Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary for ITE&C and Industries & Commerce Departments, Government of Telangana, to be the Guest of Honour at the Cement Expo Forum 2025, which will be held alongside Indian Cement Review Awards and Conference on March 5-6, 2025 at Taj Krishna, Hyderabad
Highlight of the Forum will be Fireside Chat, moderated by Pratap Padode, Author of “Tarmac to Towers: India’s Infrastructure Story”, with speakers like Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement; and KVB Reddy, MD & CEO, L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad.
More than 30 industry stalwarts will share their insights on the cement industry during Cement Expo Forum 2025
The event will see the participation of cement majors JK Cement, Shree Cement, JSW Cement, Star Cement, Orient Cement, JK Lakshmi Cement, Udaipur Cement Works, Shree Digvijay Cement, NCL Industries, KCP Ltd, etc.
February 28, 2025, Mumbai
With companies striving to streamline operations, expand geographic footprint and enhance their product portfolios, the Indian cement industry has experienced considerable consolidation in recent years, with major companies acquiring smaller firms to increase their market presence. While deals in 2024 were focused on the southern markets (which comprise nearly a third of domestic cement production), 2025 could see companies expand into other regions as well.
Against this background, FIRST Construction Council (an infrastructure think tank) - along with Indian Cement Review (ICR) - will host Cement Expo Forum 2025 at Taj Krishna, Hyderabad, on March 5-6, 2025, with the theme of “Growing Profitably”. The forum will be held alongside 10th Indian Cement Review Conference and 8th Indian Cement Review Awards, which recognise the contribution of the industry in nation building. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary for ITE&C and Industries & Commerce Departments, Government of Telangana, will be the Chief Guest of the event.
It is supported by organisations such as Cement Manufacturers’ Association of India (CMA), Global Cement & Concrete Association (GCCA), Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) and Indian Institute of Material Management (IIMM).
Highlighting the significance of Cement Expo Forum 2025, Pratap Padode, Founder & President, FIRST Construction Council, said, "India - the second largest producer of cement in the world - has witnessed significant consolidation in the cement industry following a series of acquisitions in the last couple of years. Today, the top five players hold about 62% market share, up from 45% in FY19. Due to uncertain market conditions, the industry often face operational challenges such as moderate capacity utilisation, lower sales realisation and declining margins. Hence, cement companies have to continuously focus on improving efficiency and reducing costs. With the theme of 'Growing Profitably', Cement Expo Forum 2025 will deliberate on ways to overcome market challenges and achieve desired profitability levels. It will also discuss strategies for net-zero path way for cement makers, who have set highly ambitious decarbonisation targets. With all stakeholders under one roof, the Forum will surely led the industry towards profitable, sustainable growth."
India is expected to add another 210-220 million tonne (MT) of cement capacity in the next five to six years. In this growth boom, adoption of cutting-edge technologies will be crucial for cement makes to stay competitive and meet environmental standards. Indian Cement Review Conference will address critical topics such as impact of consolidation on cement industry, sustainability initiatives, technologies for improving operational efficiency, changing market dynamics and winning strategies, among others.
Cement Expo Forum will bring together industry leaders, professionals, and decision-makers from across India’s cement and construction sectors. Over 1000 delegates, representing a wide spectrum of the industry, are expected to attend the Forum. More than 30 industry stalwarts will share their insights on the cement industry during Cement Expo Forum 2025. Some of the leading experts participating in the Cement Expo Forum 2025 include: Nilesh Narwekar (CEO, JSW Cement); Ulhas Parlikar (Global Consultant for Waste Management, Circular Economy, Policy Advocacy, AFRs & Co-processing); Rajakannu Manikandan (Dy Executive Director, Dalmia Cement); Lalit Raj Meena (President, Indian Institute of Material Management); Ashwani Pahuja (Chairman & Managing Director, NextCem Consulting); K N Rao (Corporate Head EHS, AFR Energy Sustainability, My Home Industries); Manoj Rustagi (EVP & CSO, JSW Cement); Kaustubh Phadke (India Head, Global Cement & Concrete Association); Kolluru Subramaniam (Professor, IIT Hyderabad); Raji Reddy (Director Finance & CTTI, National Academy of Construction); Gulshan Bajaj (VP – Technical Operations, Heidelberg Cement Group), Roopa Bhupatiraju (Executive Director, NCL Industries), Arun Shukla (President & Director, JK Lakshmi Cement); Naveen Kumar (Director, Udaipur Cement Works); etc.
Shell India is the Gold Partner of Cement Expo Forum 2025, while Ripik.ai is the Presentation Partner and Tata Steel is the Construction Partner for the Forum.
Fireside chat to discuss infra growth story
India's infrastructure story is a tale of transformation, from highways bridging once-remote regions to aviation networks serving millions. Over the past 25 years, this journey has been defined by remarkable milestones and notable challenges. The Fireside Chat - with the theme of "Driving Infrastructure, Cementing Growth" will explore the journey of the infrastructure sector in India and also highlight the role played by the cement industry in this journey.
Moderated by Pratap Padode, Author of “Tarmac to Towers: India’s Infrastructure Story”, the Fireside Chat will include stalwarts of the government and industry such as Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary for ITE&C and Industries & Commerce Departments, Government of Telangana; Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement; and KVB Reddy, MD & CEO, L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad.
The much-anticipated panel will discuss India’s infrastructure journey, importance of policy making and execution in national development, road ahead for infrastructure sector as 90% of the country is yet to be built, and role played by cement industry in this infra growth story and new prospects.
Creating new business possibilities
Being an election year, 2024 witnessed lower sales. In 2025, the cement industry will look to overcome last year’s shortcoming. With the government spent to increase in the coming months, demand for cement is expected to rise. As Indian cement makers gear up for expansion, the industry will have to opt for decarbonisation strategy using modern technologies based on the latest automation and IT solutions.
The Cement Expo Forum 2025 will discuss strategies for the low-carbon-footprint pathway for long-term sustainable growth. Be there to witness the unfolding of future trends creating new business opportunities.
