Concrete

Voting for Change

Published

2 years ago

June 13, 2024

admin

Lok Sabha elections are done. The results are out. Those who have won are celebrating and those who have lost are recouping. But the political tug-of-war has just begun. We witnessed the immediate repercussions of the Lok Sabha election results with BSE Sensex ending 4,390 points down and Nifty plunging 5.93 per cent. Market volatility is synonymous with political turbulence. Dalmia Bharat, India Cements, Ramco Cements, HCC and Reliance Infrastructure were amongst the nearly 300 stocks that hit a 52-week low following the election results. In the wake of the election results, analysts and traders alike are keeping their eyes trained on the alliances and collaborations unfolding at the Centre, as these are likely to have a deep impact on the stock market.
Amidst all the volatility comes a positive forecast from the Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency (ICRA). In a report on the consolidation trend in the cement Sector, ICRA has highlighted how the market share of the top five cement companies increased from 45 per cent in 2015 to 54 per cent in 2023 and is anticipated to reach 55 per cent by 2025. This consolidation is driven by strong demand prospects, leading companies to expand through mergers and acquisitions.
Consolidation also facilitates synergies that enhance cost reduction and operational efficiency, while acquisitions grant access to additional capacities and resources, resulting in significant savings on capital expenditures. In terms of outlook for the cement sector, the revenue growth is projected at 9-10 per cent, with operating margins expected to improve by 80-100 basis points. While debt levels are expected to rise in FY25 due to capital expenditures, debt protection metrics are predicted to remain favourable.
This report throws an optimistic light on the cement industry. This sector’s resilience and strategic expansions suggest a stable outlook amid broader market uncertainties, making the India cement saga a story worth narrating to the world.

Up Next

Recycling Concrete

Don't Miss

Cementing a Greener Future

Concrete

UltraTech Cement FY26 PAT Crosses Rs 80 bn

Company reports record sales, profit and 200 MTPA capacity milestone

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2026

admin

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

3 days ago

April 28, 2026

admin

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…

To read the full article Click Here

Concrete

Andhra Offers Discom Licences To Private Firms Outside Power Sector

Policy allows firms over 300 MW to seek distribution licences

Published

4 days ago

April 27, 2026

admin

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.