Vicat India Operations

Kalburgi Cement

The French Cement major, Vicat has ambitious plans for their India operations. Kalburgi Cement, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vicat, will be rebranding its cement in India. This is the first time in Vicat history that the French Cement company is allowing the use of its brand name outside of its home markets. The two Vicat brands will be Vicat Optimate, for commercial buyers, and Vicat Duramate, for retail sales.

Kalburgi Cement also inaugurated its 1.2 million MPTA bulk cement terminal in Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai. The rail-based loading and unloading terminal will bring cement from the Kalburgi production plant in Karnataka to Maharashtra which is Kalburgi Cement’s chief market, accounting for the bulk of its 2.4 million tonnes in sales last fiscal. The company has a total production capacity of 2.75 MPTA. Kalburgi Cement has a 10-11% market share in Maharashtra.

The Rs. 65-crore Navi Mumbai terminal is part of the company’s Rs.1,735 crore three year investment plan in India.  This includes a second line of 2.75 MPTA capacity doubling project at the Kalburgi cement plant and an additional grinding capacity of 1.7 MPTA at Vizag. With this the company hopes to break into the easternIndian markets once the grinding unit for clinker is established in Vizag. Vicat in India has total cement manufacturing capacity of 7.75 MPTA and envisages expanding this to 13 MPTA by 2021.

Vicat India also has operational control of the Hyderabad based Bharti Cement, which has 5.5 MPTA capacity in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. Cement produced out of here is being sold under the Bharti brand name.

Cement Principles of Production and Use

In related news, India’s cement companies are expected to add 58-62 million tonnes of capacity through fiscal 2020.