Concrete

ICRA Flags Margin Pressure Despite Steel Demand Growth

FY26 demand seen up 8 per cent, but prices to cap profitability

Published

4 months ago

December 22, 2025

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Domestic steel demand in India is expected to grow by around 8 per cent in FY26, although softer steel prices are likely to keep profitability under pressure for producers, according to ICRA.

In a recent report, the rating agency projected the industry’s operating margin to remain largely flat at about 12.5 per cent in FY26, lower than its earlier expectation of an improvement. It noted that while demand growth remains healthy, incremental capacity additions have created a temporary surplus, resulting in continued pressure on steel prices.

“Although steel demand growth is projected at 8 per cent for FY26, additional supply has led to a near-term surplus, weighing on prices,” said Girishkumar Kadam, Senior Vice-President and Group Head, Corporate Sector Ratings, ICRA.

Domestic hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices, which had risen to Rs 52,850 per tonne in April 2025 following the imposition of a safeguard duty, corrected to around Rs 46,000 per tonne in November and are currently trading below import parity. At a global level, structural headwinds in China have pushed its steel exports to an all-time high of 88 million tonnes in the first nine months of calendar year 2025, further weighing on international prices.

Chinese HRC export prices averaged about USD 465 per tonne during the first seven months of FY26, compared with USD 496 per tonne in the corresponding period a year earlier. While India’s finished steel imports have declined sharply by around 33 per cent year-on-year in the current financial year, ICRA stressed that the continuation of the safeguard duty remains critical to prevent a resurgence in imports.

Under its base-case scenario, the agency expects domestic HRC prices to average around Rs 50,500 per tonne in FY26. Operating profit per tonne of steel production is estimated at USD 108, marginally lower than the USD 110 per tonne recorded in FY25. The overall sector outlook has been maintained at ‘Stable’.

ICRA also highlighted execution and balance-sheet risks linked to the industry’s large capacity expansion plans. Domestic steel producers are targeting capacity additions of 80–85 million tonnes over FY26–31, involving investments of USD 45–50 billion. However, the agency cautioned that unless earnings improve meaningfully, such large-scale investments could lead to a sharp rise in industry leverage over the medium term.

On green steel, Kadam said its share in India’s total steel demand is expected to rise from about 2 per cent, or roughly 4 million tonnes, in FY30 to nearly 40 per cent, or around 150 million tonnes, by FY50. However, he added that the economics remain challenging, with widespread adoption unlikely until green hydrogen prices decline to around USD 1.5–1.6 per kg, a level not expected in the near to medium term.

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Concrete

UltraTech Cement FY26 PAT Crosses Rs 80 bn

Company reports record sales, profit and 200 MTPA capacity milestone

Published

16 hours ago

April 29, 2026

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UltraTech Cement reported record financial performance for Q4 and FY26, supported by strong volumes, higher profitability and improved cost efficiency. Consolidated net sales for Q4 FY26 rose 12 per cent year-on-year to Rs 254.67 billion, while PBIDT increased 20 per cent to Rs 56.88 billion. PAT, excluding exceptional items, grew 21 per cent to Rs 30.11 billion.

For FY26, consolidated net sales stood at Rs 873.84 billion, up 17 per cent from Rs 749.36 billion in FY25. PBIDT rose 32 per cent to Rs 175.98 billion, while PAT increased 36 per cent to Rs 83.05 billion, crossing the Rs 80 billion mark for the first time.

India grey cement volumes reached 42.41 million tonnes in Q4 FY26, up 9.3 per cent year-on-year, with capacity utilisation at 89 per cent. Full-year India grey cement volumes stood at 145 million tonnes. Energy costs declined 3 per cent, aided by a higher green power mix of 43 per cent in Q4.

The company’s domestic grey cement capacity has crossed 200 MTPA, reaching 200.1 MTPA, while global capacity stands at 205.5 MTPA. UltraTech also recommended a special dividend of Rs 2.40 billion per share value basis equivalent to Rs 240.

Concrete

Towards Mega Batching

Optimised batching can drive overall efficiencies in large projects.

Published

2 days ago

April 28, 2026

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India’s pace of infrastructure development is pushing the construction sector to work at a significantly higher scale than previously. Tight deadlines necessitate eliminating concreting delays, especially in large and mega projects, which, in turn, imply installing the right batching plant and ensuring batching is efficient. CW explores these steps as well as the gaps in India’s batching plant market.

Choose well

Large-scale infrastructure and building projects typically involve concrete consumption exceeding 30,000-50,000 cum per annum or demand continuous, high-volume pours within compressed timelines, according to Rahul R Wadhai, DGM – Quality, Tata Projects.

Considering the daily need for concrete, “large-scale concreting involves pouring more than 1,000–2,000 cum per day while mega projects involve more than 3,000 cum per day,” says Satish R Vachhani, Advanced Concrete & Construction Consultant…

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Concrete

Andhra Offers Discom Licences To Private Firms Outside Power Sector

Policy allows firms over 300 MW to seek distribution licences

Published

3 days ago

April 27, 2026

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The Andhra Pradesh government will allow private firms that require more than 300 megawatt (MW) of power to apply for distribution licences, making the state the first to extend such licences beyond the power sector. The policy targets information technology, pharmaceuticals, steel and data centres and aims to reduce reliance on state utilities as demand rises for artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Approved applicants will be able to procure electricity directly from generators through power purchase agreements, a change officials said will create more competitive tariffs and reduce supply risk. Licence holders will use the Andhra Pradesh Transmission Company (APTRANSCO) network on payment of charges and will not need a separate distribution network initially.

Licences will be granted under the Electricity Act, 2003 framework, with the Central and State electricity regulators retaining authority over terms and approvals. The recent Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 sought to lower entry barriers, enable network sharing and encourage competition, while the state commission will set floor and ceiling tariffs where multiple discoms operate.

Industry players and original equipment manufacturers welcomed the policy, saying competitive supply is vital for large data centre investments. Major projects and partnerships such as those involving Adani and Google, Brookfield and Reliance, and Meta and Sify Technologies are expected to benefit as capacity expands in the state.

Analysts noted India’s data centre capacity is forecast to reach 10 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and cited International Energy Agency estimates that global data centre electricity consumption could approach 945 terawatt hours by the same year. A one GW data centre needs an equivalent power allocation and one point five times the water, which authorities equated to 150 billion litres (150 bn litres).

Advisers warned that distribution licences will require close regulation and monitoring to prevent misuse and to ensure tariffs and supply obligations are met. Officials said the policy aims to balance investor requirements with regulatory oversight and could serve as a model for other states.