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Ramco Cements plans Rs 12 bn capex for FY26 and advances Rs 10 bn sale

Ramco Cements reported a profit after tax of Rs 3.25 billion.

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Ramco Cements has announced a capital expenditure (capex) plan of Rs 12 billion for the next fiscal year, maintaining its guidance for FY25. The company has raised Rs 4.43 billion this fiscal through the sale of non-core assets.

During the third quarter of the current fiscal, Ramco Cements incurred a capex of Rs 2.56 billion, bringing the total spending for the first nine months to Rs 8 billion. The company has set a target of monetizing Rs 10 billion worth of non-core assets and has realized Rs 4.43 billion so far, with an additional Rs 100 million received as advances for assets nearing finalization.

The funds generated from these asset sales have been utilised to reduce debt, bringing the company’s net debt to Rs 46.16 billion as of December 31, 2024. In Q3FY25 alone, debt reduction amounted to Rs 4.87 billion.

Ramco Cements remains on course to achieve a cement production capacity of 30 MTPA by March 2026. This expansion includes the commissioning of a second production line in Kolimigundla, capacity enhancements through de-bottlenecking, and additional grinding facilities. A railway siding at Kolimigundla is scheduled for commissioning in March 2025.

The company is also investing in sustainable energy initiatives, with a 10 MW Waste Heat Recovery System (WHRS) at RR Nagar expected to be operational by June 2025 and a 15 MW WHRS unit at Kolimigundla set to be commissioned alongside Kiln Line-2 by March 2026. A new construction chemicals unit in Odisha is expected to be ready before March 2025. Land acquisition for a greenfield project in Karnataka has progressed, with 53 per cent of mining land and 13 per cent of factory land secured.

For Q3FY25, Ramco Cements reported a profit after tax of Rs 3.25 billion, significantly higher than Rs 930 million in the previous year, primarily due to an exceptional income of Rs 3.29 billion from asset sales. Net revenue declined by 6 per cent year-on-year to Rs 19.88 billion due to a 14 per cent drop in cement prices.

Total sales volume, including construction chemicals, increased by 9 per cent to 4.37 million tonne. Cement capacity utilization saw a slight improvement to 75 per cent in Q3FY25 from 74 per cent in Q3FY24. However, EBITDA declined by 28 per cent to Rs 2.91 billion due to weaker cement prices, despite cost reductions from lower fuel prices and improved manufacturing efficiency.

News source: Hindu Businessline

Concrete

Cement Firms to Invest Rs. 130 bn in Green Energy by FY28

Cement companies plan to expand clean energy capacity to 6 GW by FY28

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India’s major cement companies are set to raise their clean energy capacity to 6 GW by March 2028 from around 4 GW at the end of March 2026, according to ratings agency ICRA. The planned expansion is expected to involve investments of Rs. 130 bn over the next two years.

The additional capacity could generate annual savings of Rs. 62 bn to Rs. 67 bn, resulting in an estimated payback period of 1.8 to 2.2 years. Cement is an emission-intensive industry, and leading producers have established net-zero roadmaps covering the next 15 to 20 years.

The calcination process accounts for 57 to 60 per cent of the sector’s total emissions, while fuel combustion contributes 27 to 30 per cent and electricity consumption accounts for 10 to 13 per cent. ICRA said the figures highlighted the need for a broad decarbonisation strategy involving green power, blended cement, alternative fuels and improvements in clinker efficiency.

Green energy is considered one of the most commercially attractive decarbonisation options because it can reduce emissions while lowering operating costs. Every 5 per cent increase in green power replacement can reduce power and fuel costs by Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per tonne. A 25 per cent replacement level could therefore save Rs. 75 to Rs. 80 per tonne and expand operating margins by 140 to 160 basis points.

Cement producers are also assessing carbon capture, utilisation and storage, although high implementation costs, energy requirements and limited transport and storage infrastructure are expected to slow commercial adoption. The government has proposed Rs. 200 bn over five years to support deployment across key sectors. Meanwhile, companies are targeting thermal substitution rates of 10 to 15 per cent over the next three to five years, compared with the current industry level of around 6 per cent.

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Centre Defers Clearance for Limestone Mine Near Bustard Habitat

Panel seeks revised mining plan and safeguards for pipelines and wildlife

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The Centre has deferred environmental clearance for a proposed limestone mine near a Great Indian Bustard habitat in Ramgarh, Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district. The critically endangered species has an estimated wild population of about 130 in India.

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Telangana to Supply Subsidised Cement for Indiramma Houses

Poor families allotted Indiramma houses to receive cement at Rs. 230 per bag

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The Telangana government will supply cement at a subsidised price of Rs. 230 per 50-kg bag to poor and low-income families allotted Indiramma houses. The prevailing market price is between Rs. 310 and Rs. 320 per bag, the Assembly was informed on Thursday.

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