Kochi Cement Hub

Kochi to emerge as a major cement hub in South India

In addition to the two cement companies currently operating in Kochi port, Ambuja Cements and UltraTech Cement, Zuari Cement is expected to begin operations in November 2015. Civil construction activities for Penna Cement's terminal has begun. The Kerala state owned Malabar Cements is all set to begin their ambitious cement terminal.

Cement throughtput figures for Kochi port are:
Cement throughput was 2,59,000 tonnes during 2010-11.
Cement throughput was 3,11,000 tonnes during 2012-13.
Cement throughput was 6,04,000 tonnes during 2013-14.
Cement throughput was 7,03,000 tonnes during 2014-15.

Info on Kochi Cement Hub here...

Orient Cement Q2 Results

Orient Cement Net Profits Dips by 35% For Q2

Orient Cement, part of the US$1.6 Billion CK Birla group reported for the September quarter a 35% drop in its net profit on account of lower income and higher expenses and finance costs.

The cement company has registered a net profit of Rs 28.01 crores as against Rs.43.33 crore for the corresponding quarter in the last fiscal. Its net sales declined to Rs 355.04 crore in the September quarter of the current fiscal as against Rs 384.12 crore in the same quarter of the last fiscal. Total expenditure of the company rose to Rs 331.09 crore during the September quarter as against Rs 318.06 crore in the same quarter of the last fiscal. Finance cost of the company during the September quarter increased to about Rs 5 crore as against about Rs 4 crore in the same quarter of the last fiscal.

Orient Cement has an installed cement capacity of 5 MPTA. As part of its long-term growth plan to reach 15 MTPA cement capacity by year 2020, Orient Cement is setting up a facility of three MTPA at Chittapur, Gulbarga, Karnataka at an investment of about Rs 2,000 crore.

Sanghi Cement

Alok Sanghi, Director, Sanghi Industries Speaks On Cement Growth Drivers

Alok Sanghi, Director, Sanghi Industries Limited, expressed his views on the key factors that drive cement growth. He goes on to say that adding to the product line by way of Blended Cement (Pozzolana Portland Cement) in addition to the conventional OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) acts as a cement growth driver. By taking a fresh look at Logistics adding coastal shipping, cement markets that were conventionally not cost-effective have now become major potential markets.

Read more on cement growth drivers...