Cement, Energy and Environment

in-principle to increase capacity at its Raigad unit. The plant is situated in Maharashtra and capacity will be raised by 0.63 Mta, subject to receipt of requisite approvals for the expansion project. Courtesy: International Cement Review, July 2010, P16. JAIPRAKASH DIGHI PORT TO INVEST RS. 600 CR IN CEMENT PLANT Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL), part of the diversified Jaypee Group, announced on 11.10.2010 it has entered into an agreement with Dighi Port to set up a 3 million tonnes a year cement grinding plant at Kutch in Gujarat at an estimated investment of around Rs. 600 crore. "JAL has entered into an agreement with Dighi Port for setting up a port-based, three million tonnes a year cement grinding plant, a coal based captive power plant and a water desalination plant at Dighi Port at an investment of around Rs. 600 crore," the Executive Chairman, Mr. Manoj Gaur, said in a release. Courtesy: The Hindu Business Line New Delhi, 12.10.2010. JAIPRAKASH EYES INDIAN EXPANSION Diversified Indian firm Jaiprakash Associates plans to invest INR30bn (US$640m) in 2010-1 1, mostly to add cement capacity in a market growing in double digits, a top official said. "We are very bullish India will continue to see double-digit growth in cement demand. Infrastructure, housing and the rural sector will be the biggest drivers," Rahul Kumar, Jaiprakash's chief financial officer, told Reuters in an interview. The New Delhi-based company, which has a cement capacity of 19.1Mt, hopes to raise this to 29 Mt by March 2011, he said. Jaiprakash will also consider bidding for road projects by the National Highways Authority of India, in addition to two expressways it is building in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Kumar said. The company reported net profit nearly doubled to INR 17.1bn (US$0.36bn) in the fiscal year ended March, on the back of a 72 per cent rise in revenues. However, profits were lower in the fourth quarter. Courtesy: International Cement Review, July 2010, P10. JK CEMENT ANNOUNCES BROWNFIELD EXPANSION JK Cement is undertaking a brownfield expansion at Mangrol in Rajasthan by proposing to set up 5000tpd production plant at the site. It has also approved an additional 1.8 Mt grinding facility at split location in North India for which it is finalizing a site. The expansion plans include a 25MW captive power plant to be commissioned by September 2012. Courtesy: International Cement Review, July 2010, P16. J K CEMENT BRASS HELD TALKS WITH HOLCIM Top officials of J K Cement, the second largest white cements producer in India, met their counterparts in Holcim AG, the Switzerland-based cement major, early this month. "The discussions included acquisitions and joint ventures," said one of the sources. Prashant Sheth, assistant Vice President of J K Cement, denied any such development. The promoters of the company, the Singhanias, own 65.3% stake in the company. The company management had recently indicated that it is going to put up a project in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, which will have a capacity to produce 2 million tonnes of grey cement at a cost of Rs. 1,400 crore. JK Cement is also increasing capacity at its Mangrol, Rajasthan plant by 2.2 million tonnes per annum. The project will be completed by September 2012. It is also planning to install a grinding unit in the north with a capacity to produce 2.5 million tonnes, which will increase the company's grey cement production capacity in India by a third to 10 million tonnes from 7.5 million tonnes now. The cost expansion is estimated at Rs. 1,500 crore including the expenditure to augment its captive power plant. JK Cement is also looking to raise fresh debt of Rs. 800 crore . The company's consolidated debt currently stands at Rs. 1,351 crore, and has a debt– equity ratio of 0.79. Courtesy: DNA Mumbai, 31.08.2010. J K LAKSHMI TO SPEND RS. 1800 CR TO UP CAPACITY OVER 3 YEARS JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd plans to invest Rs. 800 crore to increase cement capacity to 10 million tonnes over the next three years, Vinita Singhania, Managing Director, said on 23.9.201 0. "We plan to set up 2.7 million tonne greenfield 24