Economy & Market

Union Budget 2020-21 | Remedy fails to match malady

Published

7 years ago

January 2, 2020

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As the Union Budget 2020-21 failed to enthuse different segments of investors and consumers, the question that remains is: How long to wait for economic revival?

The sum and substance of reactions to the Union Budget 2020-21 presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was that it has belied the expectations that there will be some "big bang" measures to stimulate demand and investments in the sagging economy, and that this was a missed opportunity to push some major economic reforms.

This year’s budget has given thrust to agriculture, irrigation and rural development, infrastructure, skill development and the beleaguered financial sector. There were some measures to support MSME sector and affordable housing too. The idea was to touch upon every aspect that could help revive the economy, with an expectation that at least a few of them will click. However, those ideas were not backed by sufficient resources, ultimately due to existing funds crunch. Though the Finance minister claimed to have announced some personal tax concessions, they are unlikely to make big difference in their disposable incomes and overall consumer demand.

The budget has also proposed to tap global sovereign funds to finance infrastructure projects, mainly due to drying up of long term domestic sources and fiscal constraints. Taking a leaf from the US president Donald Trump, the budget has hiked customs duties to protect the domestic industry from external competition. "There is some support to growth, but nothing substantial in the short term. However, the government is still eyeing the long term and has, therefore, pushed capex (the government’s capital expenditure on infra etc.). The multiplier impact of this will be positive but lagged,"said leading rating firm Crisil, in its report on budget.

The economists and analysts argued for employing all means, including deviating from fiscal roadmap in the short term, to pump prime the economic activity, but that was not to be. Tough increasing the fiscal deficit target by 0.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent deviating from its roadmap, a recent study by former Economic Advisor to the Finance Ministry Dr Arvind Subramanian, estimates the fiscal deficit figure at 5.5 per cent, after including deals kept out of government accounting.

Recently, referring to such off-balance sheet expenses resorted to by the government, its auditor, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), advised the government to make thorough disclosure on such liabilities made by the government and public enterprises to the parliament, to impart more sanctity to its accounting practices.

The government had been in denial mode of economic slowdown for some time, the latest statistics baring the ominous state of the economy prove that it hs come to terms with the reality.

Infra push
Infrastructure push given by the budget is expected to provide support to Cement consumption, albeit not in a big way. "The demand for the commodity (cement) will pick up due to infrastructure, housing and rural development related announcements," said CARE Ratings in its report, while terming it a "Positive" impact of the budget.

Adding 100 more airports by 2024, Rs 1.7 lakh crore allocation for transport infrastructure in 2020-21, development of five new smart cities and continuation of incentives to affordable housing are some of the new proposals in the budget. In the previous budgets the government has already announced its grand infrastructure plans National Infrastructure Pipeline & Accelerated Development of Highways and increased focus on inland water ways.

However, Crisil has given "thumbs down"on the sector citing falling allocations for the sector in the coming fiscal and reduction in off-budget allocations. "For the first time in years, overall infrastructure capex has fallen to Rs 4.7 lakh crore for fiscal 2021 from Rs 5.1 lakh crore in fiscal 2020 RE (revised estimates). Moreover, a 16 per cent reduction in IEBR (Internal and Extra Budgetary Resources) implies a higher burden on budgetary support and strain on government finances. Lower spend on infrastructure would also lower chances of revival in allied sectors, particularly steel and cement."

The past implementation pace on the grand plans the government had announced in the past like National Infrastructure Pipeline and Accelerated Development of Highways, on the other hand, have nothing to boast about. The national infrastructure pipeline of Rs 103 lakh crore over fiscal 2020-25 includes investments in core and allied infrastructure sectors. Excluding allied sectors such as industrial, digital, and social infrastructure, the annual core infrastructure investment amounts to Rs 15 lakh crore, or Rs 90 lakh crore over the five-year period."Of this, Rs 4.7 lakh crore would come from the Centre and Rs 2.6 lakh crore from states, leaving ~52% to the private sector. However, considering the limited number of private players and low risk-appetite of banks, private participation is a key monitorable in achieving these targets,"Crisil added.

Allocation for railways has increased by a meagre three per cent to Rs 1.6 lakh crore. "But this falls way short of the Rs 3.8 lakh crore annual investment envisaged as part of Rs 50 lakh crore investment over fiscals 2018-30. A capex of Rs 6 lakh crore was incurred between fiscals 2016 and 2020, missing the Rs 8.5 lakh crore target set for this period," Crisil pointed out.

However, CARE Ratings billed the budget impact on railways as "positive", stating, "Stable Budget for Railways with similar capital expenditure allocation and opening up of private investment for railway infrastructure creation."Setting up large solar power capacity alongside rail track to optimise electrification cost and railway electrification of 27000 km track are also positives for the sector.

The government, in August 2014, had opened up few activities (comprising suburban corridor, high speed train project, railway electrification, passenger terminals etc.) of Indian Railway for FDI and the budget re-emphasises Government focus on same. The capital outlay allocated towards the Roads and Highway sector is Rs 0.77 lakh crore. "The allocation is not in lines with the NIP where the centre is involved in providing 25 per cent of the investment,"says CARE Ratings. The budget also proposed to monetise at least 12 lots of highway bundles of over 6,000 Km before 2024, but CARE Ratings says the timely fructification of this proposal holds the key for the sector.

Though Bullet Train project figured again in the budget, it has been a laggard in implementation. While it is envisaged to operate 15 passenger trains and re-development of four stations on PPP basis, the low rate of success in the past does not inspire confidence.

In line with the budget thrust to rural infrastructure, Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) allocations were up 39 per cent to 19,000 crore, even as achievement ratio has fallen by 74 per cent in 2019-20 from 94 per cent in 2016-17, making the budgeted target for fiscal 2021 aggressive. Moreover, rural road construction targets over the next five years under PMGSY III are lower at 125,000 km, compared with 218,000 km constructed over the past five years.

Vimal Kejriwal, MD & CEO of KEC International says, "The budget’s infra focus is expected to provide a significant fillip to KEC. Allocation towards power and renewable energy, and transport infrastructure, upgradation of stations and developing solar in railways, setting up of 100 new airports, 5 new Smart cities and linking one lakh gram panchayats with BharatNet augurs well for our businesses."

CRISIL Research’s analysis of 106 airports already awarded under UDAN reveals that 62 of these remain non-operational due to lack of basic airport infrastructure. An estimated capex of Rs 4,500-5,000 crore is needed for their revival. Thus, plan for 100 more airports would be achieved only with a lag.

Overall, tax exemptions for sovereign funds to increase foreign investor participation across infrastructure sectors is a positive with investments already visible in roads, power and airports.

Power sector too has got some nudge in the budget. Sabyasachi Majumdar, Senior Vice President & Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA Ltd., says, "Shutting down of old thermal power plants will shift generation to newer generation thermal projects and thus provide a moderate boost to their plant load factors (PLF). Abolition of dividend distribution tax and lower tax rates will encourage fresh investments in the power sector, especially renewable energy and transmission sectors."

Housing
Budgetary allocation for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) at Rs 27,500 crore is up by 9 per cent over the last fiscal’s RE. PMAY-Urban has an overall target of constructing 1.12 crore houses by 2022. Of these, 1.03 crore houses have been sanctioned as of January 2020. PMAY-Rural has an overall target of 2.95 crore, of which about 0.9 crore units stand completed as of December 2019.

From the affordable housing buyer’s point of view, the additional deduction of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for interest paid on loans taken has now been extended till March 31, 2021.

Hardik Agrawal, CEO of Radha Madhav Developers says, "This budget stimulates the supply of affordable houses a tax holiday is provided on the profits earned by developers of affordable housing project approved by 31st March, 2020. Even in order to minimize suffering in real-estate transactions and provide relief to the sector, FM proposed to increase the limit of transaction from 5% to 10% (of deviation from circle price for tax scrutiny). Overall this was a consoling budget."

Malady & remedy
What is it that made this budget special? It has come in the backdrop of growth deceleration for six consecutive quarters driven by low growth in consumption and investment. The burden of two failed budgets presented in 2019 – before and after the general elections – were also weighing on the Finance Minister. Pre-poll sops were targeted towards the poor and farmers, while the post-poll budget targeted at the companies and businesses.

A drop in private consumption growth played a big role in bringing down GDP growth to an 11-year low. Private consumption growth slowed to 5.8 per cent in fiscal 2020, from 7.2 per cent in fiscal 2019. A dent to incomes, declining household savings ratio and higher household leverage have kept the consumer’s risk aversion high.

Crisil in its analysis of demand side impact of the budget, projected that some support to rural demand was expected from higher allocation to schemes like PMGSY and PMAY, which will augment incomes. "PM Kisan spending for fiscal 2021 has been maintained at the previous fiscal’s budgetary level, but the focus should be on ensuring that part of the amount does not remain unspent," Crisil suggested. Investment growth dropped to one per cent in fiscal 2020 from 9.8 per cent in fiscal 2019. While private investments have been weak, the government’s ability to fund capex also remains constrained. The budget focus on infrastructure spending will support investment to an extent as central PSU investments are projected to decline, says Crisil. However, the rating agency did not exude the same kind of confidence in growth of private investments during in the next fiscal.

Government consumption spending, mostly on the social sector schemes, supported growth in fiscal 2020. "The government has continued to focus on social sector schemes (including those that augment rural incomes, such as PMGSY, PMAY, NREGA and PM Kisan)," Crisil added.

The budget’s support to MSMEs is a "mild positive" for exports going ahead, says Crisil. Decelerating global growth, falling trade intensity, and uncertainties from the US-China trade war are hurting India’s exports. India’s exports is estimated to fall 2 per cent in fiscal 2020, compared with a growth of 12 per cent in fiscal 2019.

However, the budget is a mixed bag for the current problem in the financial sector. While bringing some relief to the beleaguered non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) by expanding scope for recovery of their bad loans is positive, seeking to remove exemptions in personal income-tax is expected to reduce savings and insurance premiums. However, increasing the bank deposit insurance coverage from Rs one lakh to Rs 5 lakh is expected to increase the confidence of bank depositors, which touched its ebb with the recent failure of co-operative banks.

Worst is not closer than it appears
For cement industry to thrive the overall economy has to be robust. The budget has pulled some levers feebly, that may not be enough to spur the economic growth pace. When private sector is not forthcoming to make investment, it is incumbent on the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to take steps to revive the economy. Even as RBI had cut the repo rate cumulatively by 135 basis points (bps) through calendar 2019, banks have cut lending rates only by just 40-50 bps.

Crisil says, "In the absence of growth kickers, growth pick-up in fiscal 2021 is expected to be largely led by the base effect and supported by somewhat better farm income (led by a good rabi crop) and the delayed impact of monetary easing. Critical to this forecast is the assumption of a normal monsoon in calendar 2020 and benign global crude oil prices."

Kapil Gupta of Edelweiss Research says, "Overall, from a business cycle standpoint, aggregate fiscal push is missing. We think, given weak demand, consolidation could have waited. Thus, the economy, at best, will see a modest bounce aided by liquidity easing, normalisation in farm cash flows amid rising food inflation, and stabilisation in exports. But the virtuous economic cycle may still be distant."

This kind of consensus among analysts leave us with the question: How long we have to wait to see economic revival?

Infrastructure in Budget

100 more airports to be developed by 2024 to support UDAAN Scheme

Rs 1.7 lakh crore allocated towards transport infrastructure

Development of 5 new smart cities

Further incentivising and boosting affordable housing

Increased focus on inland water ways

Allowing sovereign funds to invest in infrastructure 15 new passenger trains through PPP route

Past announcements continued:

Grand plans announced in the past: National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) & Accelerated Development of Highways

Provision of Rs. 22,000 cr already provided to support the NIP, to cater to equity support to infra finance companies like IIFCL and a subsidiary of NIIF

Bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad

Taxation Measures
For corporates/ cooperative societies

Concessional tax rate for cooperative societies proposed (from 30% to 22%)

Concessional tax rate of 15% to new domestic companies extended to electricity generation companies

Dividend distribution tax removed; dividend will now be taxed in the hands of individuals

Tax concession for sovereign wealth funds of foreign governments

– BS SRINIVASALU REDDY

Concrete

ABB Extends Drive Lifespan at ACC Cement Plant Without Production Shutdown

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2026

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ABB reconditions 25 drives at ACC’s Jamul cement plant, avoiding 16 tonnes of CO₂ emissions while improving reliability through predictive maintenance.
Chhattisgarh

ABB has signed a multi-year Motion OneCare service agreement with ACC Limited, part of the Adani Group, to modernise ageing industrial drives at its Jamul cement plant in Chhattisgarh, improving operational reliability while avoiding approximately 16 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions without disrupting production.

Announced on 27 October 2026, the agreement combines scheduled drive reconditioning, digital condition monitoring and energy appraisals to extend equipment lifespan, improve plant uptime and optimise maintenance costs. The initiative marks a shift from conventional equipment replacement towards a more resource-efficient approach to industrial asset management.

The first phase, completed in April 2026, involved the on-site reconditioning of 25 ABB ACS800 variable speed drives without a major plant shutdown. By retaining the existing cabinets and restoring the drive modules rather than replacing entire panels, ABB helped ACC preserve capital investment, minimise material consumption and avoid approximately 16 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

A second phase, covering an additional 25 ACS800 drive modules, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. The programme is designed to improve long-term equipment reliability while allowing maintenance activities to be aligned with the plant’s operational schedules.

The ACS800 drives, installed at Jamul in 2010, had delivered more than a decade of near-continuous service in demanding cement manufacturing conditions. However, ageing electrical components and changing fault patterns had begun to affect their ability to meet the plant’s reliability requirements.

Rather than opting for complete equipment replacement, ACC engaged ABB’s certified engineers to conduct a comprehensive asset health assessment. The evaluation found that the existing cabinets and enclosures remained structurally sound, making targeted reconditioning a technically viable and cost-effective alternative to full replacement.

Drawing on nearly two decades of experience with ACC’s equipment and operating requirements, ABB developed a maintenance framework tailored to the plant’s shutdown windows, budget cycles and production priorities.

The Motion OneCare agreement incorporates planned equipment restoration, condition-based monitoring and energy assessments, enabling ACC to adopt a more systematic approach to maintaining critical electrical infrastructure.

As part of the programme, ACC has implemented ABB Ability™ Digital Powertrain Insights to monitor drive performance and identify emerging operational issues before they result in equipment failures.

The digital platform provides continuous visibility into parameters such as temperature, current, vibration and fault patterns. These insights allow maintenance teams to detect early signs of equipment deterioration, schedule interventions more effectively and reduce the likelihood of unexpected downtime.

Amit Gupta, Local Division Manager, Motion Services, ABB India, said: “We know what unchecked wear costs over time: a small inefficiency that eats away at ROI for years. At Jamul, the evidence pointed clearly to assets with productive life still in them.”

“Our job was to restore them properly and give the team the tools to stay ahead of the next problem. At ABB, we don’t just fix what fails. We want to protect what works.”

The initiative also demonstrates the growing relevance of circular economy principles in cement manufacturing, where extending the service life of existing industrial equipment can reduce capital expenditure, material consumption and the environmental impact associated with manufacturing replacement components.

According to ABB, drive reconditioning can reduce lifecycle emissions by 50 to 80 per cent compared with complete equipment replacement. By preserving functional components and restoring critical modules, the process helps retain the economic and material value of existing industrial assets.

The addition of energy appraisals in subsequent phases will further expand the programme beyond equipment restoration, enabling ACC to assess drive performance, identify energy-saving opportunities and improve operating efficiency.

For cement manufacturers, variable speed drives play an important role in controlling motors and optimising energy consumption across production processes. Maintaining their reliability and efficiency is essential for minimising operational disruptions and managing electricity costs.

Vinod Bahety, CEO – Cement Business, Adani Group, said: “Moving from reactive firefighting to a structured maintenance plan was exactly what this operation needed. That kind of peace of mind doesn’t come easily. It comes from a partner that understands how your business runs.”

“We didn’t need a full system overhaul; we needed expert support, actionable insights, and a plan we could execute around our schedule. That’s what we got.”

The project supports ACC’s broader strategy to improve manufacturing efficiency through digital transformation, preventive maintenance and sustainable asset management.

ACC, a subsidiary of Ambuja Cements and part of the Adani Group, operates 20 cement manufacturing facilities and 119 ready-mix concrete plants across India. The company has been advancing initiatives focused on renewable energy, circular economy practices and technology-driven operational improvements.

Alongside Ambuja Cements, ACC is part of a large-scale building materials business committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with near-term and net-zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

The Jamul initiative aligns with these sustainability objectives by demonstrating how equipment life extension and digital monitoring can contribute to resource efficiency without requiring large-scale replacement of existing infrastructure.

ABB, a global technology company specialising in electrification and automation, brings more than 140 years of industrial expertise and employs approximately 110,000 people worldwide. Its Motion Services business supports industrial customers through equipment maintenance, modernisation, digital monitoring and lifecycle management solutions.

The agreement also reflects a wider shift in industrial maintenance practices, with manufacturers increasingly adopting predictive technologies to improve equipment availability, manage costs and reduce unplanned shutdowns.

With 25 drives already reconditioned and another 25 scheduled for restoration, ABB’s collaboration with ACC illustrates how targeted modernisation, digital monitoring and circular maintenance practices can extend the operational life of critical equipment while supporting more efficient and sustainable cement production.

Concrete

ABB Drives Digital Transformation at TCI MAX Cement Plant in J&K

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2026

admin

ABB deploys advanced process control at TCI MAX’s Srinagar cement plant to improve clinker quality, energy efficiency and sustainable manufacturing.

Kashmir

ABB has deployed its advanced process control technology at TCI MAX Cement’s Srinagar facility in Jammu and Kashmir, marking the region’s first reported implementation of advanced process control (APC) in cement manufacturing and strengthening efforts towards more efficient, digitally enabled production.

Announced on 5 November 2026, the deployment of ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer at the facility, operated by Trumboo Industries Pvt. Ltd., aims to improve process stability, clinker quality, energy efficiency and overall plant productivity. The implementation forms part of TCI MAX’s strategy to modernise its manufacturing operations through automation and digital technologies.

Following the integration of ABB’s advanced process control solution and supporting IT infrastructure, TCI MAX has reported improvements in operational productivity, product quality and sustainability-related performance indicators. The technology focuses on optimising the cement pyro process, a critical stage of production involving high-temperature processing and clinker formation.

Waseem Ahmed Trumboo, Director, Trumboo Industries Pvt. Ltd., said: “Introducing advanced process control at TCI MAX is an important step in how we are evolving our operations. Our focus is on improving the stability and efficiency of our processes while maintaining consistent clinker quality. We have been encouraged by the performance of the solution during commissioning and by the support from the ABB team, and we look forward to realizing its full potential.”

ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer combines advanced process control, model predictive control (MPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) to continuously monitor and optimise manufacturing operations. By analysing process conditions, predicting operational behaviour and automatically adjusting key parameters, the system enables more consistent production while reducing process variability.

In cement manufacturing, maintaining stable pyro-processing conditions is essential for achieving uniform clinker quality and optimising thermal energy consumption. Fluctuations in operating parameters can affect fuel efficiency, production output and product consistency.

The deployment is designed to address these challenges through real-time process optimisation, helping operators maintain more stable kiln operations while improving the utilisation of fuel, electricity and raw materials.

Kapil Agarwal, Senior Vice President and Local Division Manager, Process Industries Division, ABB India, said: “Cement producers are increasingly looking to adopt digital technologies to achieve greater consistency and efficiency while addressing their sustainability priorities. ABB Ability™ Expert Optimizer brings advanced process control and deep cement process expertise together to help operators make their processes more stable and efficient. We are pleased to support TCI MAX as it takes this important step in its digital transformation.”

The technology also supports sustainability objectives by optimising fuel consumption, improving electrical energy efficiency and minimising process waste. More stable operations can contribute to lower energy intensity and reduced emissions associated with cement production.

For TCI MAX, the investment represents a move towards data-driven manufacturing, where automated control systems complement operator expertise to improve production performance and operational reliability.

The implementation is particularly significant for Jammu and Kashmir’s cement industry, as it introduces advanced process optimisation technology to a regional manufacturing facility. Its deployment could demonstrate the potential for wider adoption of digital automation across cement plants seeking to modernise their operations.

The project builds on ABB’s experience in delivering advanced process control solutions to cement manufacturers worldwide. Through the integration of industrial automation, predictive technologies and process engineering expertise, the company supports manufacturers in improving resource efficiency and maintaining consistent production quality.

As cement producers face increasing pressure to manage energy costs, improve productivity and reduce their environmental footprint, technologies such as AI-enabled process control and predictive optimisation are becoming important components of plant modernisation strategies.

ABB’s Expert Optimizer provides a platform for addressing these priorities by enabling automated adjustments based on changing process conditions, reducing reliance on manual intervention and supporting more efficient plant operation.

ABB, a global technology company specialising in electrification and automation, has more than 140 years of industrial experience and approximately 110,000 employees worldwide. Its Automation business employs around 26,000 people and provides technologies and services across process, hybrid and maritime industries.

The TCI MAX deployment reinforces ABB’s growing role in the digital transformation of cement manufacturing in India, where improving process efficiency and reducing energy consumption remain critical to the industry’s long-term sustainability.

With the advanced process control system now implemented at its Srinagar facility, TCI MAX aims to build on the initial operational improvements and further optimise production efficiency, clinker consistency and environmental performance.

Concrete

Ramco Cements’ Hard Worker Wins Eight Awards at ‘Love of Advertising Awards 2026’

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2026

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Ramco Cements’ Hard Worker brand wins eight awards for excellence in advertising, packaging and brand identity at the Love of Advertising Awards 2026.

Hyderabad

The Ramco Cements Limited’s construction chemicals brand, Hard Worker, has secured eight awards at the Love of Advertising Awards 2026, recognising its creative excellence across television, digital advertising, packaging design and brand identity.

Organised by the Advertising Club of Trivandrum, the awards were presented at a ceremony held at The Leela Raviz, Kovalam, on 24 October 2026. The recognition highlights Hard Worker’s integrated marketing strategy and its efforts to establish a distinctive presence in India’s competitive construction chemicals market.

The eight awards span multiple creative categories, reflecting the brand’s approach to combining product-focused communication with engaging storytelling, humour and innovative design. Through its campaigns, Hard Worker has sought to simplify technical product benefits and make construction chemicals more accessible and relatable to consumers and construction professionals.

Built around the philosophy of “Hard-working products for hardworking people”, the brand focuses on communicating practical product advantages through memorable advertising narratives while maintaining a consistent identity across different marketing platforms.

Its campaigns for Ramco Hard Worker Eco Plaster and Tile Fix have been central to this approach. The Eco Plaster campaign highlights water conservation through the product’s self-curing properties, positioning it as a solution that supports more efficient construction practices. Meanwhile, Tile Fix promotes specialised tile-fixing solutions by presenting their practical benefits through relatable situations and creative storytelling.

Beyond advertising, Hard Worker has invested in distinctive packaging and brand identity development to improve product recognition and maintain consistency across customer touchpoints. This integrated approach has helped the brand differentiate itself in a category where marketing communication has traditionally focused on technical specifications and functional performance.

A V Dharmakrishnan, CEO, Ramco Cements, said, “Winning eight awards at the Love of Advertising Awards is a proud moment for Ramco Cements and the Hard Worker team. We believe that building a strong brand requires not only quality products but also the ability to communicate their value in a compelling and differentiated manner. Hard Worker’s journey reflects our commitment to combining product performance with innovative marketing to create meaningful connections with our customers and strengthen our presence in the construction chemicals market.”

The recognition comes as building materials manufacturers increasingly focus on brand differentiation, product awareness and customer engagement to strengthen their position in the construction chemicals segment.

By using humour and storytelling to explain product applications and benefits, Hard Worker aims to bridge the communication gap between technical construction solutions and the practical requirements of contractors, applicators and end-users.

Balaji K. Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, Ramco Cements, said, “Hard Worker was conceived to bring a fresh perspective to the construction chemicals category, where product communication has traditionally been functional and technical. Our endeavour has been to break through the clutter with distinctive ideas, humour and storytelling, while keeping the product proposition at the heart of every campaign. The recognition across TV and digital advertising, packaging design and brand identity design demonstrates our integrated approach to building the brand. These eight awards are an encouraging recognition of the creative thinking and collaborative effort behind Hard Worker’s marketing initiatives.”

The awards add to Hard Worker’s growing portfolio of creative recognitions and reinforce Ramco Cements’ emphasis on integrating product innovation with strategic marketing.

The brand’s communication initiatives also reflect a wider shift in the construction materials industry, where manufacturers are increasingly adopting consumer-focused marketing strategies to improve product understanding and strengthen relationships with construction professionals.

With its portfolio of construction chemicals, Hard Worker aims to address evolving requirements for durability, application efficiency and construction quality. Its marketing efforts seek to complement these product attributes by building stronger awareness and encouraging the adoption of specialised construction solutions.

Ramco Cements, one of India’s established cement manufacturers, operates across cement and allied building solutions. Through Hard Worker, the company is expanding its presence in the construction chemicals segment with products designed to enhance performance, quality and durability in modern construction applications.

The latest recognition strengthens Hard Worker’s brand visibility and underscores the growing importance of creative communication in promoting technical building materials. Ramco Cements intends to continue combining product development with distinctive marketing initiatives to support the brand’s growth in India’s construction chemicals market.