Concrete

Montra Electric, Wonder Cement Deploy 250-Vehicle EV Fleet

Fleet to haul cement on a 1,450-km corridor across four states

Published

4 weeks ago

September 28, 2026

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Montra Electric and Wonder Cement have begun commercial operation of a 250-vehicle deployment of Rhino 5538 EV 4×2 tractor-trailers on an electric freight corridor linking Rajasthan with ports in Gujarat. The companies said the fleet is being used for regular cement logistics rather than a limited pilot, making it one of the largest heavy-duty electric truck deployments by an Indian industrial company.

An initial 30 trucks were introduced from Wonder Cement’s plant in Nimbahera, Rajasthan, in July 2026. They are hauling full payloads on daily routes between Nimbahera and Dahej Port and between Nimbahera and Tuna Port, covering approximately 1,450 km across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The vehicles operate to schedules comparable with those of the company’s conventional diesel fleet.

The corridor is supported by 13 dedicated charging stations positioned to enable long-distance duty cycles within industrial turnaround times. The Rhino 5538 EV is available with a 55 t Gross Combination Weight option and is designed for cement, coal and clinker transport. Its specifications include a 282 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor producing 280 kW and 2,000 Nm of torque, 18 per cent continuous gradeability and a 6-speed Automated Manual Transmission.

The vehicle has a stated range of 198 km under specified test conditions, with one side loaded and the other empty. It can charge from 20 to 100 per cent State of Charge in 60 minutes and is supported by more than 95 per cent assured uptime. Montra Electric and Wonder Cement said the deployment would assess electrification through payload capacity, turnaround performance and daily availability in live freight operations.

Montra Electric said the same operating model could support steel, mining, infrastructure and port haulage, where fixed routes and predictable turnaround windows are common. The company has more than 750 heavy-duty electric vehicles on Indian roads and has covered over 30 mn km across its deployments. Montra Electric operates as the clean mobility arm of the Murugappa Group, with businesses spanning heavy commercial vehicles, smaller commercial vehicles, three-wheelers and electric tractors.

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UltraTech Cement Expands in Andhra Pradesh with Rs. 26.5 bn

Petnikota plant adds 3.6 MTPA cement dispatch capacity

Published

13 hours ago

October 23, 2026

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UltraTech Cement has expanded its manufacturing footprint in Andhra Pradesh with the commissioning of Petnikota Cement Works, an integrated cement plant built with an investment of around Rs. 26.5 bn. The facility is located in Petnikota village in Kolimigundla mandal of Nandyal district, in the Rayalaseema region.

Construction of the plant began in May 2025. The facility has a clinkerisation capacity of 3.3 MTPA and a cement dispatch capacity of 3.6 MTPA, strengthening the company’s production and distribution presence in the State.

The plant is expected to provide direct employment to 650 people and indirect employment to another 2,000. It has been designed to operate entirely on green energy and does not have a captive thermal power plant. The project also uses no groundwater, according to information released by the Andhra Pradesh Government.

Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology, said in the release that the facility was taken from groundbreaking to commissioning in 14 months. He described the project as a state-of-the-art addition to the company’s operations in the State and said it would create 2,650 direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Petnikota Cement Works adds to UltraTech Cement’s manufacturing capacity in Andhra Pradesh while supporting industrial activity in Nandyal district. The plant’s energy design and stated groundwater-use policy are also intended to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. The company has identified the facility as part of its continuing capacity expansion in the Indian cement market.

Concrete

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Cement sales rose 9% to 4.7 MMT, while EBITDA increased 11%.

Published

13 hours ago

October 23, 2026

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Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.

The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.

On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid renewable energy project in Rajasthan. Once operational, the project is expected to generate about 100 million units of renewable electricity annually. The company expects it to reduce reliance on conventional power sources and improve long-term cost certainty across its Rajasthan operations.

Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd., said, “Q2 FY27 was a testament to resilient execution in a challenging operating environment. Despite intense and erratic rainfall in our key markets, global and regional logistics & supply chain disruptions, and elevated input costs stemming from ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, the Company delivered strong YoY growth in Revenue, EBITDA, and PAT. Our performance reflects the strength of our strategic levers of premiumisation and geographical mix optimisation, which helped realisations amid muted cement prices.”

He added, “During the quarter, the Company achieved a significant growth milestone with the successful commissioning of the 2 MMTPA Grinding Unit at Limla, Surat, underscoring our strong project execution capabilities. This achievement reinforces our confidence in delivering the remaining modules of the Vadraj Cement Project at Kutch and Sachana within the planned timelines. Looking ahead, while we remain mindful of evolving macroeconomic and geopolitical dynamics, we remain focused on operational excellence, accelerating premiumisation, optimising supply chain efficiencies, and executing our growth projects as planned.

Concrete

Meghalaya Cabinet Approves MCCL Closure, Writes Off Rs. 244.3 mn

Cabinet approves winding up of state-owned cement company

Published

5 days ago

October 19, 2026

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The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the closure and winding up of Meghalaya Cherra Cement (MCCL), a state-owned cement company, with pending liabilities of approximately Rs. 244.3 mn to be written off as part of the process. The decision was announced by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on October 13, 2026.

The approved write-off comprises about Rs. 89 mn in sales tax dues and Rs. 155.3 mn in royalty dues. The Cabinet’s decision addresses the liabilities that remained after the company’s operations and enables the government to proceed with its formal closure.

Sangma said employee dues owed by MCCL had been settled in line with the state government’s commitment. The settlement of employee-related liabilities is a key part of the winding-up process and removes outstanding obligations to the company’s workforce.

The Chief Minister explained that MCCL is owned by the government, meaning the pending liabilities would otherwise involve transfers between the state government and its departments. Writing off the dues is intended to simplify the accounting and administrative steps required to complete the closure.

The decision is also intended to ensure that the winding-up does not create an additional financial burden for the state government. With employee payments settled and the sales tax and royalty liabilities addressed through the approved write-off, the Cabinet’s approval marks a further step towards completing the formal closure of MCCL.

The action follows the state government’s decision to discontinue the company and resolve its outstanding obligations through an orderly winding-up process. The approved measures cover the principal liabilities identified for settlement and allow the government to advance the remaining formal procedures associated with closing the state-owned enterprise.