Concrete

Cement Makers Set for ~250 bps Margin Boost on Strong Realisations

Stable costs and firmer realisations to lift profitability this fiscal.

Published

4 months ago

December 9, 2025

admin

Cement manufacturers are expected to record a 250–300 basis points (bps) expansion in operating margins this fiscal, supported by improved realisations driven by higher volumes, greater premiumisation and broadly stable input costs. Industry volume is projected to grow 6.5–7.5 per cent this fiscal, up from 5 per cent in the previous year. While the first half saw a moderate 5 per cent on-year rise—recovering from flat demand a year earlier—the second half is likely to strengthen with 8–9 per cent growth backed by pent-up demand and better liquidity.

Pan-India cement prices are expected to remain rangebound at Rs 354–359 per 50 kg bag, fluctuating within ±1 per cent. Although the reduction in GST from 28 to 18 per cent will exert downward pressure on retail prices, premiumisation and healthy demand are expected to offset the impact and support higher realisations. This trend is reflected in an assessment of 14 major manufacturers, representing nearly 85 per cent of industry revenues.

“The average pan-India cement prices saw a modest 3 per cent on-year increase in the first half. However, the full impact of GST changes will be felt in the third quarter, resulting in a 4–5% decline in retail prices in the second half. Despite subdued pricing, the industry is poised for higher realisations this fiscal, driven by healthy volume growth,” said Sehul Bhatt, Director, Crisil Intelligence.

Ex-GST prices are expected to rise 3–4 per cent on-year in the coming quarter, though overall prices may soften because of the tax revision. Realisations grew ~5 per cent in the first half and are likely to ease to 0–2 per cent growth in the second, translating to a full-year increase of 2.5–3.5 per cent.

Regionally, the east and south may see a 0–2 per cent uptick after sharp declines last fiscal, while other regions could witness a 2–3 per cent drop. On the cost front, power and freight—together forming 54–55 per cent of expenses—are expected to decline 2–3 per cent and 1–2 per cent this fiscal. Raw material costs may remain elevated due to higher limestone prices, but overall costs are expected to stabilise, lifting operating margins to 18–20 per cent from ~16 per cent last year.

“After a ~9 per cent fall last fiscal, Australian thermal coal prices are set to drop another 17–18 per cent this year amid higher supply and softer global demand. Brent crude is also projected to fall 17–18 per cent to $62–67 per barrel,” said Sachidanand Choubey, Associate Director, Crisil Intelligence. While petcoke has seen a mild uptick, easing coal, crude and steady diesel costs will continue to provide relief. Any unexpected spike in energy prices due to geopolitical or regulatory shifts, however, remains a key risk.

Up Next

Shree Cement Rolls Out Bangur Marble Cement in Odisha Market

Don't Miss

Innovations in Preheater Towers

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

admin

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

admin

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

admin

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.