Abstract

The note looks into the consolidation going on in the cement industry in India. Through its almost century long existence, the cement industry in India has grown to a stage where it has become the second largest producer of cement in the world. After the dismantling of government controls for the cement industry in 1989, the rate of growth in capacity addition in the cement industry increased. Due to the increased production and the lack of matching consumption, there was excess capacity in the market which resulted in companies struggling to remain viable. Entry of foreign players resulted in the consolidation of the fragmented industry. The note looks into the major acquisition deals that happened during the past decade and also deals with the role cartels played in the pricing of cement in various markets. The note deals with the latest trends of the Indian cement industry and ends with an outlook for the industry in the future.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Why an industry consolidates and what is the effect of consolidation
• How companies use acquisition as a way to stall the entry of foreign players into the local market
• The role played by cartels in a market.

Keywords

Indian cement industry, Per capita consumption, Greenfield capacity, Holcim Group (Holcim), Lafarge, Italcementi SpA, Tisco, Larsen & Toubro, ACC (Associated Cement Companies), GACL (Gujarat Ambuja Cement Ltd), Grasim industries, Consolidation, Capacity utilisation, Mergers and acquisitions, Raymond