026, including the Grey Elephant Grand Prix for its Eco Plaster film.

The Kyoorius Design Awards recognise outstanding design work in India’s visual communications sector across multiple categories and platforms. The 2026 awards were announced on 12 September in Goa.

The Ramco Cements Limited is part of the Ramco Group and operates across cement and allied building-material solutions. Hard Worker is its construction chemicals brand, offering solutions across key construction applications.

Concrete

Cement Firms to Invest Rs. 130 bn in Green Energy by FY28

Cement companies plan to expand clean energy capacity to 6 GW by FY28

Published

6 days ago

September 17, 2026

admin

India’s major cement companies are set to raise their clean energy capacity to 6 GW by March 2028 from around 4 GW at the end of March 2026, according to ratings agency ICRA. The planned expansion is expected to involve investments of Rs. 130 bn over the next two years.

The additional capacity could generate annual savings of Rs. 62 bn to Rs. 67 bn, resulting in an estimated payback period of 1.8 to 2.2 years. Cement is an emission-intensive industry, and leading producers have established net-zero roadmaps covering the next 15 to 20 years.

The calcination process accounts for 57 to 60 per cent of the sector’s total emissions, while fuel combustion contributes 27 to 30 per cent and electricity consumption accounts for 10 to 13 per cent. ICRA said the figures highlighted the need for a broad decarbonisation strategy involving green power, blended cement, alternative fuels and improvements in clinker efficiency.

Green energy is considered one of the most commercially attractive decarbonisation options because it can reduce emissions while lowering operating costs. Every 5 per cent increase in green power replacement can reduce power and fuel costs by Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per tonne. A 25 per cent replacement level could therefore save Rs. 75 to Rs. 80 per tonne and expand operating margins by 140 to 160 basis points.

Cement producers are also assessing carbon capture, utilisation and storage, although high implementation costs, energy requirements and limited transport and storage infrastructure are expected to slow commercial adoption. The government has proposed Rs. 200 bn over five years to support deployment across key sectors. Meanwhile, companies are targeting thermal substitution rates of 10 to 15 per cent over the next three to five years, compared with the current industry level of around 6 per cent.