Cement Sector Investment Hinges on Profitability: Report

30 Dec 2024 CW Team

The Indian cement industry must significantly boost its profitability, with EBITDA surpassing Rs 1,000 per tonne, to justify future investments, according to an IKIGAI Asset Manager report. Despite strong demand and consolidation, achieving this profitability requires substantial pricing support. Currently, the industry achieves an EBITDA of Rs 800 per tonne, with a post-tax return on capital employed (ROCE) of only 3 per cent after accounting for depreciation and capacity utilization. To justify incremental investments, profitability needs to double. The report also highlights challenges such as the expiration of over 25 per cent of limestone mines by 2035 and the need for enhanced efficiencies and better pricing strategies. Renewable energy costs, offering cheaper alternatives to grid power, could help improve margins. The report stresses that cement pricing power remains weak, with prices increasing by just 50 per cent in the past decade, far behind inflation in other sectors. The next phase of growth for the industry will depend on optimising pricing strategies, increasing green energy use, and enhancing operational efficiencies to sustain profitability. (ANI)

Infrastructure Transport

15 May 2025

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Set to Launch by 2028

India’s first bullet train is set to revolutionize high-speed travel along the western corridor, with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project aiming for a 2028 launch. This announcement marks a major milestone in India’s infrastructure goals, as it promises to reduce travel time between the two economic hubs from eight hours to just three.Spanning a planned 508-kilometre stretch, the corridor stands as a flagship example of Indo-Japanese collaboration in technology and engineering. Once operational, the train is expected to transform intercity mobility and place India among the select..

Mumbai-Gandhinagar Train Service Enhances Passenger Capacity

The Mumbai Central–Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express has increased its passenger capacity by adding four additional AC chair car coaches to meet the growing commuter demand on one of India’s busiest business corridors. This upgrade, effective from 11 May, raised the train’s seating capacity from 1,128 to 1,440 passengers, allowing it to serve 936 more passengers daily in both directions. The increase was described as a practical measure to accommodate the surging demand on the busy Mumbai–Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar route, which regularly operates at over 150 percent seat occupancy...

Delhi Plans 12 Sewage Plants to Clean Najafgarh Drain Efficiently

Delhi’s ambitious plan to improve the water quality of the Yamuna River has gained significant momentum as the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has begun work on 12 new sewage treatment plants (STPs) aimed at reducing the volume of untreated sewage being discharged from the Najafgarh Drain.This initiative forms part of the ongoing efforts to clean the Yamuna and restore the river’s health, which has long been a critical environmental issue for the national capital. Given the alarming pollution levels in the Yamuna, experts and officials consider this project a vital step toward addressing the persist..