Concrete

Nuvoco Vistas Corp Wins Bid for Vadraj Cement

The estimated target date for the commencement of production is around Q3 FY27.

Published

1 year ago

January 7, 2025

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Cement maker Nuvoco Vistas announced that it has emerged as the successful applicant for Vadraj Cement, which is currently undergoing a corporate insolvency resolution process. The resolution plan submitted by Nuvoco has been approved by the Committee of Creditors (CoC), and a Letter of Intent (LOI) has been issued, according to a statement by Nuvoco Vistas Corp.

Although the financial details were not disclosed, the company mentioned that the transaction would be implemented by Vanya Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary, and the company plans to fund the transaction without significantly increasing its consolidated debt levels.

Nuvoco further stated that a phased investment would be spread over 15 months for the refurbishment of assets and to drive operational improvements across Vadraj Cement (VCL) plants. The estimated target date for the commencement of production is around Q3 FY27, subject to approvals from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for the resolution plan. VCL’s existing facilities include a 3.5 MMTPA clinker unit in Kutch, Gujarat, and a 6 MMTPA grinding unit in Surat, Gujarat.

In addition, VCL owns high-quality limestone reserves, ensuring a sustainable supply of raw materials for future production. The captive jetty in Kutch also enhances logistical efficiency.

With this transaction, Nuvoco’s total cement production capacity is set to increase to approximately 31 MMTPA—19 MMTPA in the east, 6 MMTPA in the north, and 6 MMTPA in the west—strengthening its position as the fifth-largest cement group in India for the long term.

Nuvoco Vistas Corp’s Managing Director, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, commented that the deal consolidates their position as the fifth-largest player in the Indian cement industry and further strengthens their market dominance. He also added that the deal complements their existing operations by expanding their geographic reach and operational capabilities, which will enhance their portfolio, diversify their offerings, and enable them to provide greater value and superior service to their customers in a competitive business landscape.

Nuvoco stated that once the transaction is completed, it is expected to create substantial synergies with its existing manufacturing facilities in Nimbol and Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, leading to enhanced operational efficiency. This will help optimise logistics, streamline operations, improve competitiveness, and provide better market access and a strengthened supply chain across key regions.

In February of the previous year, the NCLT admitted the insolvency process of Vadraj Cement after Punjab National Bank (PNB) filed a plea over a default of over Rs 870.45 million. Media reports indicated that Adani Group, JSW Cement, and ArcelorMittal were competing to acquire VCL, which had a total debt of Rs 70 billion owed to several lenders, including Union Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, and PNB.

Earlier in August 2018, the Bombay High Court had ordered the winding-up of Vadraj Cement following a case filed by trade creditor Beumer Technologies India. However, the court later recalled the order and transferred the matter to the NCLT bench.

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Concrete

Ultra Concrete Age

Prof. A. S. Khanna (Retd., IIT Bombay) on how Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) improves strength, durability and lifecycle performance.

Published

1 week ago

April 1, 2026

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The need of present time is stronger buildings, industrial or common utility buildings, such as Malls, Railway stations, hospitals, offices, bridges etc. For this, there is need of long durable, tough and stable concrete, which could stand under normal and seismic conditions. Tough railway bridges are required for bullet trains to pass without any damage. Railway tunnels, sea-links, coastal roads, bridges and multistorey buildings, are the need of the hour. The question comes, is the normal cement called OPC is sufficient to take care of such requirements or better combination of cements and sand mixtures is required?

Introduction

A good stable building structure can be made with a good quality of cement+sand+water system. Its quality can be enhanced by keeping the density of admixture higher (varies from 30 in normal buildings to bridges etc to 80). Further enhancement in the properties of various cements admixtures is made by adding several additives which give additional strength, waterproofing, flexibility etc. These are called construction chemicals…

To read the full story Click Here

Concrete

NCB Signs MoU With Cement Manufacturer To Boost Construction Skills

Partnership to deliver nationwide training and certification

Published

1 week ago

March 31, 2026

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The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) has signed a memorandum of understanding with a leading cement manufacturer to strengthen skill development and capacity building in the construction sector. The agreement was formalised at NCB premises in Ballabgarh and was signed by the Director General of NCB, Dr L. P. Singh, and the head of technical services at UltraTech Cement Limited, Er Rahul Goel. The collaboration seeks to bring institutional resources and industry expertise into a structured national training effort.

The partnership will deliver structured training and certification programmes across the country aimed at enhancing the capabilities of civil engineers, ready?mix concrete (RMC) professionals, contractors, construction workers and masons. Programme curricula will cover material quality testing, concrete mix proportioning, durability assessment and sustainable construction practices to support improved construction outcomes. Emphasis is to be placed on standardised assessment and certification to raise practice levels across diverse construction roles.

Practical learning elements will include workshops, site demonstrations, technical seminars and exposure visits to plants and RMC facilities to strengthen applied skills and on?site decision making. The Director General indicated confidence that a large number of professionals and workers would be trained over the next three to five years under the initiative. The partnership is designed to complement flagship government schemes such as the Skill India Mission and to align training outputs with national infrastructure priorities.

By combining the council’s technical mandate with industry experience, the initiative aims to develop a more skilled and quality?conscious workforce capable of meeting rising demand in infrastructure and housing. NCB will continue to coordinate programme delivery and quality assurance while industry partners provide practical exposure and technical inputs. The collaboration is expected to support long?term capacity building and more sustainable construction practices nationwide.

Concrete

JSW Cement Commissions Nagaur Plant, Enters North India

New Rajasthan unit boosts capacity to 24.1 MTPA and expands reach

Published

1 week ago

March 30, 2026

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JSW Cement has strengthened its national presence by commencing production at its greenfield integrated cement plant in Nagaur, Rajasthan, marking its entry into the north Indian market.

With this commissioning, the company’s installed grinding capacity has increased to 24.1 MTPA, while total clinker capacity, including its joint venture operations, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

The Nagaur facility comprises a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and a 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit, with an additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity currently under development. Strategically located, the plant is positioned to serve high-growth markets across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR.

The project has been funded through a mix of equity and long-term debt, with Rs 800 crore allocated from IPO proceeds towards part-financing the unit.

Parth Jindal, Managing Director, JSW Cement, stated that the commissioning marks a key milestone in the company’s ambition to become a pan-India player. He added that the project was completed within 21 months and positions the company to achieve its targeted capacity of 41.85 MTPA by FY29.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, highlighted that the expansion aligns with the company’s strategy to tap into rapidly growing northern markets driven by infrastructure development. He noted that the company remains focused on delivering high-quality, eco-friendly cement solutions while progressing towards its long-term capacity goal of 60 MTPA.

The Nagaur plant has been designed with sustainability features, including co-processing of alternative fuels and a 7 km overland belt conveyor for limestone transport to reduce road emissions. The facility will also incorporate a 16 MW Waste Heat Recovery System to improve energy efficiency and lower its carbon footprint.

JSW Cement, part of the JSW Group, operates across the building materials value chain and currently has eight plants across India, along with a clinker unit in the UAE through its joint venture.