The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved UltraTech’s acquisition of the cement business of Kesoram Industries. Kesoram also has businesses in rayon, transparent paper and chemicals, which are not part of this transaction. UltraTech said it would acquire Kesoram's cement business in an all-stock deal valued at `53.79 billion to  bolster its hold in southern India. Kesoram currently operates two integrated cement units in Sedam (Karnataka) and Basantnagar (Telangana) with a total installed capacity of 10.75 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA), along with a 0.66 MTPA packing plant in Solapur, Maharashtra.  

Contact: UltraTech

Tel: 22-66917800

Website: www.ultratechcement.com

First of its kind Gati Shakti cargo terminal project unveiled  in AP

The first of its kind Gati Shakti cargo terminal project in the cement industry was unveiled in Andhra Pradesh at Jayanthipuram, NTR district. The company, Ramco Cements, in a first will transport crushed 5,000 tonne per day (TPD) limestone about 8.3 km from its Budawada mines to the cement plant’s wagon unloading area, in the 3.65 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) integrated Jayanthipuram cement plant, via railway wagons using electric locomotives in an environment-friendly manner. As per the government’s Gati Shakti initiative to improve India’s infrastructure, 48 Gati Shakti multi-cargo terminals were installed last year.

Contact: Ramco Cements

Tel: 44 – 28478656

Website: www.ramcocements.in

JK Cement now acquires Toshali Cement

Nidhipati Singhania’s JK Cement has completed the acquisition of 100 per cent stake in Toshali Cement. JK Cement ranks among the top eight cement manufacturers in the country. With Toshali Cement, it will add a further 0.6 million tonnes per annum of cement capacity. The total acquisition cost is `900 million. Toshali Cement has two units which are both operational. The first one in Odisha’s Koraput district has integrated units with 0.33 million tonne per annum of clinker capacity and 0.2 million tonne per annum of grinding capacity. The second unit in Cuttack district is a grinding unit with 0.44 million tonne per annum of cement production capacity. Toshali Cement was incorporated in 2002.

Contact: JK Cement

Tel: 0512 - 2371478 – 85

Website: www.jkcement.com

Ambuja Cement plans Rs 10 billion plant in Jharkhand 

Ambuja Cements (ACL) announced a Rs.10 billion investment to establish a four million tonnes per annum (MTPA) cement grinding unit in Jharkhand. The project, is part of a comprehensive approach to dispose fly ash in an environmentally safe manner, contributing to a circular economy. The unit will generate direct and indirect employment for over 2,500 people. The company already operates two cement plants in Jharkhand with a combined capacity of six MTPA. Ambuja, recently acquired Sanghi Industries, which has a capacity of 74.6 MTPA with 18 integrated cement manufacturing plants and 14 units across the country.  

Contact: Ambuja Cement

Tel: 22-40667000

Website: www.ambujacement.com

Dalmia Cement to focus on retail space

Puneet Dalmia-led Dalmia Cement will increase its focus on the business-to-consumer (B2C) segment and is rebranding itself as a roof column foundation (RCF) expert. The rebranding, instead of the current 'Future Today', is part of a plan to grow faster than industry. Dalmia Cement COO Sameer Nagpal said the company has set a growth target of 14-15 per cent over the next few years, against an expected industry expansion of 10 per cent. Nagpal said that this is also seen as a catalyst to achieve carbon neutral status by 2040.

Contact: Dalmia Cement

Tel: 011-2346 5100

Website: www.dalmiacement.com