Concrete

“Storytelling creates meaning.”

Published

4 months ago

July 21, 2026

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Sharvani Saxena, Co-Founder, Oneiric Lifestyles, discusses how design and brand experience are not aesthetic choices but strategic ones, especially for cement companies as they rely on branding to built trust.

In this interview, Sharvani Saxena, Co-Founder, Oneiric Lifestyles, challenges the cement industry to stop treating identity, user experience, and storytelling as separate investments and start designing complete customer journeys. She argues that visibility without consistency can help build awareness but not loyalty.

In industries such as cement, where products are similar, how can design and brand experience become a decisive factor in influencing customer preference?
When products become similar, customers stop choosing products and start choosing certainty. That certainty is built through design and brand experience. Not because a better logo changes the product, but because every interaction shapes how people perceive its quality before they ever experience it. Design is often misunderstood as something that makes a brand look better. In reality, it makes a business easier to understand, easier to trust and easier to remember. It influences how clearly information is communicated, how intuitive digital experiences feel, how consistently a company presents itself, and ultimately how confident customers feel in choosing it.
In competitive markets, differentiation is rarely created by saying more. It’s created by making every interaction feel intentional. When a brand consistently delivers clarity, confidence and professionalism across every touchpoint, it earns preference long before the purchase decision is made.

As consumer journeys become increasingly digital, how should brands integrate identity, user experience, and storytelling to build stronger market presence?
Most brands still think of identity, user experience and storytelling as separate disciplines. Customers never do. To a customer, a brand is simply the sum of every interaction they have with it. The advertisement they see, the website they visit, the ease of finding information, the way a product is presented, and the conversations they have with the company all become one continuous experience. Identity creates recognition. User experience creates confidence. Storytelling creates meaning. Individually they have value. Together they create something far more valuable than awareness. They create trust.
As more buying decisions begin online, brands need to stop designing individual touchpoints and start designing complete journeys. The companies that will lead tomorrow are the ones that create consistency across every interaction, because consistency is what turns first impressions into lasting relationships.

What distinguishes brands that achieve long-term relevance from those that rely solely on visibility and advertising spend?
Visibility gets attention. Relevance earns loyalty. Advertising can make people notice you, but only experience can make them remember you. The strongest brands understand that every campaign eventually ends, while every customer interaction becomes part of the brand’s reputation.
Long-term brands don’t ask how they can reach more people. They ask how they can create more value for the people they already reach. They invest in consistency, customer experience, product innovation, and meaningful relationships because these are the things that compound over time. The most valuable brands in the world weren’t built because they advertised more than everyone else. They were built because every interaction reinforced the same promise. That’s what creates trust, and trust is the most sustainable competitive advantage any business can build.

For traditional sectors like cement, how can strategic design and branding transform a functional product into a trusted and memorable brand?
One of the biggest misconceptions in traditional industries is that branding only matters for lifestyle products. I believe the opposite is true. The more functional a product is, the more important trust becomes. Customers may compare technical specifications, but they also evaluate credibility, consistency, expertise and confidence. Those qualities are communicated through design just as much as they are through engineering.
For a cement company, branding isn’t about making concrete look exciting. It’s about making reliability visible. It’s reflected in how technical information is communicated, how digital platforms simplify decision making, how dealers represent the business, how projects are showcased, and how every customer interaction reinforces confidence. The future belongs to companies that understand they are not simply selling products. They are shaping trust. In markets where products become increasingly comparable, trust often becomes the deciding factor.

Kanika Mathur

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Concrete

Dhanekula Institute Signs MoU with Adani Cement

Agreement to expand internships, industrial visits and practical learning

Published

13 hours ago

November 5, 2026

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The Department of Civil Engineering at Dhanekula Institute of Engineering & Technology, Ganguru, organised an industrial interaction programme under the Adani FutureX Programme on Thursday. The programme focused on strengthening engagement between the institute and the cement industry while giving students greater exposure to professional practices.

Yedukondalu, technical head for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at Adani Cement, delivered a technical lecture on concrete as a man-made material. The session covered the importance of concrete in construction, its properties and applications, and its significance in modern infrastructure development.

The lecture also addressed the role of quality cement and suitable concrete technology in supporting durable and sustainable construction. The discussion connected classroom learning with the technical considerations involved in infrastructure projects and construction practices.

A key part of the programme was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Department of Civil Engineering and Adani Cement under the Adani FutureX Partnership Agreement. The agreement is intended to strengthen industry-academia collaboration through opportunities for student internships and industrial visits.

The initiative is expected to provide students with practical exposure, improve their understanding of industrial practices and help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications. Dhanekula Institute Chairman Dhanekula Ravindranath Tagore, Secretary Dhanekula Venkata Bhavani Prasad and Director DKRK Ravi Prasad supported the initiative, with the institute leadership highlighting the importance of industry-institution interaction in enhancing students’ technical employability.

Concrete

JK Lakshmi Cement Begins Rs. 110 bn Assam Plant Project

Project Kamakshi will produce 2.5 mn t of cement annually by FY2029.

Published

13 hours ago

November 5, 2026

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JK Lakshmi Cement has laid the foundation stone for Project Kamakshi, its first integrated cement manufacturing facility in Assam, marking the company’s entry into Northeast India. The groundbreaking ceremony took place at Umrangso village in Dima Hasao district in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The project involves an investment of Rs. 110 bn, including the mining lease. It will have annual cement production capacity of 2.5 mn t and a 1 mn t clinkerisation unit, with completion scheduled for FY2029.

The facility is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs and will primarily serve the growing Northeast market. It will also include dedicated railway sidings for transporting raw materials and finished cement, supporting supply chain reliability and regional distribution.

Chairperson and Managing Director Vinita Singhania said the project represented the beginning of a long-term relationship with Assam and the wider Northeast. She said the plant would help provide locally produced cement, employment and dependable supplies as the region’s infrastructure development accelerated, while enabling the company to grow alongside the communities it serves.

The investment supports JK Lakshmi Cement’s strategy of expanding into high-growth markets beyond its established presence in Northern, Western and Eastern India. The company expects the project to contribute to regional economic development and infrastructure growth while pursuing its long-term objective of achieving net-zero emissions by 2047.

Concrete

Kshatriya Engineering College Signs MoU with Adani Cement

Agreement to provide students with industrial exposure and training

Published

13 hours ago

November 5, 2026

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The civil engineering department of Kshatriya Engineering College in Nizamabad has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Adani Cement to provide students with industry-oriented training and practical exposure. The agreement is intended to connect classroom learning with workplace requirements in the construction sector.

Under the partnership, students will receive opportunities to take part in industrial visits and internships. The arrangement will also include guest lectures by industry experts and guidance on live projects, allowing students to gain first-hand understanding of industry practices and emerging construction technologies.

College secretary and correspondent Aljapur Devender said the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between academic instruction and industry expectations. He said the collaboration would help students develop practical skills and improve their employment prospects after completing their studies.

Principal Dr Katakam Srinivas said exposure to industrial practices was important for civil engineering students and would complement their academic learning. He said the MoU would support the development of their technical knowledge and confidence through greater familiarity with professional work environments.

Administrative officer B. Narender said the collaboration would familiarise students with modern construction technologies, quality standards and project management practices. Civil engineering department head N. Deepika said the agreement would help students understand recent developments in the construction sector and prepare for professional careers. The college said the partnership would give learners a broader view of the processes and standards followed in the industry, while helping them relate their academic studies to practical project requirements.