Displaying items by tag: India
Ramco Cements reports nine-month profit growth amid sales fall in 2021 financial year
04 February 2021India: Ramco Cements’ nine-month profit for the period ending on 31 December 2020 was US$77.9m, up by 23% year-on-year from US$63.3m in the corresponding period of the 2020 financial year. Cement sales volumes dropped by 18% to 67.6Mt from 82.7Mt. Its revenue from sale of products fell by 9% to US$488m from US$535m.
The company reported that it has redeposited US$3.54m for its appeal against cartelisation charges that carrya penalty of US$35.4m. It said, “The company, backed by legal opinion, believes that it has a good case and hence no provision is made.”
The cement producer plans to commission a 1.5Mt/yr clinker line and a 9MW waste heat recovery (WHR) system at Jayanthipuram, Andhra Pradesh and a 2.25Mt/yr clinker line at Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh in the first quarter of its 2021 – 2022 financial year. A 1Mt/yr grinding unit, a 12MW WHR unit and a thermal power plan are expected to be commissioned later in the year.
UltraTech Cement’s board approves US$411m bond issuance
04 February 2021India: The board of UltraTech Cement has voted to raise up to US$411m through issuance of US dollar-denominated bonds. The company will use the proceeds to refinance existing Indian Rupee debt, with the remainder reserved for regular on-going capital expenditure requirements and general corporate purposes.
Shree Cement reports nine-month sales drop in 2021 financial year
01 February 2021India: Shree Cement has recorded consolidated net sales of US$1.27bn in the first nine months of its 2021 financial year (1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021), down by 2% year-on-year from US$1.29bn in the corresponding period of its 2019 financial year. The group’s net profit increased by 52% to US$204m from US$138m.
The company is currently working on a 6Mt/yr addition to its grinding capacity, consisting of two new grinding plants, in Athagarh Tehsil, Odisha, and Patas, Maharashtra. The facilities had been scheduled for completion in the first half of the 2021 financial year.
Fake cement facility raided
29 January 2021India: A raid by customs officers on an alleged fake cement production facility near Manpur, Madhya Pradesh, has resulted in the recovery of 250 bags of fake cement. Also present were large quantities of fly ash and low-quality cement, as well as further empty cement bags. The bags bore UltraTech Cement branding. The Free Press Journal has reported the operation was situated in a shed adjacent to a roadside restaurant. Police are searching for an individual seen fleeing the site at the time of the raid.
Prism Johnson contemplates expansion of Prism cement plant
28 January 2021India: Prism Johnson is considering investing US$19m in a 0.9Mt/yr expansion of its 6.1Mt/yr Prism cement plant in Satna, Madhya Pradesh. Reuters News has reported that the proposal remains in the first round of discussions.
The group revenue for its cement division fell by 8.3% year-on-year to US$241m for the nine months to the end of December 2020 from US$263m in the same period in 2019. Its cement and clinker sales volumes fell by 5% to 3.93Mt from 4.13Mt.
India: The India Cement’s consolidated nine-month net sales for the period which ended on 31 December 2020 were US$416m, down by 24% year-on-year from US$550m, in the corresponding period of 2019. Its sales volumes of cement fell by 29% to 5.9Mt from 8.4Mt. However, its net profit more than doubled to US$21.5m from US$8.3m. The cement producer said that the construction industry started to recover from September 2020 following coronavirus-related lockdowns earlier in the year. Earnings and profits grew in the reporting period in part due to reduced production costs.
Dalmia Cement (Bharat) to hire more locals
27 January 2021India: Dalmia Bharat subsidiary Dalmia Cement (Bharat) has shifted its recruitment procedures towards hiring more local people in Maharashtra, Bengal, Orissa due to labour shortages throughout the Covid-19 outbreak. The Economic Times newspaper has reported that local labour now makes up a majority of the workforce at multiple cement plants belonging to the company.
Dalmia Bharat group head of human resources Ajit Menon said, "In our Bengal plant, we have 90 - 95% local workers now versus 20 - 25% earlier, while in Orissa it is almost 100% local labour. Covid-19 has accelerated the intake of local workforce.” He added, “This has also given us the opportunity to give employment to people in the locations neighbouring our factories - many of whom are tribal people and are from underprivileged communities."
KHD Humboldt Wedag wins contract with UltraTech Cement for upgrades at multiple plants
26 January 2021India: UltraTech Cement has awarded Germany-based KHD Humboldt Wedag a contract relating to three new kiln lines, one new raw meal grinding plant with two KHD roller presses, and the upgrade of five existing clinker grinding plants with KHD roller presses. KHD said that the engineering and supply of equipment as well as supervisory services related to erection and commissioning, comprised a potential order volume of more than Euro30m. It added that UltraTech Cement and Humboldt Wedag India are currently negotiating with the aim of concluding a corresponding Engineering and Procurement (EP) contract package.
UltraTech Cement records 47% nine-month profit growth
25 January 2021India: Aditya Birla subsidiary UltraTech Cement recorded a profit of US$506m in the nine-month period ending on 31 December 2020, up by 47% year-on-year from US$345m in the corresponding period of 2019. Sales fell by 4% to US$4.16bn from US$4.33bn. Third-quarter sales rose by 17% to US$1.68bn from US$1.43bn and third-quarter profit rose by 122% to US$217m from US$97m. The company said that it ended the period having reached 84% production at its newly acquired cement plants of 15Mt/yr total capacity. In the third quarter the board approved capital expenditure investments of US$747m aimed to increase cement production capacity by a further 13Mt/yr.
The company said, “Recovery from the Covid-19-led disruption of the economy has been rapid. This has been fuelled by quicker demand stabilisation, supply side restoration and greater cost efficiencies.” It added, “While UltraTech continues to closely monitor the impact of Covid-19 on its operations, its capital and financial resources remain entirely protected and its liquidity position is adequately covered. With strong rural growth, revival in manufacturing sentiment, buoyancy in the goods and services tax and tax collections, UltraTech expects demand to grow on the back of the government’s push on infrastructure projects. Given its pan-India presence, UltraTech is well-positioned to support the rising demand for cement in the country. As always, UltraTech remains committed to all its business associates and stakeholders.
Birla Corporation increases nine-month net profit by 23%
25 January 2021India: Birla Corporation recorded a net profit of US$52.2m in the nine-month period which ended on 31 December 2020, up by 23% year-on-year from US$42.6m in the corresponding period of 2019. Sales fell by 10% to US$650m from US$724m, while earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 2% to US$141m from US$144m.