Cement manufacturers eye expansion in eastern India

The cement industry is now eyeing capacity expansion in eastern India with most players investing in this region. Shree Cement has announced a `6 bn investment in West Bengal to establish a cement grinding mill. UltraTech is adding nearly 7 mt to its existing base of nearly 120 mt. After acquiring Jajpur Cements, Sagar Cements is expected to expand its capacity in the region.Nuvuco Vistas, owned by Nirma, made the most ambitious venture when it bought out two existing businesses Lafarge and Emami for Rs.149 bn, giving them a capacity of 19.5 mt. For the fiscal year 2021, the total installed capacity in the East was 50 million tonne per annum (mtpa), while the total national capacity was 350 mt.