Chettinad Cement has announced expansion plans, with new plants set to open in North Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. According to local reports, the company’s expansion plans will increase production capacity from 11.5 million tpa to an estimated 15 million tpa by 2015.
The company plans to construct an integrated cement unit with a production capacity of 3.5 million tpa in Guntar District, as well as a 2 million tpa grinding unit in Visakhapatnam. Chettinad Cement is reportedly set to open a 2.5 million tpa cement plant in Karnataka and a grinding unit in Solapur, Maharashtra. This will be the first time the firm has expanded outside of Tamil Nadu.
A recent revival in demand has led to growth in the Indian cement industry, particularly in the north and west of the country. Between April and December 2011, the sector achieved a y/y growth rate of 5.3%.