Ambuja Cements' Rajasthan works expected by 2015

Ambuja Cements Ltd plans to establish a 4.5Mta cement plant in the northwest Indian state of Rajasthan by 2015.

 "Board approval is expected by end CY13; work at the plant site has already started – environmental clearances obtained, limestone mine ready, land acquisition process begun," Citi Research said in a note prepared on the comments of Ambuja Cements' management at the India Investor Conference organised by Citigroup on Monday.    

Ambuja Cements, which is 50.3 per cent controlled by Swiss cement major Holcim, also expects to commission a 0.8Mta grinding unit expansion at its 1.5Mta Sankrail plant in 2014. The company's total production capacity is about 27.25Mta.

According to the Citi Research note, Ambuja Cements' volumes rose in the northern and eastern parts of India but fell sharply in the west, impacted by water and sand shortage issues and cement supply from South India.