Displaying items by tag: India
India: Sanghi Industries has received shareholder approval to supply its cement and clinker to ACC and Ambuja Cements. Additionally, Sanghi Industries will begin to purchase of coal from fellow Adani Group subsidiary Adani Enterprises, according to the Economic Times newspaper. Under the new arrangements, ACC and Ambuja Cements will sell Sanghi Industries’ cement and clinker under their own brands, at a price 10% above production cost. This is reportedly below industry pricing standards for comparable deals of 25 - 30% higher pricing over costs.
Adani Group subsidiary Ambuja Cements acquired a 57% stake in Sanghi Industries on 5 December 2023.
India: Ramco Cements reported 5% growth in sales in the third quarter of the 2024 financial year (1 October – 31 December 2023), to US$254m. Rising cement volumes – up by 9.9% to 4Mt – helped to drive the growth in sales. Despite weather-related disruptions, Ramco Cements raised its earnings before interest, depreciation, taxation, and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 37% to US$48.4m. A 28% reduction in fuel prices to US$138/t of cement spurred earnings growth. Cement capacity utilisation during the quarter fell quarter-on-quarter to 74% to 82% previously.
Grasim Industries’ cement sales growth contributes to rise in earnings in third quarter of 2024 financial year
09 February 2024India: In the third quarter of the 2024 financial year (1 October – 31 December 2023), Grasim Industries’ earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 34% to US$620m. The Hindu Business Line newspaper has reported that the company partly attributed this to an increased sales contribution from its cement subsidiary UltraTech Cement. Nonetheless, Grasim Industries’ net profit dropped by 42% year-on-year in the quarter, to US$313m.
Tribunal orders insolvency proceedings against Vadraj Cement
05 February 2024India: The National Company Law Tribunal has initiated a corporate insolvency resolution process for Vadraj Cement. The former cement producer defaulted on US$10.5m in debts owed to Punjab National Bank. Mint News has reported that Vadraj Cement has total debts of US$843m.
India: Ambuja Cements recorded sales of US$2.92bn in the first nine months of the 2024 financial year, up by 5.2% year-on-year. The company's net income was US$304m, almost double the US$154m it recorded in the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
India: Shree Cement’s sales were US$2.27bn in the first nine months of the 2024 financial year, up by 17% year-on-year from US$1.94bn in the first nine months of the previous financial year. Its net income also rose, more than doubling to US$207m from US$89.8m.
US: US cement plants produced 91Mt of cement in 2023, according to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This corresponds to a year-on-year decline of 2.2% from 93Mt in 2022. The figure places the US in fourth globally in cement production volumes, behind China with 2.1Bnt (in line with 2022 levels), India with 410Mt (up by 7.9% year-on-year) and Vietnam with 110Mt (down by 8.3%).
Enforcement Directorate searches The India Cements locations
01 February 2024India: The Indian Enforcement Directorate has conducted searches at locations associated with The India Cements. The directorate is seeking evidence of alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Business Today Online News has reported that the current scope of suspected violations totals US$30 – 36m.
India Cements has yet to comment on the investigation.
Neeraj Akhoury appointed as the chair of the National Council for Cement and Building Materials
31 January 2024India: The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) has appointed Neeraj Akhoury as its chair following a meeting of the board of governors. Akhoury is also the president of the Cement Manufacturers’ Association and the managing director Shree Cement, according to the Press Trust of India. He holds over 30 years experience in the cement and steel sectors with positions held at Tata Steel, Lafarge India, LafargeHolcim, ACC, Ambuja Cements and Shree Cement in countries including India, France, Nigeria and Bangladesh.
The NCCBM is a research and development organisation under the administrative control of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade that is in turn run by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
G Ohm Prakash appointed as head of Hemadri Cement
31 January 2024India: Hemadri Cement has appointed G Ohm Prakash as its chief executive officer (CEO). He holds over 10 years of professional experience in marketing and sales roles across the cement, real estate, media and travel sectors. He holds a postgraduate qualification in Brand Advertising Management from the Indian Institute of Management in Tiruchirappalli.
Hemadri Cement operates a cement plant at Jaggayyapet in Andra Pradesh. The plant was originally commissioned in 1985.