Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Indian Cement Industry

The cement industry in India is witnessing high rate of growth due to the ever increasing demand for civic infrastructure.

The cement industry in India took off a few years after the country gained independence. Though the initial few years did not witness major progress, but since around 1970, the growth has been steady and rapid.

Ever since the Indian government took the control of the country from the British, it has been struggling with various developmental issues. Due to the enormous population of India, there has been a perpetual focus on the development of civic infrastructure as well as housing facilities. The high demand for cement, coupled with favourable Governmental policies, have been favourable factors driving the growth of the cement industry in India.

Since the past two decades, major industrial houses of the country have made forays into cement manufacture. JK Lakshmi Cement Limited is one cement manufacturer in India that has made a unique name for itself in the production of quality cement. With a production capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum, JK Lakshmi Limited has been a forerunner in India’s transition towards modern manufacturing standards. Rated as the Third Greenest Cement Plant in India, JK Lakshmi’s production facility in Rajasthan is home to the finest quality of cement that India has to offer.

Industry experts forecast that the growth pattern in cement is expected to continue further due to the increased level of construction activities taking place across India. There are various reasons for this: · The urban housing sector is expected to require investments to the tune of US$25 billion over the next five years. · Delhi, the capital of India, is home to the 2010 Commonwealth Games. · Over $5 billion have been allocated for urban Infrastructure to be spent in the next four years.

With the above reasons, it is clear that the demand for cement and other construction inputs is bound to increase. The next few years might see more investment by Indian corporate houses into the cement industry.

Author :- Jack Albert is a dedicated writer who writes for Jklakshmi, which manufacture plaster of paris and quality cement.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Plaster of Paris

You would be amazed to know that the simple looking material called Plaster of Paris (POP) has such diverse uses and applications. POP is not only abundantly available, it is also very inexpensive making it a convenient option for all income segments. POP is manufactured from Gypsum, a naturally occurring material.

Many of us might have used POP in school activities. It is often preferred by teachers for school activities as the material is safe on skin. And since it is not expensive, no one objects to it being wasted. With its short setting time, POP is perfect for creative object making by school children.

But it is in home interiors where POP is used most extensively. POP work by a skilled artisan can do wonders to the appearance of your home. Various kinds of molds are used to develop beautiful POP patterns on walls and ceilings. However it is essential to make sure that the quality of POP that you use is fine enough to avoid any occurrence of cracks in future.

Besides home interiors, another popular application of POP is in creating sculptures. The easy availability, low cost and minimal setting-time make POP an ideal substance for creating beautiful sculptures.

Nowadays Plaster of Paris is being commonly manufactured by cement companies and other companies producing construction inputs. In fact, with increased consumer demand, companies have begun distributing Plaster of Paris in small packs that are very convenient for use in minor applications.

In fact plaster of paris is a better choice.

Author :- Jack Albert is a dedicated writer, writes for JK Lakshmi, which is a brand cement industry and provides concrete calculator to calculate the ratio of concrete.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Know the Logic behind Cement Variant Names

Cement is being manufactured in many variants today. This often confuses the layman who does not know which cement to use. Besides Portland cement, the market offers blended or PPC cement as well.


You would find many variants within Portland cement itself – 33, 43 and 53. Some manufacturers also produce cement varieties in forms such as masonry cement, high strength cement and sulphated cement.


The important thing to remember is that there is no good or bad cement, the choice should depend upon the intended application. It is interesting to note that while in the earlier times, only Portland cement used to be available, the abundant supply of fly ash resulted in the development of Pozzolana cement.


The demand from rail companies for high strength cement to be used for manufacturing sleepers put a pressure on cement manufacturers to produce special variants of cement. Such high grades of cement are also required in the construction of long span bridges, high rise structures and other structures of gigantic magnitude.


Broadly speaking:

• 33 Grade cement meets the requirement of small constructions

• 43 Grade cement is used for pre-cast concrete production and sleeper manufacture

• 53 Grade cement is used for heavy infrastructure and civil engineering applications.


One important point that must be remembered is that for most industrial and heavy applications, cement is not used directly but is rather an important input for concrete. Blended varieties of cement provide higher levels of strength and durability. While 53 Grade OPC has its own specific applications, it is not advisable to be used for ordinary structures.

Author :- Jack Albert is a dedicated writer writes for Jklakshmi, which is a brand cement industry also one of the best manufacturer in plaster of paris.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Safety with cement

When cement is mixed with water a highly alkaline solution (pH ~13) is produced by the dissolution of calcium, sodium and potassium hydroxides. Gloves, goggles and a filter mask should be used for protection. Hands should be washed after contact. Cement can cause serious burns if contact is prolonged or if skin is not washed promptly. Once the cement hydrates, the hardened mass can be safely touched without gloves.

In Scandinavia, France and the UK, the level of chromium(VI), which is thought to be toxic and a major skin irritant, may not exceed 2 ppm (parts per million).

Resourse :- http://en.wikipedia.org

Visit our page for 43 grade opc http://www.jklakshmi.com/jklakshmi_cement_43grade.asp

Thanks for visiting the page..

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Cement Calculator

The concrete calculator will save you a lot of time and headaches trying to remember all the forumulae for area and volume of cylinders and cubes.

When you go down to the local building supply store you will know exactly how many bags of pre-mix cement you will need. And if you are using a footing or one of the pre-formed footing bases, we have the volumes already pre-calculated for you.

Use our Cement calculator to quickly and accurately determine the volume of cement you will need for the footings or your deck.

If you are looking for Plaster of Paris then visit this page :- http://www.jklakshmi.com/jklakshmi_plaster_of_paris.html

Resourse :- www.ideas-for-deck-designs.com

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Pakistan starts exporting cement to India

Bilateral trade between India and Pakistan has taken a significant step forward with at least five Pakistani companies approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) starting to export cement to India while five more manufacturers have applied for certification.

'A total of 11 cement companies have been cleared by the BIS and four more have applied to get approval for export,' Shahzad Ahmed, secretary of All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), told IANS.

The idea of cement export from Pakistan surfaced during a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan's former prime minister Shaukat Aziz in 2005.

Pakistani exporters were encouraged by the Indian's government steps to abolish countervailing duty and additional customs duty, making imports viable.

visit this page http://www.jklakshmi.com/jklakshmi_cement_53grade.asp for 53 grade opc cement.

Resourse :- www.nerve.in/news

Monday, July 28, 2008

Green Scorpions target cement manufacturers

South Africa's environmental management inspector unit, the Green Scorpions, has started the first of a series of compliance inspections at various cement manufacturing facilities across the country, the government said on Tuesday.

The unit started its blitz, which signaled the start of the ‘Clean Cement' campaign, with an inspection at the Lafarge cement plant, in the North West province on Monday. Over the coming week, PPC facilities in Limpopo, Gauteng, Eastern Cape and the Western Cape would also be inspected.

The Green scorpions would monitor compliance with all environmental legislations, authorisations and permits applicable to each site.

The campaign follows the multi-year national environmental compliance campaign in the iron and steel and ferroalloy industry, known as Operation Ferro.

"The cement industry has been prioritised in this new environmental compliance campaign because of the growing demand for its products. An increase in construction and development projects in the country and rapid expansions in the cement sector means that the industry may contribute significantly to pollution if not mitigated and managed properly," said Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism deputy DG for environmental quality and protection Joanne Yawitch.

Resourse :- www.environment.co.za

Friday, July 25, 2008

The Monarch Cement Company

The Monarch Cement Company (Monarch) is engaged in the manufacture and sale of Portland cement. The Company is engaged in two lines of business: Cement Business and Ready-Mixed Concrete Business. Cement Business refers to the manufacture and sale of cement, and Ready-Mixed Concrete Business refers to Monarch's ready-mixed concrete, concrete products and sundry building materials business. The Company's products are marketed under the name MONARCH. Concrete products primarily include pre-formed components produced by the Company that are ready for use in the construction of commercial buildings, institutional facilities and parking garages. The Company owns and operates quarries located near its Humboldt, Kansas plant.

Company address :- The Monarch Cement Company, 449 1200 Street, Humboldt, KS 66748

Resourse :- topics.nytimes.com

Thursday, July 24, 2008

US Concrete cuts 2Q profit outlook

U.S. Concrete Inc., which makes ready-mixed concrete and other building supplies, on Tuesday cut its second quarter profit guidance, citing a jump in raw material costs and a tough sales environment.

The company said it now expects to post a profit from continuing operations of about 8 cents or 9 cents per share, down from its previous projection of 10 cents to 16 cents per share.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect a profit of 14 cents per share for the quarter.

The company said ready-mixed concrete sales volumes began to fall below expectations beginning in May, resulting in an about nine percent volume shortfall and lower profitability.

The average ready-mixed concrete selling price rose 2.6 percent, but the raw materials spread fell as a result of higher aggregate and diesel fuel costs, the company said.

U.S. Concrete added that it expects quarterly drops in demand for the rest of the year.

In premarket trading Tuesday, shares of U.S. Concrete fell 21 cents, or 3.8 percent, to $5.37.


REsourse :- http://biz.yahoo.com/

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Pakistani cement exporters eyeing India

Pakistan's cement industry is eyeing the Indian market and wants the government to lobby with New Delhi to surmount the hurdle of standards certification.Pakistani exports to India have got stuck for want of certification by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

'We have asked the federal government to get approval from the BIS as a number of Pakistani companies have applied for it,' said Aizaz Shaikh, chairman All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA).

Pakistani cement makers, operating their factories below capacity, are eyeing the Indian market, which is estimated to require more than 2.5-3 million tonnes cement annually.The industry says it can easily supply 6,000 to 8,000 tonnes daily.

Industry sources said that local factories had enough capacity to ship 8,000-10,000 tonnes of cement a day to India. Pakistani cement makers have set a price of Rs.240 per 50 kg bag while the local price is Rs.190 to Rs.210.

Resourse :- nerve.in/

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

JK lakshmi Cement - India's best Cement Factory

The cement manufacturing technology used by JK Lakshmi ensures that the final product adheres to globally accepted standards of quality and performance.

JK Lakshmi Cement comes in three variants:

* Cement 53 Blended
* 53 Grade OPC
* 43 Grade OPC

Our award winning cement manufacturing facility in Sirohi (Rajasthan) has an annual production capacity of 3.5 million tonnes. The quality of limestone used as raw material is of such superior quality that even without the addition of clay or any other material, the quality of cement produced is comparable to the best in the world.

Only JK Lakshmi Cement comes with the unique Mazbooti Guaranteed advantage. The Mazbooti advantage means consistency in strength, fineness, setting time, weight and colour.


Resourse :- www.jklakshmi.com

Monday, July 7, 2008

Indian cement industry cleans up its act: CSE survey

A recent survey of the cement industry finds that the sector is more energy-efficient than even its counterparts in Europe and the US. However, the Centre for Science and Environment survey recommends a stringent regulatory regime for better mine management

The Indian cement industry, a potentially high polluter and the country's biggest excise payer after tobacco, has earned praise for its efforts to reduce air pollution and energy use in its manufacturing practices. However, the industry has been criticised for its bad mining practices, in a survey by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the Delhi-based organisation.

The countrywide survey, which covered 41 top cement producers across nine Indian states, representing 80% of the sector, resulted in the sector being awarded the CSE's Three Green Leaves eco-award.

The Chennai-based Alathiyur Works, which was awarded the prestigious Four Green Leaves award, is the first plant in India to receive this honour. Gujarat Ambuja Cement Limited's Gujarat plant bagged second spot, while the third spot was shared by three companies -- J K Lakshmi Cement Limited, Prism Cement Limited and ACC's Gagal Cement Works.

While the cement industry may have scored higher points than three other polluting industries previously rated for eco-friendly practices by the CSE under its Green Rating Project (GRP) -- paper pulp, chlor-alkali and automobiles -- the market leaders in the industry were not the environment leaders. The industry has performed poorly where it has no economic returns, says the CSE. "The cement industry's better environmental performance in energy and waste-utilisation is not because of environmental concerns but because of better economic returns," stresses Sunita Narain, director of the CSE.

Grasim Industries Limited, from the Aditya Birla Group, which has a 22% market share in this booming industry, was rated "mediocre" by the CSE. The next largest cement company, the prestigious Associated Cement Companies (ACC) Limited, now jointly owned by multinational Holcim and the Indian Ambuja Group, scored less than 35% marks as a group.

The study observes that while the cement industry does not fit the definition of a "sustainable industry", an "acceptable trade-off" can certainly be proposed. What the study attempts to do is to benchmark the performance of companies against such a trade-off.

The sector scores high because of certain initiatives taken to reduce air pollution and the fact that it is today one of the world's most energy-efficient, more so even that its counterparts in the US or Europe.

The rating found that energy is the sector's biggest production cost, and Indian companies have done a lot to reduce this cost. They have modernised their technology and have focused on producing more blended cement. According to the GRP's assessment, the Indian cement sector (after Japan) is the second most energy-efficient cement sector in the world.

The GRP also found that emissions of carbon dioxide -- which leads to global warming -- from Indian cement companies are significantly lower than European and American cement companies. "This is an important message to give out to the developed world, where the general feeling is that India is not doing enough to combat global warming," says Chandra Bhushan, head of the GRP and associate director of the CSE.

Among the industrial sectors, the cement industry is the second largest emitter of carbon dioxide, and accounts for 5% of global human-made carbon dioxide emissions.

The study recommends strong regulatory control over the sector. To begin with, regulators can do away with cheap mine leases and provide incentives for good mine management and disincentive for poor management. The economic benefits of mining must also belong to local communities, whose resources are exported by the sector.

For More visitis :- 53 grade OPC

Source: www.cseindia.org

Monday, June 30, 2008

Indian cement industry now..

For India, the world's second largest producer of cement, the recent boom in infrastructure and the housing market has only boosted its cement industry. Add to that an increasing global demand and a flurry of activity in infrastructure projects – highways roads, bridges, ports and houses – has sparked off a spate of mergers and acquisitions in the sector. Furthermore, the country’s finance minister, P. Chidambaram, has stated that India would double spending on infrastructure over the next five years to sustain its record economic growth and modernise its infrastructure.

Cement companies are fast developing plants to provide for a rapidly expanding economy. The cement industry is therefore poised to add 111 million tonnes (mt) of annual capacity by the end of 2009-10 (FY 2010), riding on the back of approximately 141 outstanding cement projects.

According to a report by the ICRA Industry Monitor, the installed capacity is expected to increase to 186 mt per annum (mtpa) by the end of FY 2008, and 219 mtpa by end of FY 2009, and further up to 241 mtpa by FY 2010-end. As a result, India's cement industry will record an annual growth at 10 per cent in the coming years with higher domestic demand resulting in increased capacity utilisation.

Domestic Players

While the Cement Corporation of India, a Central public sector undertaking, comprises 10 units; the various State governments own 10 large cement plants. Among the leading domestic players in terms of cement manufacturing are: Ambuja Cement, Aditya Birla Group (which owns UltraTech Cement), ACC Ltd., Binani Cement, India Cements and J K Cement. They are not only the foremost producers of cement but also enjoy a high level of equity in the market.

Industrial production

The cement industry is enhancing its production levels as new homes and offices are being built, and in keeping with the economy’s annual growth rate. According to the Cement Manufacturers Association, the overall cement production rose by 8.11 per cent during 2007-08 to 168.29 million tonnes (mt) as against 155.66 mt in 2006-07.

In fact, the 16.37 mt produced by the domestic cement industry in March 2008 has been the highest ever by the industry in a single month.

* Cement production of ACC increased 5.58 per cent to 1.89 mt in March against 1.79 mt in the same period last year. Dispatches rose 4.91 per cent to 1.92 mt (1.83 mt)
* Ambuja Cements, another Holcim group company, reported 23 per cent rise in production to 1.77 mt (1.43 mt) in March, while dispatches were up 16 per cent to 1.72 mt (1.47 mt).
* The Aditya Birla group’s production went up 4.8 per cent during 2007-08 to 30.6 mt (29.24 mt), while dispatches increased 4.5 per cent to 30.55 mt (29.2 mt).
* India Cements recorded a 46 per cent growth in sales and posted a 99 per cent growth profit in the nine months ending December 2007.

see our cement manufacturing process here:- http://www.jklakshmi.com/manufacturing_process.html

Res :- ibef.org

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Indian Cement Industry: In Tandem With Economic Growth

Cement demand has posted a healthy growth rate of 11.16% in tandem with strong economic growth of the country. The GDP growth in the current fiscal is expected to be in excess of 8.1 per cent and during the half year Jan-June 2006, cement industry grew around 12.2 % as compared to 10.5 % for the corresponding previous year.

During 2005, the industry produced and supplied over 136 million tonnes of cement, including export of 9 million tonnes of cement and clinker. The industry capacity was 157 million tons. The industry achieved production of 141.81 million tons in fiscal 2005–06 compared to 127.57 million tons during corresponding previous year.


During 2005, the industry produced and supplied over 136 million tonnes of cement, including export of 9 million tonnes of cement and clinker. The industry capacity was 157 million tons. The industry achieved production of 141.81 million tons in fiscal 2005–06 compared to 127.57 million tons during corresponding previous year.


For more click here :- cement industry


Res :- markets.moneycontrol.com

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Cements Types, Use and Strength

Ordinary cement

This type of cement is used a lot today, and is still known as OPC (ordinary Portland cement) ... It is ground up into a powder to form ordinary OPC

Rapid heat cement

They generate more heat in the early stages and can be useful in cold weather concreting. ... as either rapid-setting or extra rapid hardening may be

Low heat cement

Low Heat Cement complies with AS 3972, Special Purpose Type LH/SR. It is manufactured from the ingredients of specially selected cement clinker and ground granulated blast furnace slag, that result in significantly lower heat generation during the process of hydration than the comparable Portland Cement.

Portland blast furnace cement

The granulated slag made by the rapid chilling of suitable molten slags from blast furnaces forms the basis of another group of constructional cements. A mixture of portland cement and granulated slag, containing up to 65 percent slag, is known in the English-speaking countries as portland blast-furnace (slag) cement.

High alumina cement

of High Alumina Cement, Alumina Cement, Refractory Cement, Refractory Materails, ... Density Corundum Bricks, high alumine cement ca50-G5, G7, G9, fused, ca70, ca80

Expanding cement

Expanding and nonshrinking cements expand slightly on hydration, thus offsetting the small contraction that occurs when fresh concrete dries for the first time. Expanding cements were first produced

Quick setting cement

Rapid cure allows for quick access to repaired areas. Garonite anchoring cement sets and expands rapidly, curing twice as strong as concrete in one hour. Use indoors or out
Air & trading cement

Hydrophobic cement

Cement is a hydraulic bonding agent used in building construction and civil engineering. It is a fine powder obtained by grinding the clinker of a clay and limestone mixture calcined at high temperatures. When water is added to cement it becomes a slurry that gradually hardens to a stone-like consistency. It can be mixed with sand and gravel (coarse aggregates) to form mortar and concrete.

There are two types of cement: natural and artificial. The natural cements are obtained from natural materials having a cement-like structure and require only calcining and grinding to yield hydraulic cement powder. Artificial cements are available in large and increasing numbers. Each type has a different composition and mechanical structure and has specific merits and uses. Artificial cements may be classified as portland cement (named after the town of Portland in the United Kingdom) and aluminous cement

White cement

White portland cement is readily available throughout North America. It has essentially the same properties as gray cement, except for color, which is a very important quality control issue in the industry.

The color of white cement depends on raw materials and the manufacturing process. It is the metal oxides (primarily iron and manganese) that influence the whiteness and undertone of the material. White cement is manufactured to conform to ASTM C 150, Specification for Portland Cement. Although Types I, II, III, and V white cements are produced, Types I and III are the most common.

White cements produce clean, bright colors, especially for light pastels. Many different colors can be created by adding pigments to concrete made with white portland cement. Two or more pigments can be combined to achieve a wide range of colors. White cement (or a mixture of white and gray cement) can be specified to provide a consistent color of choice. An even greater variety of decorative looks can be achieved by using colored aggregates and varying the surface finish treatment or texture.

For more click here :- cement manufacturers

Resource :Yahoo Answers

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Cement Sector News - Announcement in Cement Industry

IN his maiden budget speech, the Finance Minister has acknowledged the growth contributed by the industry in the current fiscal and talked of consolidating it further. However the budget fails to do the same.

The direction and thrust in terms of growth and reforms are missing. Unsavoury proposals of the Kelkar Committee have been withheld for post-election period.

Some proposals which are likely to help the construction industry and cement consumption are the continuation of interest deductible on housing loans and exemption of income from housing projects for the construction of residential units till March 31, 2005.

The emphasis laid on the development of physical infrastructure be it roads, airports, seaports and railroads, is definitely the need of the hour.

For the first time, the Government has acknowledged the need for giving a thrust to concrete roads and has accepted the cement industry's long-standing demand for use of long lasting cement over bitumen in road construction.

The announcement of the construction of 48 new roads measuring 10,000 km along with the Golden Quadrilateral, North-South-East-West corridor besides construction and modernisation of four airports and two sea ports will boost the demand for cement.

The announcement that 25 per cent of the new roads would be concrete roads will spur demand for cement.

If the same ratio is applied to the other major road works, an additional 6,250 km of the total 25,000 km would be constructed using cement.

At roughly 3,000 tonne per km, cement consumption would be in the range of 18 million tonne over the next four years.

This is, in addition to the increasing cement demand that the industry has been witnessing on account of a boom in the housing sector.

These measures bode well for the cement industry.

The decision to scrap dividend tax in the hands of recipient and abolition of Long Term Capital Gain Tax (LTCG) for shares bought after March 1, 2003 are good moves.

However, if the LTCG abolition were made applicable with retrospective effect it would have boosted the stock markets.

While acknowledging that rationalisation of excise rate structure and reduction of the multiplicity of rates was integral to the total tax reform process, the Finance Minister has proposed a three-tier excise duty structure of eight per cent, 16 per cent and 24 per cent.

But by increasing excise duty on cement and clinker by Rs 50 per tonne, the Government has made it the highest taxed commodity.

The specific tax at Rs 400 per tonne on cement works out to 30 per cent ex-works, which is not only the highest rate of duty but also a highly retrograde step.

On one hand, the Government is trying to promote infrastructure and housing and on the other, such an increase would make inputs costlier.

Last year, cement consumption in the country was at 110 million tonnes, thus an Rs 50 per tonne increase in excise of would net the exchequer Rs 550 crore.

This amount it seems would be used to balance the cut announced in excise duty on tyres, aerated soft drinks, polyester filament yarn, air-conditioners and motor cars.

Resource: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com