Designed for Sustainability

UltraTech Concrete operates more than 100 RMC plants in 35 cities across India, all of which are capable of manufacturing the company´s entire range of products. Indian ready-mix concrete (RMC) demand is primarily driven by the real estate sector, accounting for 76 per cent of sales supported by the infrastructure and industrial segments, which represent around 17 per cent. Greater awareness of the benefits of RMC usage and a higher concentration of large-scale projects, coupled with demands on quality, timely delivery and limiting waste, are expected to drive demand levels going forward. In addition, space constraints at construction sites, together with pollution control measures by municipal authorities are encouraging the use of RMC. The growth story UltraTech Concrete is the largest RMC manufacturer in India with a nationwide presence established in less than two decades. With its first plant in 1998 in Hyderabad, the company had 20 RMC plants in the following year and added 35 more, the year after that. This coincided with the onset of the global financial downturn but the slowdown spurred the company to foster innovations that would meet the requirements of its large customer base. As such, UltraTech focused on providing customised solutions. The fiscal 2011-12 marked the launch of the company´s 100th RMC plant, situated in Marve, Mumbai. UltraTech Concrete now operates more than 100 RMC plants in 35 cities across India, all of which are capable of manufacturing the company´s entire range of products. Expert dispatch and tracking systems ensure optimum order booking, visibility and status of deliveries being made to the customers. All transit mixers are equipped with vehicle tracking systems, which maintain the quality of concrete in transit. Being a division of India´s leading cement producer enables UltraTech Concrete to source quality cement. Moreover, to ensure the availability of quality aggregates that meet international standards, UltraTech has developed integrated mining and crushing facilities. Technology and innovation State-of-the-art technology and innovation are the key factors behind UltraTech Concrete´s success. The company´s teams of engineers deep dive into their customers´ requirements and come out with the right concrete solutions that would suit their needs. UltraTech´s vision of being India´s preferred concrete solution provider is based on three pillars - differentiation in product through value-added concrete, differentiation in services through ´concrete on call´ and backward integration in aggregates to ensure sustainability. Application and durability The company has developed an array of products to support innovative design and construction trends. For example, it provides ´white-topping´ for the construction of durable and aesthetic roads.White-topping is the covering of an existing asphalt road with a layer of Portland cement concrete. It can be used on surfaces where traditional asphalt surfaces have failed due to rutting or general deterioration. The technology is considered sustainable due to its long life, while the reflective surfaces mean it is more energy-efficient. Moreover, white- topping is 100 per cent recyclable after its service life, making it a green choice. It also enables the conservation of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels and quarry aggregates. UltraTech recently supplied white-topping concrete for Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) Road in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and has successfully showcased its performance on a road, which is approximately 50 km in length. Sustainability is the key The company´s products - Duracon, Thermocon and Pervious - have been designed for sustainability and specific construction needs such as increasing strength post 28 days, improving the durability of structures and making them more impenetrable and resistant to chemical attacks.UltraTech through its efficient concrete designs uses supplementary cementitious materials thereby putting into use environmentally polluting material. LEED by example UltraTech is India´s first concrete company to meet the requirement of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and other green building rating systems by the Indian Green Building Council. It is the first commercial RMC manufacturer in India to adopt concrete recycling technology. The road ahead Increasing awareness of the benefits of RMC is helping to drive market development in India. As a result, market penetration has almost doubled from 5 per cent in 2007-08 to around 10-11 per cent in 2015-16. However, in comparison to the developed economies such as the US and China, where the figures are as high as 65-70 per cent, market acceptance in India remains low. UltraTech recognises the need for innovation and the importance of R&D to meet an expected increase in domestic demand in future. Product portfolio Thermocon: UltraTech Thermocon is produced using chilled water or ice flakes that helps control the temperature of the concrete and maintain it within acceptable limits. It considerably reduces the ill-effects of high temperature like thermal cracks, plastic shrinkage, faster drying of concrete, formation of cold joints, etc. Pervious: This is a special concrete with high porosity used for concrete flatwork application that allows water from precipitation or other sources to pass through, thereby reducing the runoff and ensuring recharge of ground water. It is ideal for pavements, alleys, driveways, parking areas, sidewalks, etc. Hypercon: This is a special concrete, produced by using multiple blends of cementitious materials along with advanced-quality super plasticisers. It is a boon for modern constructions that call for innovative sleek designs with maximum space utilisation. Stainless: This special concrete uses high-quality, corrosion-inhibiting agents that impart protection to the steel reinforcement by providing a protective coating to it, reducing the rate of corrosion of steel embedded in the concrete. The result - the steel stays strong for long and so does the entire structure. Décor: This coloured textured imprinted concrete is manufactured by using UV resistant colour hardener, which retains the true shades of the colour for a longer duration. Available in a variety of colours, it is relatively maintenance-free. Colourcon: This coloured concrete is available in a wide palette of fascinating colours with customised shades being made available as per architectural requirements. It uses consistent quality UV-resistant pigments that help in retaining the true colour or shades for a longer duration. Fibrecon: An enhanced crack-resistant and relatively ductile concrete, this is produced by using different types of fibres like polyester, polypropylene, glass and steel, etc, that minimise the problems of plastic shrinkage cracks of the concrete in the green stage and substantially improve its static and dynamic properties like flexural impact and tensile strength. Free Flow: This is produced by using high-quality ingredients including the latest fourth generation acrylic-based super plasticisers and viscosity-modifying agents that lend it a unique self-compacting feature, which in turn allows complicated, intricate and elegant designs without leaving any voids. Zip: This is a multipurpose premixed concrete, which is available in buckets, manufactured from superior quality cement, specially selected and graded sand, coarse aggregate and best-in-class high performance additives and measured quality of clean potable water. Foundation Plus: Designed as durable and impervious, this concrete is for all types of substructures and foundations. It is manufactured by mixing high-precision engineered cement, suitably graded fine coarse aggregates and special additives. Slab Plus: This product has been designed for all kinds of roofs and slabs. It is impervious, durable and has been designed by adding special additives and compounds that minimise chances of water seepage in the slab. Column Plus: This is a free-flowing, self-compacting concrete, specially designed for column applications, aimed at achieving early stripping times, better surface finish and extended placement duration. The product offers durable concrete, which is able to withstand water and CO2 ingress, and provides better corrosion resistant properties as compared to conventional mix. Duracon: This is made by careful proportioning of binder in order to control heat of hydration to help reduce micro-cracks and enhance the durability of the structure. Its superior durability makes it ideal for concrete roads and mass concreting jobs like foundation rafts. Litecon: This is a light weight concrete for non-load bearing elements such as roofs, architectural facing works and levelling courses that sustainably reduce the dead weight. This ingenious concrete is made by distributing foam or polystyrene beads in a uniform manner throughout a precisely designed mix. Rapid: This special concrete solution is designed to achieve high early strength, and hence, facilitates early stripping time. It is specially used in concrete repairs at busy traffic areas like roads, airports and runways.