Displaying items by tag: India
Adani Group takes US$2.33bn in new loans since publication of Hindenburg Research report
08 June 2023India: Adani Group has taken a total US$2.33bn-worth of new loans over the two-and-a-half month period since the publication of a report into the group's activities by US-based shortseller Hindenburg Research on 24 January 2023. The report concluded with a finding of 'numerous issues of suspected fraud' by Adani Group. Adani Group explained at the time that all findings were 'stale, baseless and discredited.' The Times of India newspaper has reported that the group's net debt rose by 17% year-on-year to US$22.6bn on 8 June 2023. Adani Group's energy sector subsidiaries raised US$2.01bn-worth (86%) of the debt.
Adani Group completely paid off loans used in its US$6.4bn acquisition of Holcim India on 6 June 2023.
JK Lakshmi Cement named Grey Cement 'Superbrand'
08 June 2023India: Superbrands Media India named JK Lakshmi Cement as its 'Superbrand' in the Grey Cement category at the Superbrand 2023 - 2024 awards on 7 June 2023, the Orissa Diary newspaper has reported. The producer beat its competitors across numerous categories that measure branding success.
President and director Shri Arun Shukla said "This accolade serves as a resounding validation of our steadfast commitment to delivering cement products of unparalleled quality and our ceaseless endeavours to reiterate the robustness and dependability of our brand. We wholeheartedly express our deepest gratitude to our esteemed customers and valued partners for their resolute trust and support, which have played an instrumental role in propelling us to this notable achievement."
India: Adani Cement has withdrawn its membership of the Indian cement industry association, the Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA). Adani Cement is India’s second biggest cement producer. The Economic Times newspaper has reported that ACC and Ambuja Cements, which Adani Cement acquired in September 2022, have not shared their production and sales data with the CMA for ‘a few years.’
Police raid fake cement factory in Uttarakhand
07 June 2023India: Uttarakhand police successfully raided a fake cement blending and bagging plant in the state’s Udham Singh Nagar District. The Hindustan Times newspaper has reported that police recovered 1250 bags of fake cement bearing ACC and UltraTech Cement branding, as well as further empty bags. They arrested one suspect at the scene.
India: JK Cement has secured in-principle approval from its board of directors to enter into a share purchase agreement for 100% of shares in Toshali Cements. The Economic Times has reported the value of the agreement as US$19m.
Toshali Cements operates the 200,000t/yr Ampavalli cement plant in Odisha and the 435,000t/yr Choudwar grinding plant, also in Odisha. JK Cement said that its acquisition of Toshali Cements will help the group to expand into Eastern India.
India: Adani Group repaid loans worth a total of US$2.65bn on 6 June 2023, with a total interest payment of US$700m. Accord Fintech News has reported that the sum includes prepayment of loans worth US$700m used to acquire Holcim India, alongside other loans. This completes the group's prepayment of loans taken for the acquisition, which it completed in September 2022.
India: JK Organisation and Nirma Group have submitted non-binding offers to acquire 40 - 72% stakes in Sanghi Cement. The Economic Times newspaper has reported that promoters value the company at US$726m.
Shree Cement also previously entered non-binding talks to acquire Sanghi Cement on 29 April 2023.
India: Shree Cement has won an auction for the Chandrapur limestone mine in Maharashtra. The mine has reserves of 50Mt of limestone, and is equipped to meet the raw materials consumption of a 1.5Mt/yr integrated cement plant. The mine occupies a 105 hectare site close to the Chandrapur and Warora railheads, 200km from Nagpur. Shree Cement will reportedly consider building new sidings to connect the quarry to the national rail network.
The Economic Times newspaper has reported that Shree Cement bid to pay taxes of 27% of the value of limestone extracted from the quarry, in addition to mining royalties. The local price of cement-grade limestone was US$5.76/t in May 2023.
India: Local people have launched a protest outside Wonder Cement's Kherwas grinding plant in Madhya Pradesh. The Free Press Journal has reported that the protestors are requesting that the company provide more jobs to people from the plant's host community. They stated their intent in memoranda submitted to the plant management and the local government. Local rules require companies operating plants in the area to appoint applicants from the local community to 75% of plant jobs.
Wonder Cement is a subsidiary of Rajasthan-based RK Group.
Shiva Cement commissions Sundergarh cement plant
01 June 2023India: Shiva Cement has commissioned its new US$185m Sundergarh cement plant in Odisha. Pragativadi News has reported that the new plant has an integrated capacity of 1.05Mt/yr and an additional grinding capacity of 0.27Mt/yr.
In October 2022, parent company JSW Cement announced plans to increase its total installed capacity by 47% to 25Mt/yr.