JSW Cement, the building-materials division of the prominent Indian steelmaker JSW Group, is reportedly in the early stages of negotiations with German cement company Heidelberg Materials to acquire its cement businesses in India, which produce 13.4 million tonnes annually. Discussions between JSW Cement and Heidelberg Materials commenced after JSW Group made an unsolicited offer to purchase Heidelberg's local entities, primarily operating in peninsular India. The building materials industry in India, the world's second-largest cement market in terms of capacity and consumption, is highly regional and heavily reliant on freight. In the context of mergers and acquisitions, the valuation of enterprises is often influenced by their proximity to the end-consumption market and their profitability. Reports suggest that another global cement manufacturer might exit the Indian market soon, following Holcim Group's departure in 2022. In the competitive bidding for Ambuja Cements and ACC, both previously owned by Holcim Group, the Adani Group emerged as the successful bidder. JSW Group also participated in this bidding process.
