Economy & Market

Development of Tier II and Tier III cities in India could boost demand for cement

Published

14 years ago

August 31, 2012

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Government initiatives for development of Tier II and Tier III cities may create more demand for cement and the availability of consumers is shifting the focus of cement industries towards these cities, says Suman Mukherjee, Managing Director & CEO, Shree Digvijay Cement Company, a CIMPOR Group company, in an exclusive interview with Indian Cement Review.Could you provide highlights on the performance of the company?Shree Digvijay Cement Co. Ltd. (SDCCL) belongs to CIMPOR group with headquarter at Lisbon, Portugal. Presently it is going through a change of management control globally. During these days SDCCL has maintained a steady and consistent growth rate in terms of turnover, EBITDA, sales and productivity. If we compare performance YoY basis, our turnover has increased 27 per cent. Market share has also seen a steady growth to 6 per cent. We have also improved our productivity as compared to previous year. Our clinker and cement production increased by around 13-14 per cent.What factors are important for driving positive growth?
Success and growth of any organisation depends primarily on the motivation level of its employees. India is the second largest cement producer after China. The cement market is expected to grow at a steady rate of 8-9 per cent on an average, approximately at a ratio 1.1 times of GDP. To keep pace with this growing market we have set our long term vision and roadmap towards that vision. We have prioritised few things like safety/productivity/cost/ sales etc, safety being our topmost priority. Brand image also plays a major role for positive growth and motivation. We keep continuous focus on each of these priorities. As a group we always believe in sustainable growth. To achieve our vision we have a highly motivated team of people who are working relentlessly to fulfill our growth strategy. We maintain around 5-6 per cent share in the market we operate.Could you comment on the government’s contribution to the development of the cement industry?
Government initiatives towards infrastructural development can be a contributing factor towards development of cement industry. The quantum of project to be executed is good enough to propel the economy for the next few years or so even if no new project is announced. However, operational cost of cement industries are going high due to increasing cost of raw materials, fuels, power. To combat with the increasing cost few things can be considered like, duty free import of raw materials/consideration of wharf age charges and handling losses on exports of clinker/soft loan for port development/VAT or CENVAT credit on limestone royalty and duty/cess on indigenous coal/ rationalization of excise duty rate on cement from 12 per cent and bring it at par with other core and infrastructure industries/treatment of waste heat recovery as renewable energy source/generation based incentive on wind energy/open access power etc.Can you elaborate on innovation and product development in your company?I believe SDCCL is the only company in India capable of producing six types of cements, namely OPC GR 43, OPC GR 53, PPC, SRPC, OWC, OPC 53 S.What are the issues faced by cement industry? What measures are required to tackle these issues?Presently one of the key issues many cement industries are facing is limestone reserves. After the new regulation of eco-sensitive zone, the fate of many existing limestone reserves are under a big question mark. Land acquisition and getting environment clearance are very much lengthy and time-consuming for new mining lease. Apart from this, increasing cost of raw materials/fuel/power are points of concern.Where do you see your company in the next five years?We always believe in sustainable growth. Globally, as a part of CIMPOR Group, we are very much ambitious about the future of our company in India. As a group strategy we want to increase our market share in the existing market.What is your opinion about markets for the cement industry in Tier II and Tier III cities?
Infrastructural development in Tier II and Tier III cities are very much encouraging for cement industries in the upcoming days. Government initiatives towards development of Tier II and Tier III cities may create more demand for cement in these cities. Various industrial hubs are growing up in these cities. Availability of good number of consumers is shifting the focus of cement industries towards Tier II and Tier III cities.What ‘green’ initiatives has the company taken for more sustainable sources of energy?Globally and as well as in India we are a member of CSI. We have installed WHRPP for captive power generation. It is under commissioning stage. This is a CDM initiative to reduce emission and clean environment. Once it is fully operational we can reduce equivalent amount of CO2 emission. Our continuous effort to maximise fly ash addition to cement within permissible limit is ongoing.

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

3 days ago

October 9, 2026

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

Published

4 days ago

October 8, 2026

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With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA,
Mumbai

JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”

Concrete

UltraTech becomes first Indian cement firm to cross 2 GW green energy

Published

5 days ago

October 7, 2026

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UltraTech Cement has crossed 2 GW of captive green energy capacity, with renewables and waste heat recovery meeting 48 per cent of its power needs.

Mumbai

UltraTech Cement Limited has surpassed 2 GW of installed green energy capacity for captive use, becoming the first cement company in India to achieve the milestone. The Aditya Birla Group company commissioned 116.55 MW of wind capacity at its Inter-State Transmission System-connected wind-solar hybrid project in Barmer, Rajasthan, along with 10 MW of Waste Heat Recovery System capacity at Sarlanagar Cement Works in Karnataka.

With these additions, UltraTech’s cumulative installed green energy capacity has reached 2,024 MW. This includes 1,580 MW of renewable energy capacity and 444 MW of waste heat recovery capacity, together meeting around 48 per cent of the company’s current power requirements.

The company said the milestone reflects the progress of its long-term energy transition strategy. In FY27 so far, nearly one-third of UltraTech’s 76 manufacturing units in India have maintained green energy utilisation above 50 per cent of their electricity requirements, while five units have crossed 95 per cent.

K C Jhanwar, Managing Director, UltraTech Cement Limited, said, “Crossing the 2 GW green energy milestone is the result of a strategy we have pursued consistently over the past decade. Cement is an energy-intensive, hard-to-abate sector, and showing that reliability and growth can go hand in hand with a rapid shift to green energy sets a benchmark for the industry. With nearly half of our power needs now met through green energy, we are significantly less exposed to fossil fuel supply constraints and power price volatility. As we scale up renewables, waste heat recovery and battery storage across our operations, we are building an energy foundation for stable, long-term growth.”

UltraTech commissioned 430 MW of green energy capacity in FY26 and continues to expand its renewable energy and waste heat recovery portfolio.

The company is also progressively integrating Battery Energy Storage Systems across its operations to improve renewable energy utilisation and supply reliability.

In 2025, UltraTech operationalised what it described as India’s first on-site hybrid round-the-clock renewable energy project at Sewagram Cement Works in Gujarat. The project combines solar, wind and battery storage.

As part of its decarbonisation strategy, UltraTech said it has not invested in new captive thermal power capacity for either greenfield projects or brownfield expansions at its integrated units for more than a decade.

The company said its expanding green energy portfolio is helping reduce dependence on conventional grid electricity and fossil fuel-based power, while lowering exposure to fluctuations in coal and electricity prices.

UltraTech aims to increase green energy’s share in its total power mix to 85 per cent by 2030. As a member of RE100, it has also committed to meeting 100 per cent of its electricity requirement through renewable sources by 2050.

UltraTech Cement, the cement flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has a total grey cement capacity of 210.1 MTPA and white cement and putty capacity of 3.5 MTPA. The company is also a signatory to the GCCA Climate Ambition 2050 and has committed to the GCCA Net Zero Concrete roadmap.