Economy & Market

Profit margins in other commodities are better than those in cement.

Published

3 years ago

October 14, 2021

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Lower profit margins with rising expenses have made dealers wonder if continuing in cement dealing is really a good business option. While some are shutting shop, other are barely surviving.Rajesh Parwal, Properitor, Bharat Traders talks to ICR about issues that ail the sector.

Tell us about your dealership business.

We are in the business of dealing in cement since the last 17 years. We are the exclusive dealers for UltraTech Cement in Pune district. We stock products of different grades by the companies.

Why is cement selling business getting tough?

First is that the demand is less. Builders are not starting any new projects. Earlier they had three four phased projects; now they are barely able to finish the first phase. Most of them believe that the markets will pick up only after the 2014 elections. So they are waiting for the markets to pick up pace. Some cement manufacturers have started the DCS (Direct Consumer Service) initiative; here the consumers and the manufacturer are connected directly. Dealers are not mediators in all the deals. However, bypassing dealers is also affecting the business.

Have spiraling cement prices affected the business?

No, I donÂ´t think so. Cement has hovered around Rs 290-310 in the last two-three years. We have seen growth even when prices were high. So, high price of cement alone may not be the reason behind the slowdown. However, with the rising cost of fuel, transport cost and the sluggishness of the market, the price seems high now.

Have dealers taken any steps to safeguard the business?

Yes, we had a dialogue with top cement manufacturers, requesting them to include us in their growth. We have suggested that the manufactures could sell directly to the consumer if the sales volume is more than 500 tonnes. For volumes below that, we must be included.

How is the market reacting to the sluggishness?

In Pune at least, 10 to 15 top dealers have closed down their shops and diversified to other areas. In cement, the margins are at the most upto 1 -2 per cent. Today that is not sufficient. Our expenses have increased with time. The cost of fuel, cost of labour for loading and unloading, cost of having employee for clerical work, etc, have all gone up but the profit margin has remained the same. Profit margins in other commodities are better than than in cement.

If you see the profit margins in other businesses, for example in food commodities, it is at least 8 per cent. Naturally then, it doesn`t make much of business sense to continue in cement dealing.

How is the RMC market impacting your business?

Earlier, 70 per cent of the cement consumed was sold in bags and the remaining 30 per cent was consumed in bulk by RMC sector. Now, 45 per cent goes to RMC in bulk while 55 per cent is sold in bags. Very soon we will see a complete switchover, the way we saw in Mumbai, where 70 per cent cement will be consumed by RMC and the remaining 30 per cent will come from dealers. Dealers cannot participate in this transaction as the RMC manufacturer gets in touch with the manufacturer directly.

Economy & Market

RAHSTA to showcase cutting-edge road construction tech, says NCC Director

Published

23 hours ago

April 19, 2024

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14th RAHSTA (Roads and Highways Sustainable Technologies & Advancement) Expo – India’s biggest road exhibition – will be held as a part 10th India Construction Festival 2024 at Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai, from October 9-10, 2024.

April 10, 2024, Delhi

“The RAHSTA expo will offer extensive information about the latest technology and methods for constructing high-quality roads. Currently, the challenge facing the roads industry is to uphold road quality and execute projects efficiently. RAHSTA will provide opportunities for everyone to learn about the latest worldwide technologies and equipment available, undoubtedly offering valuable insights to those involved in the roads sector,” said Vinod Kumar Yadav, Director – Transport, NCC, and former Chairman, Railway Board, while speaking during the launch of a road show – 14th RAHSTA Expo, which will be held from October 9-10, 2024, at Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai.

RAHSTA, which stands for Roads and Highways Sustainable Technologies & Advancement, is a dedicated event to the world of road construction equipment, technology, and sustainability.

“The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has constructed 12,349 km of national highways in 2023-24 – the second highest achievement! In 2020-21 a record 13,327 kms had been constructed, the highest so far. The experience of a well-constructed road is no accident but a badly constructed one can cause many,” stated Pratap Padode, Founder, FIRST Construction Council, a pioneering infrastructure-driven council focused on advancing India’s infrastructure development.

Also speaking at the launch, former Managing Director of Ashok Leyland & JCB, Vipin Sondhi, also Chairman of RAHSTA Expo Committee underscored the need for specialised platforms like RAHSTA Expo for the burgeoning road construction industry.

Ashish Kumar Singh, CGM – Finance, National Highway Authority of India; RK Pandey, former NHAI member and Member of RAHSTA Expo Committee; SK Nirmal, Secretary General, Indian Roads Congress and Member of RAHSTA Expo Committee; Prof Satish Pandey, Principal Scientist, CSIR-Central Road Research Institute, Ministry of Science and Technology; Ankit Jain, CFO, Cube Highways Growth Advisors, Vijay Agrawal, Executive Director, Equirus Capital; and Subodh Dixit, Former Executive Director, Shapoorji Pallonji, participated in a round table discussion on the new BOT proposals.

The launch function at PHD Chamber for RAHSTA Expo was attended by who’s who of the infrastructure industry such Lt Gen Harpal Singh, President, International Road Federation and former Engineer-in-Chief, Indian Army; Akhilesh Srivastava, Road Safety Ambassador, International Road Federation; Sandeep Singh, Managing Director, Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery; Rajesh Menon, Director General, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers; Raman Kapil, President, Tata Projects; Anand Sundaresan, Director, Ammann India; Dheeraj Panda, Managing Director, Ammann India; Rajan Aiyer, Managing Director, Trimble; Satin Sachdeva, Founder & Secretary General, Construction Equipment Rental Association; Dr Swamy, Chairman, The Institution of Civil Engineers and Dr Ranjeet Mehta, Executive Director of PHDCCI, among others.

Organised by the FIRST Construction Council, the RAHSTA Expo 2024, which will be held as part of 10th India Construction Festival, will bring together industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders for two days of exploration, collaboration, and transformation.

Besides RAHSTA Expo 2024, the India Construction Festival 2024 will include the following:

Exhibitors can use RAHSTA Expo 2024 to showcase their construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines, and construction vehicles to a targeted audience of industry professionals. RAHSTA Expo will be an ideal platform to connect with key decision-makers, generate leads, and grow business in this rapidly expanding market.

Contact:

For exhibitor enquiries (for RAHSTA Expo), contact Mr Sujoy on Mob: +91 86577 95881, or Email: sujoy.g@asappinfoglobal.com

For delegate enquiries (for conferences), contact Mr Amar on Mob: +91 86524 93000, or Email: delegate1@asappinfoglobal.com

Economy & Market

RAHSTA will drive road construction innovation: Sundaresan

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

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April 10, 2024, Delhi

“We believe RAHSTA is the ideal platform for our presence, and we are confident in our participation in the upcoming expo scheduled for October,” said Anand Sundaresan, Director, Ammann India, while speaking during the launch of a road show – 14th RAHSTA Expo, which will be held from October 9-10, 2024, at Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai. RAHSTA, which stands for Roads and Highways Sustainable Technologies & Advancement, is a dedicated event to the world of road construction equipment, technology, and sustainability.

Sundaresan added, “We predominantly specialise in road construction machinery, such as asphalt plants, concrete batching plants, pavers, and rollers, among others. Additionally, we offer ancillary equipment like supers. With the government placing significant emphasis on infrastructure development, there is a substantial demand for road construction machinery. Particularly noteworthy is the growth witnessed in the last year (2023-2024), with a surge in orders. Moreover, the construction of airports is underway, necessitating equipment for runway construction. We perceive immense potential and opportunity for growth within the industry.”

“The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has constructed 12,349 km of national highways in 2023-24 – the second highest achievement! In 2020-21 a record 13,327 kms had been constructed, the highest so far. The experience of a well-constructed road is no accident but a badly constructed one can cause many,” stated Pratap Padode, Founder, FIRST Construction Council, a pioneering infrastructure-driven council focused on advancing India’s infrastructure development.

Padode was speaking at the launch of a road show – 14th RAHSTA Expo, which will be held from October 9-10, 2024, at Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai. RAHSTA, which stands for Roads and Highways Sustainable Technologies & Advancement, is a dedicated event to the world of road construction equipment, technology, and sustainability.

Speaking at the launch, former Managing Director of Ashok Leyland & JCB, Vipin Sondhi, also Chairman of RAHSTA Expo Committee underscored the need for specialised platforms like RAHSTA Expo for the burgeoning road construction industry.

Ashish Kumar Singh, CGM – Finance, National Highway Authority of India; RK Pandey, former NHAI member and Member of RAHSTA Expo Committee; SK Nirmal, Secretary General, Indian Roads Congress and Member of RAHSTA Expo Committee; Prof Satish Pandey, Principal Scientist, CSIR-Central Road Research Institute, Ministry of Science and Technology; Ankit Jain, CFO, Cube Highways Growth Advisors, Vijay Agrawal, Executive Director, Equirus Capital; and Subodh Dixit, Former Executive Director, Shapoorji Pallonji, participated in a round table discussion on the new BOT proposals.

The launch function at PHD Chamber for RAHSTA Expo was attended by who’s who of the infrastructure industry such Lt Gen Harpal Singh, President, International Road Federation and former Engineer-in-Chief, Indian Army; Akhilesh Srivastava, Road Safety Ambassador, International Road Federation; Sandeep Singh, Managing Director, Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery; Rajesh Menon, Director General, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers; Raman Kapil, President, Tata Projects; Anand Sundaresan, Director, Ammann India; Dheeraj Panda, Managing Director, Ammann India; Rajan Aiyer, Managing Director, Trimble; Satin Sachdeva, Founder & Secretary General, Construction Equipment Rental Association; Dr Swamy, Chairman, The Institution of Civil Engineers and Dr Ranjeet Mehta, Executive Director of PHDCCI, among others.

Besides RAHSTA Expo 2024, the India Construction Festival 2024 will include the following:

Contact:

For exhibitor enquiries (for RAHSTA Expo), contact Mr Sujoy on Mob: +91 86577 95881, or Email: sujoy.g@asappinfoglobal.com

For delegate enquiries (for conferences), contact Mr Amar on Mob: +91 86524 93000, or Email: delegate1@asappinfoglobal.com

Concrete

New appointment at TMEIC

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

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TMEIC Industrial Systems India, a Group company of TMEIC Corporation, Japan, has announced the appointment of Hidekazu Matsushima as the new Managing Director. Matsushima has been associated with Mitsubishi Electric FA division for domestic market in Japan since 1991 and been assigned in Industrial division in 1994, where he rolled out his mission of sales, marketing and business development of General industry (GI) such as paper, film, Oil & Gas, petrochemical, cement, food, automobile, semiconductor industries in Japan. During the establishment of TMEIC in Japan in 2003, he was assigned with the responsibility for domestic GI market Sales in Japan HQ, and then in plant and energy sales department.