Yeah. Thank you, everyone.

Without much delay, I will transfer the call to Mr. Deepak Balwani, Head of Investor Relations.

Mr. Deepak, over to you.

Thank you, Jashandeep. On behalf of Ambuja Cements, it is my pleasure to welcome all participants to our earnings call for quarter one FY27.

Ambuja Cements is the ninth largest cement company globally, a key part of diversified Adani portfolio, the country's fastest growing portfolio of sustainable businesses. Before we begin, I would like to remind everyone that today's discussion may contain certain forward-looking statements based on our current expectations and assumptions.

These statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results may vary materially. At Ambuja, we remain committed to enhancing transparency, strengthening disclosures, and continuously elevating our capital market communication standards in line with the global best practices.

We are pleased to have with us today Mr. Karan Adani, Director; Mr.

Vinod Bahety, Chief Executive Officer; and Mr. Rohit Soni, Chief Financial Officer.

With that, I would now like to invite Mr. Vinod Bahety to share his perspective on the quarterly performance and the company's strategic outlook.

Thank you, Deepak. Thanks, Jashandeep.

Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us. We have started our financial year '27 with a disciplined and sustainable performance, reflecting the continued execution of our strategy despite a challenging operating environment.

The quarter was characterized by stable cement demand supported by infrastructure, housing, and construction activity, while profitability across the industry remained under pressure from the higher imported fuel prices, elevated freight costs, and geopolitical developments in West Asia. Against this backdrop, Ambuja Cements delivered stronger profitability, improved operating efficiency, and continued strategic execution.

Our strategy remains clear and consistent: creating sustainable value ahead of volume. We used this as an opportunity to perform scheduled maintenance for almost 12% of our kilns, absorbing additional cost of ₹50 per metric ton this quarter, while we built up clinker inventory of 1 month and coal inventory of around 3 months, giving us a competitive edge in second quarter.

We continue to execute against the 4 strategic priorities that will define the next phase of our growth: first, profitable growth. Our focus remains firmly on value creation.

We continue to improve the quality of our revenue through a higher share of trade sales, increasing premiumization, discipline in pricing, market-specific commercial strategies. Trade shares trade sales share has actually improved from 74% to now 78% of our overall sales.

Our premium strategy continued to gain traction, with premium products comprising 34% of our trade sales. Cluster-wise, if I have to highlight, North continued with its leadership in terms of giving highest EBITDA in my books.

We grew 2% of our trade volumes y-o-y in North, while we had a much sharper reduction in the lower margin non-trade volumes. Central cluster, it remained a stronger market for us with higher proportion of premium cement, enabling higher EBITDA margins, and we improved our share of blended cement in this cluster.

Far as West is concerned, it's well-balanced between trade and non-trade, since the key markets of Mumbai, Gujarat are stronger on higher margins of non-trade volumes. We have grown positively both in terms of trade as well as non-trade in West.

East is concerned, we have sustained on the trade volumes, and we maintained healthy EBITDA margins. Far as South is concerned, we have consciously reduced our lower margin volumes while we continue to increase our channel network and focus on trade volumes as we move on the coming quarters.

In all, we have a 2% negative y-o-y growth on the trade and a 21% y-o-y grow negative growth on non-trade. The second on the track in in terms of our 4 strategic priorities I would highlight is the structural cost leadership.

Operational excellence continues to strengthen our competitive advantage. During the quarter, our clinker factor improved by 3% from 67% to now 64%, while share of blended cement increased 85%, improving both profitability and sustainability.

Net operating cost reduced to ₹4,241 per metric ton, a reduction of ₹206 PMT from the previous quarter. Thus, it puts us firmly in terms of our guidance to achieve ₹4,250 per ton for this financial year.

Importantly, these gains were achieved despite the inflationary pressures. Productivity initiatives enabled us to maintain manpower cost at ₹222 PMT, while optimization of our manufacturing footprint reduced the primary lead distance by 20 kilometers, lowering our logistics cost by another ₹10 per metric ton.

Across the value chain, we continue to build structural advantages through raw material optimization, higher renewable energy utilization, better use of domestic fuels, enhanced capacity enhanced captive coal integration, improved kiln efficiency, logistics optimization, and expanded rail infra. Our RE power capacity is now at 973 megawatt, up almost 500 megawatt over past 1 year.

The WHRS capacity stands at 228 megawatt, and this has helped us to reduce our unit of power cost from ₹5.9 per kWh to almost ₹4.9, by ₹1 actually it has come down with this improvements. This is in line with our earlier guidance.

Our cost transformation journey for this year remains firmly on track, as I mentioned earlier, supported by series of structural efficiency initiatives. One of them, for example, reduction in the lead distance, we are expecting another 15 kilometers, which will deliver additional ₹30 ₹35 per ton of savings.

Raw material logistic optimization through greater use of the BCFC rakes and the fly ash sorting initiatives is expected to contribute additional ₹30 per ton. On the energy front, increased RE power consumption backed by commissioning of additional 75 megawatt of the new green power capacity, along with the targeted reductions in the heat consumption, which on a conservative estimate, I I consider 5 kcal from the existing levels per kg of clinker, and then the power consumption which will come down by almost 2 to 3 units per ton of cement.

This is all expected to generate additional savings of say ₹50 on this initiatives, and the other expenses, for example, there's a headroom of improving by ₹10 to ₹15. In all, these initiatives are expected to deliver savings of almost ₹130 to ₹150 per ton, providing a strong visibility towards our cost leadership target and enhancing long-term competitiveness.

It also mitigates any pressures on cost from the geopolitical tensions. I again re-emphasize, all these initiatives are fundamentally reshaping our cost curve and reinforce our confidence in achieving total cost of 4,250 PMT by end of '27.

The third factor in our strategic approach is the disciplined capital allocation. Today, Ambuja has evolved into a 109 million tons of capacity integrated cement platform.

Our priority is no longer simply adding the capacity, but it is converting scale into higher productivity, superior profitability, and stronger returns on capital. Our expansion program remains firmly on schedule.

To highlight, trial runs have already commenced at Dahej, which is the expansion of 1.2 million tons of cement capacity. Salai Banwa in UP has already started with 2.4 million tons of capacity.

Bathinda in Punjab, 1.2 million tons. Jodhpur, which was, if you remember, we had acquired from Penna as an overall company, this Jodhpur was under construction that point, it has already also commissioned at 2 million tons of capacity.

Kalamboli in Mumbai, basically 1 million tons of expansion, that is expected in Q2, and so is Warisaliganj in Bihar, 2.4 million tons, expected in Q2. Maratha is a clinker line which we are expecting it to commission next year.

These projects will increase our installed capacity to 119 million tons by end of this financial year, and it will also help us to improve on our efficiency and overall costs. At the same time, our focus extends well beyond capacity creation.

The debottlenecking, the asset reliability, the operational stabilization, and the productivity enhancement remains equally important to maximize the returns from every amount of capital invested. Fourth in the pillar of the strategy which we are focusing is to build a future-ready enterprise.

Technology and sustainability are increasingly becoming enduring competitive differentiators. Importantly, at Ambuja, sustainability is not merely an ESG commitment; it is a driver of innovation, efficiency, and long-term shareholder value creation.

Let me now briefly summarize our financial performance: revenue of ₹9,500 crores, operating EBITDA of ₹1,589 crores, EBITDA margin which has improved 331 basis points to now 16.7%, EBITDA per ton of ₹931, net cost reduced by 206 per metric ton sequentially, PAT of ₹660 crores, and net worth of almost ₹72,000 crores. Looking ahead, friends, India's long-term demand fundamentals remains compelling.

Infrastructure development, urbanization, industrialization, logistics investments, and housing demand continues to support sustained growth in cement consumption. While near-term demand may remain influenced by monsoon and input cost volatility, our priorities remains unchanged.

We remain well-positioned to outperform industry growth, expanding installed capacity to 119 million tons with the addition of 10.2 million tons which I mentioned before. We also target approximately ₹250 per ton of additional cost savings which I mentioned to 4,250 now by the end of for the full year of FY27, and continuing to improve returns through disciplined execution, premiumization, operational excellence, and digital transformation.

With industry scale leading structural cost leadership, disciplined capital allocation, and technology-enabled execution, and a stronger balance sheet, Ambuja Cement is uniquely positioned to create superior long-term value for all the stakeholders. I thank you again.

I will now hand over the call to the moderator.

Good evening, sir. Am I audible?

Hello?

Yes, Naveen, you are.

Good evening, sir, and thank you for the opportunity. Also, congratulations on the sequential improvement that we have seen in the profitability.

I had two questions: one is on volumes. Now volumes, you'll appreciate that yours is the only company to have seen, at least so far, in the listed entity space, Ambuja is the only company to have lost volumes, and you explained: trade there is a decline and much higher decline in the non-trade.

This is in the quest to chase value over volume, which is now very apparent and also mentioned in the PPT. I wanted to just understand then, is it fair then that for full year FY27, if this strategy maintained, we will have a very muted kind of a volume growth because we'll be focusing more on maximizing value in the backdrop of the previous quarter's guidance that we were chasing around 80 million tons or so?

Thank you, Naveen. Thank you very much.

I think this question may be also echoing from some of the other analyst fraternity, let me explain this in more detail. First, I want to assure you all, I think the whole focus on the trade volume, and therefore, this improvement in the percentage of trade volume from 74% to 78% sequentially, as you rightly said, has actually given us a good bump in the EBITDA by almost ₹206 a metric ton.

Now from here onwards, on back of our brand equity, Ambuja, ACC, with the parent brand Adani Cement, we are riding quite well in terms of the volume growth. As we speak in the month of July, and I would not shy highlighting that we are already seeing a 8% improvement on the trade volumes, and therefore, it gives me a good level of confidence to continue with our estimation and guidance of 8% growth, which we are targeting for this financial year.

Therefore, more the way we focus on value terms, I think in terms of overall revenue, it will commensurate and keep us giving that elbow advantage compared to the competition. Doesn't mean that we are not focusing on the non-trade.

We are, and in my commentary I highlighted that some of the markets of West and few of say North, which provides a great opportunity on the non-trade, which remains our key focus area. What we are also doing is many of the markets in Center and East, for example, they are also moving blended cement in the non-trade, which actually becomes an advantage and therefore has helped us to improve our overall say share of blended cement to 85%.

The track is two: one is improve the blended share of sale to the non-trade institutional segment and keep focusing on trade with the brand equity and the excitement which we see now with the channel partners, the dealers, the contractors, the retailers, and the whole positive momentum which is now coming in. I think this definitely bodes very well for the coming quarters, and which is reflected in July also.

I think we are quite positive towards the volume growth for the year.

Whatever market share loss we have had in Q1, we'll be able to recoup that in the balance 9 months? Is that a safe understanding?

Naveen, I would say that market share has to be looked upon not in overall basis. Again, for example, I would say that we have sustained and rather only improved in terms of the market share on the trade segment.

Far as you may say that we have reduced our market share on the non-trade, which is a very well calculated, thought upon action plan. On the trade side, we have sustained and improved only.

Understood. Sir, my second question then was on the green power, and as you've reported that out of the 1,122 megawatt, 973 has already commissioned, which is 87%.

Now, my question was that by FY28, the target is to take it to 1,122 megawatt, which is just 13% incremental, but the share of green power is then going from 34% to 60%. Two parts of the question is: what major difference will the incremental 13% do to take the overall share to 60%, and if company is selling some green power because not able to utilize at the plant, does it also mean that the benefits of this green power are largely captured, the only difference being they are in revenues right now and will come to cost later?

Thank you.

Very good question again, Naveen. I must appreciate.

I think this is a very interesting point. What we have done is we have set up the capacity, and just to put some more specific numbers, 45 crore units, right, has been sold in first quarter out of our say operating assets.

Question would be, are we basically inclined towards sale or inclined towards consumption? Actually, the inclination is towards the consumption, but there are always initial teething issues, the transmission infrastructure, some of the policy initiatives, it takes time.

This quarter, which is Q2, we are expecting to consume almost 50% of this, almost 20 crore units out of these sold units, number one. Now, your question is very interesting, that 34%.

Actually, if I consider the sold unit, this 34% is actually reported on a consumption basis. I would have actually shared on a overall revenue plus consumption, then my green power share is almost 48%.

Now, the journey is then from 48% to 60%, and that is quite basically enabled through the capacity which you highlighted up from 11.22, for example, and also the WHRS capacity which are getting set up from some 230-odd megawatt as of now. We are absolutely well on our plan in terms of green power to achieve 60% by FY28.

Thank you, sir. I'll come back in queue.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone. I have a couple of questions.

First, it's on Sanghi, Penna, Orient. When do we expect normalized utilization and EBITDA per ton levels, and how much CapEx do you think you need to spend to achieve that?

Far as the acquired assets of

your question is Manish, about Orient, Penna, and Sanghi, right, if I understood it correctly? Orient, for example, is quite well in terms of its capacity utilization as well as margin, and therefore, for example, from prospectively here onwards, I only see an improvement in Orient with minimum of investment.

Because we have 87% utilization of capacity in Orient. Far as Penna is concerned, that remains an area in terms of improving the capacity utilization.

One is the investment part. Investment is lesser, but I think what we have to do, investment is more on the channel network and increasing the whole focus in terms of the trade sales, which will be the key driving factor for improving our overall say penetration of utilization of capacity of Penna.

Sanghi is quite moving well, and Sanghi, for example, we have seen an improvement in that capacity utilization, both clinker as well as cement. Sanghi, for example, what we are doing is now an investment of closer to say 600-odd crores, which is planned in terms of the jetty expansion.

That's more for the clinker basically utilization, which will augment and support the planned grinding units on the coast. Otherwise, Sanghi has taken up the investments.

For example, we are already investing into WHRS line in Sanghi, and what we have done is also plant shutdown of one of the kilns, which is in a normal course of the investment, nothing special. I think Penna is what, for example, required some of the AFR investments and WHRS investments.

I would peg it the investment is less than let us say ₹100 to ₹150 crores altogether, but the more important is the whole improvement in terms of the channel development for South to enable and facilitate a margin expansion of the Penna assets. As I said, Sanghi is now doing well, and you will see every prospective quarter a better utilization and improved margins coming from Sanghi.

That's super helpful. Then you mentioned in the press release that you expect sequential cost pressure in fiscal second quarter.

When should we expect those costs to normalize?

Basically, I would say that this cost increases basically more about the geopolitical escalations if at all it happens. Therefore, for example, normalization would all depend on how that de-escalates.

What we are doing is, because those are beyond your control, what is in your control is how you can further optimize the cost. I gave a narrative of almost ₹150 a ton in my initial remarks, whether it is logistics, whether it is green power, whether it is basically consumption efficiency of the heat consumption or the power consumption, and also the clinker factor, very important, because in the industry, for example, amongst the peers, I proudly say that Adani Cement is the one which has actually reduced the clinker factor by 3-odd percent.

Every 1% clinker factor has a good savings also. I think we are expecting almost ₹130 to ₹150 a ton basically cushion available, which we are focusing to have any kind of, and we are expecting if at all this kind of say geopolitical situation continues, ballpark about ₹100, for example, potential rise in the cost.

I mentioned to you, I'm holding an inventory of clinker of almost a month, and I'm holding a coal inventory of almost 3 months, I'm very well mitigated from that perspective. On top of it, the initiatives to bring down the cost by ₹100 to ₹150, which will be a good mitigation to absorb any kind of surprises from any external factors.

That's also helpful. Then just lastly, if I were to look at industry demand and pricing, can you just give us a flavor for what you're seeing across some of your key regions?

Yes. Yes, Manish, in terms of our key regions, I think we are seeing a good momentum coming in terms of say East.

East is doing well, is West. We are seeing now where we have grown positively also, both on the trade and on the B2B side.

For me, the key markets remains, Manish, North, West, Center, and East. All of them, for example, we are seeing a good traction, and that's how with confidence I mentioned to Naveen also in terms of our estimates of guidance on the volume growth.

I think there is now a stronger excitement within the channel and in terms of demand pull, what also is coming for our premium cement and our overall say brand equity pull, we are seeing a good momentum across this. On South, I have to invest on the channel network, which we will do, which we are doing with lots of focus, and you will see a good improvement on that part as well.

Meanwhile, we're also putting efforts in terms of doing some further improvisation on the product with some R&D and all on certain product segment, which, for example, down the line, we will let you know how things are shaping on that. Essentially, the idea is to improve the share of blended cement.

As of now, we are at 85%, and we want to further improve down the line.

Super helpful, and best of luck.

Thank you, Manish.

Hi, thank you for the opportunity. Couple of questions.

Despite improvement in trade sales, our ASP increase on a sequential basis has been one of the lowest in the industry. Is it more geographical mix or what exact is driving this?

Indrajit, thank you. In terms of the growth, I think so we have achieved say 2% sequential growth, while y-on-y there's a decline, but there are different ways how you calculate the NSP, I won't go into that accounting treatment, but one should consider that also because there are Incoterms, for example.

Some companies actually net off from certain expenditures, and so we actually put certain expenditures which are netting off the industry compared to some of the other industry players who may not do it, number one. In terms of the ex-works, which is in the Incoterms, the commercial terms, when it increases, it impacts your NSP also.

One would look at those factors, and therefore, for example, the NSP gets impacted. From here onwards, I think what we are confident is the whole brand pull and the trade segment and the premium actually is going to differentiate our price movement also.

I think price is all market forces, which is well appreciated, but I would still bring the focus back to cost, and which is something which is absolutely in our control, and we want to deliver most efficiently there, and which will be a determining factor in our delta improvement vis-a-vis other players, and you will see the journey of NSP also will improve in line with the industry.

Sure. Actually, on that note, given that you already have substantial coal and clinker inventory, versus the commentary of some of the other players of let's say ₹80, ₹100 kind of cost increase sequentially in 2Q, can we assume at least from the variable cost basis you are unlikely to have any cost increase in 2Q?

No, I would say that we will still have some impact, but I have given you the mitigation of that. Therefore, for example, on a net basis, we will be well in our line with the June quarter estimates and slightly better only.

On a full year, we are anyways giving guidance of ₹4,250 a ton. I mentioned that there will be some element of surprise coming from this geopolitical tensions and all, and we are well mitigated with the overall say raw material and the other factor which I have highlighted.

Sure. What would be the CapEx number for FY27 and '28?

CapEx is overall say closer to ₹6,500 crores, and which is well spread between the growth and the efficiency CapEx, but that's we are working on.

Sure. I have more questions.

I'll come back in the queue.

Hi, sir. Good evening.

Am I audible?

Yes, Rajesh, you are.

Hi, sir. First question, I think you have partly covered that on the volume growth.

Full year when you are maintaining 8%, and first quarter we have seen a sharp decline, what gives you confidence that on a total basis you would be able to deliver 8%, which would mean more than 10% growth in the remaining 9 months?

Rajesh, I think the confidence is on the overall investment which we are now putting in terms of the focus on trade, the channel, the brand, the support coming now from the whole network, and that is what we wanted. Therefore, even for the B2B, we are focusing on the key markets which are high margin B2B business, and it is therefore important that we are there in terms of the new capacity also.

For example, which I mentioned to you, almost 10 million tons is coming, which will come in say different staggered manner, but those are also going to improve the volumes. The improvement also comes when I have a source of fly ash which I have a long-term agreement, and it comes at a very competitive costing, and the infrastructure of railway which we have created, the BCFC rakes which we have invested, all of this basically helps us to bring and move the material in most efficient manner and get the volume share more so on the trade side.

Great. Sir, this trade non-trade mix, 75% what we have achieved, 78%, can we expect that in subsequent quarters it would be north of 75% trade sales, that will be the focus?

Absolutely, Rajesh, you hit the point. It is going to be upwards of 75%.

Okay. Sir, we hear in the channel that there are a lot of talks of merging ACC, Ambuja brand into an Adani Cement brand.

Could you throw some light on that and what is the thought process behind that effort?

Rajesh, no such plans for the brand merger. Whatever the plan is for the company mergers which we have announced.

Understood. On the RMC, could you share what is the EBITDA number for the RMC segment in Q1?

In terms of the RMC EBITDA for the quarter, we are at about say 35-odd crores, yeah. This will yeah.

Okay. No, why I'm asking because on the last whole of four quarters of last year, this segment reported margins of close to 14% to 15%, and this quarter this has fallen down sharply to 7%.

Any change in strategy?

No specific reasons, but this is still a smaller segment, I would say that I can spend time on that, but maybe we will discuss more. There are specific in terms of the overall say the raw material pricing and certain say financial accounting, for example, in terms of the lease accountings and all, but I'm saying ₹30 crore and all here and there, for example, we can spend more time on this separately.

No issues, sir. Lastly, of the total ₹6,500 crore earmarked for this year CapEx, how much we would have spent in Q1?

I would say that we are well in terms of almost closer to 25%, which is balancing out for me for the year, actually. So, 25% is there, around closer to ₹1,500 to ₹1,600 crore which we have invested.

Great, sir. That's all from my end.

I'll come back in queue. Thank you.

Thank you, Rajesh.

Thank you. I may have missed some of the initial points, but did you mention that the trade volume decline was 2% and non-trade was 21%?

Rashi, you are right. This is y-on-y.

Why, given that there's so much focus on trade, why did you still witness a decline? Could you give us regionally what was the dynamic across or why

did that happen? Sorry.

Rashi, basically, y-on-y, for example, this quarter had the severe most impact of all the geopolitical tensions in terms of the diesel availability, in terms of the interim issues on the packing bags availability, and so and so forth. This was say one part.

I think when you change your gears, there are certain disruptions which happen. I think now I mentioned to you in July, we are already seeing a 8% y-on-y growth.

I think I would pick it from here that how things are moving, so that's the recalibration which we have done.

The 8% that you mentioned was only trade, right? Non-trade would still be negative?

Again, the whole focus of the discussion will be let us say on trade, you're absolutely right. Even going with the y-on-y of this quarter vis-a-vis the earlier year, on some of the clusters I mentioned to you, like North, we have grown 2%; on West, and these are my high EBITDA markets; West also we have grown say 2%.

Selectively we have grown, selectively we have degrown. Some of them is well calculated because of the low EBITDA margins and all, which I have mentioned now, and we are focusing absolutely on value terms.

8% for trade, and trade remains a high degree of my overall say sales, it will be, I told, upwards of 75%, and then you can calculate and calibrate the overall volume growth.

Understood. Just on a regional basis, your overall volume, either overall or on the trade basis, regionally did you basically witness a decline across in all regions on a year-on-year basis?

You're saying about the B2B, Rashi?

I'm talking about total actually, on the total volume which was down 7% year-on-year.

No, in fact, we have seen a good growth. I mentioned like, for example, even in B2B in the West side, we have grown both in trade and the non-trade.

On the North, we have grown basically in North and East. East, we have sustained.

It is like selective. I mentioned that South is where, for example, we have consciously the low margin, we have degrown basically, which is the highest degrowth in that cluster.

Center, for example, more we have degrown because we have moved into the blended cement as a offering, and which has actually helped us to actually improve our margins. We have been selective cluster-by-cluster.

Got it. What was capacity utilization for you overall in Q1?

On the

overall, 65 65%, but if I look at I think so, yeah, ballpark 65% on a totality basis.

Got it. Second question is on costs.

I'm just trying to understand, in this quarter, you've witnessed a ₹206 decline sequentially on your costs. Where exactly is this decline showing up, because when I read the various heads as per your presentation, then power and fuel costs have actually moved up sequentially.

I know that there's a whole stock change impact, but if I have to look specifically, where all have you got this ₹206 savings?

If you look at in terms of say raw material, we have got the savings in fly ash in terms of efficient sourcing of the fly ash. In terms of the power, we have seen the RE power which has benefited and the overall say price per unit of the power rate has come down.

These are like two primarily factors. Apart from that, my clinker factor, which has come down by 3%, that has been also a good improvement of my overall say cost reduction.

This 206 improvement has come from combination of efficiency, the clinker factor. Logistics marginally, I mentioned ₹10 per ton, but RE power and fly ash has also given me a good advantage and prospectively also, they will keep giving me advantage.

Now,

so far as also what we are doing, Rashi, is the optimization of the fixed cost, for example, and you will say that it is commendable that despite the capacity utilization being lower, but still we are able to optimize my fixed cost as well, and a good speed of excellence you will see on this front as well. Various factors, I can actually give a bridge on that, but I think suffice to say this 206 has many good factors to sustain further and further improve from there.

Understood. You had given at the beginning

This 206, by the way, is after absorbing the ₹110 which ballpark which we believe also has hit us from the West Asia escalation. This 10 206 plus 110, if I have to gross it up, actually my savings is ₹316, actually, on the cost side.

I have digested that 110, and after that, our cost has come down by ₹206 per ton.

Sure, got it. Okay.

You had given some numbers on waste heat recovery renewable energy, what was the total capacity now and what will it go to? I missed that earlier on.

Now it is 228 megawatt, and this will go further to almost 376, almost like another 100 mega about say 70 140 megawatt which will improve from here, basically. All my new kilns, which Maratha new kilns whichever it comes to, it will have WHRS and will further add up to, as I mentioned, to Sanghi and Penna and all.

Okay. RE?

RE, Naveen mentioned, we are say 1,132 megawatt in terms of 1,122 basically for the RE, and we are from the current 975-odd megawatt. Almost closer to 150 megawatt there.

Okay. Thank you.

Hi, sir, good evening. Sir, my first question is on capacity.

While you have given a road map for fiscal '27, there are two parts: one is, how do we see growth or capacity in let's say '28, '29? That is one.

Secondly, out of this 119, which includes some of the old capacities, especially of ACC, is there something that we plan to permanently mothball, and how should we think about that?

Ashish, hi, thanks. I will answer your second question first.

In terms of the one which have you mentioned about the mothballing, answer is no. In fact, we are evaluating and we are working to see how they are optimized.

Therefore, that's like a temporary suspension. Far as the capacity for '28, '29 is concerned, I would say that now I want to just give you this confidence that by end of this year, we should be hitting 119.

For '28, '29, work in progress, generally we expect every year 8 to 10 million tons of capacity additions, and that's like how we will plan it out.

Right. No, sir, I'm not looking for numbers as of now, but we will be adding something or the other organic, in '28, '29 also, or given our shift to profitability, yeah, yeah?

True,

that is Organic only. Whatever we are discussing now is purely organic.

Anything more, Ashish?

Sir, second, I wanted to understand the cost impact a bit better. The incremental number that we are talking about, from the breakup which you kind of alluded to, looks like the large part of the incremental savings is coming from RE.

Is that the right interpretation?

I think you have all the engines on fire on the cost. One is the efficiency, second is the raw material, of course, RE power also, and the fixed cost optimization.

I think all of them, for example, we have a good focus on them, and there's a good visibility also because we have invested, right? When I say raw material, we have invested into the BCFC infrastructure and the fly ash, for example, when it comes to, recently like 10 days back there was this policy from railways which actually further improvises the logistics cost when you move by BCFC.

We have made those investments, and therefore, the incremental savings are coming from those investments, whether it is RE power, whether it is in railway, and so forth. More importantly is the efficiencies also, which are now coming on our plants.

Great. Thank you so much, sir.

Further to, if you want some specific, I can share the numbers also, for example. In terms of let us say the efficiency factor, it is almost ₹30 to ₹50.

When it comes to the input material and logistics, it becomes almost say ₹50 a ton. The clinker factor itself brings another ₹50 a ton, and the fixed cost, for example, optimization will help me another ₹80 a ton.

This journey, for example, from the 4,447 which we had reported in Q4 of FY26 to coming to 4,250 for the or 4,241 for the first quarter of '27, I think these are like broad heads in terms of specific numbers also. As I said, this is after digesting the ₹110 West Asia war escalations.

Right, right,

right, yeah. Thank you so much, sir.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Hi, sir. Thanks for the opportunity.

A couple of questions. First one, sir, how should we look at the ICD which has actually come through via ACC and Orient?

How should one read into that? That's the first question.

Ritesh, we are in the advanced stages of now merger. I think so this ICDs are well within the approved limits of the shareholder and carries a coupon of 8%.

Now, practically, it's a one platform, and I think the whole idea was to merge together all of this. I would say that these are all within the compliances.

Sir, I appreciate it's under compliance, it's all legit. Any specific reason of not raising debt at Ambuja level, or if I have to put it the other way around, if I look at the debt maturity profile for Ambuja, we have almost 22,000, 23,000 crores which matures in FY27.

Should one link both the variables, or how should we read into it?

The operating company Ambuja has zero debt, and if you are alluding to the parent company debt, I would not be the right person to answer on that. Coming to the Ambuja level, as I mentioned, zero debt, and I think we are managing our cash flow from the operating cash flows and we have a good plan to sustain on that.

Okay. Sir, would it be possible for you to reflect upon the SLAs that we have done for a few plants, how the experience has been?

I understand we are also looking to expand it to logistics as well. Is this for a particular market or is it on a pan-India basis, if you can give some numbers around CapEx, OpEx, cost benefits that you've already derived or what we expect out of SLAs?

Ritesh, we have begun on this. It's little early to come to you on it, but I think let us mature on this.

Things are quite positive, and I must say that the overall vision of our Chairman and supported by Karan Bhai, I think things are moving well in the direction on this.

Sure. Sir, I'll just squeeze in one more with respect to power and fuel.

Sir, our stated goal for 2030 with respect to TSR is 23%. We are somewhere at 5.7%.

How do we plan to achieve this road map? That's one.

The second question, I think we have four coal blocks right now. One of it is operational.

How should we look at the potential cost savings from both TSR as well as the coal blocks?

TSR basically, which is the overall say utilization of the AFR, for example, that's what you're highlighting, Ritesh?

Yes, sir.

AFR, for example, I agree with you that we are on a lower side at say 7%, and that is one of our key focus area to improve this component of KPI, and you will see a good progress in coming quarters. We have indeed highlighted to you before that our target is to achieve 25% of the AFR down the line, and right now, we are a little behind on that schedule, but every passing quarter you will see an improvement.

Right. Sir, is there a road map to go till the stated number, because the number is quite steep and the incremental cost savings can be huge over here?

Immediately right now, for example, in this fiscal year, we are targeting to hit almost say 12% to 15%. Because see, when it comes to AFR, it's all a combination of how much is the basically cost of the fuel, how much you want to basically save on the AFR versus the overall say coal and blah, blah, blah.

Now, as a rule basically, we want to maximize this, and this improves to 10% to 15% in this fiscal year.

Sir, on coal blocks?

The coal cost, what is the coal cost?

Sir, coal blocks. I think one of the four blocks are operational.

What's the status of the other blocks?

There are three coal blocks which we are focusing. The first one will be operationalized in say 2, 2.5 years' time, and just to circle back on the AFR, I think needful investments have already been made, therefore the confidence to hit say 15% is high.

Coal block, the first one gets operationalized in say about 30 months from now.

Okay. Sir, would you like to give some numbers on tonnage savings?

No, I think, Ritesh, it's too early, now? The investments are all have a good payback, therefore you can basically understand, these are 5 to 6 years payback.

Sure. Thank you.

I'll jump back in the queue. Thanks.

Hi. Good evening, and thanks for the opportunity.

Would you be able to share the regional volume mix in the quarter?

In terms of the overall volume mix that is for overall say overall, I'm saying this for the trade and non-trade, ballpark I'm going to highlight to you. Let us say the North is almost closer to 25% for me.

West is tad higher to 30-odd percent. East is also 25-odd percent, this becomes almost 80.

Then 10% is the Center and 10% is the South, ballpark would be the breakup.

Sure. Would the share of South be lower in Q1, given what you just mentioned earlier in the opening remarks?

Yes. You mean to say Q1 or Q2?

Q1, you mentioned that in South basically you have degrown in both trade, non-trade.

Yes. Yes, it is.

Absolutely, absolutely. Therefore, compared to say last quarter and also last year, South, my percentage is lower this time.

Got it. Seems like that is one of the reasons as well for better cost performance, right, because we know that South is a higher clinker factor market as well as a higher cost market in that sense to service, particularly in a quarter where fuel costs are higher.

That is true. That is the whole focus, absolutely right.

Got it. Secondly, on the sales you mentioned, right, 44 45 crore units sales of power.

What is the EBITDA number of that?

The sales revenue, I can say, for example, ballpark around ₹140-odd crores is the sales number for the quarter.

Right. Most of this will be EBITDA, is it, sir, because these are all your own units, right?

Yes. These are all because they're all based on the investments made, absolutely right.

Very much part and parcel of the business.

What I mean to say, the OpEx will not be too high for this ₹140 crore, right?

Hardly 5%. Otherwise they're all adding to the bottom line.

Got it. Lastly, when I look at the mix of trade, non-trade, last year Q2 it was actually pretty high, it seems, at 32%, 33% was non-trade actually, and trade was a bit low at 67.

When you say that the trade is growing 7% or so in July, non-trade is continuing to be a big decline, because that would imply that the overall volumes would still be low in Q2, given that

I think we are critically handling non-trade also. It's not going to be that big decline, for example.

Overall, we will be able to manage our volumes in line with the guidance which we have given.

Sure, sure. Just lastly, if I may ask, while you mentioned this cost number, which is obviously different from the overall cost per ton when we calculate it, similarly for cement realization as well, could you provide a number just to get a like-to-like comparison, because EBITDA is blended, right, when you report EBITDA per ton in the PPT?

Similarly, if you want to just calculate what was the cement EBITDA per ton, could you give a clean realization for cement as well?

Cement EBITDA per ton for the grey cement is ₹911 per ton. That's the number I have.

Sure. Blended See,

I have both basically RMX and grey cement. Grey cement is 11 ₹911.

That is the overall EBITDA, right, which includes EBITDA for RMC

and

fly ash. ₹931 is blending.

Sure. I'll maybe connect on this a bit later, yeah.

Thank you.

Sure.

Two I have two questions. My first question is that the filing mentions that some manufacturing operations have been shut down.

Can you just highlight what are the manufacturing operations, what capacity has been shut down? My second question is that there seems to be some ICDs from ACC, Orient to the parent.

Any particular reason for the ICDs, given that the company already has access at a group level at that cash entity at the Ambuja Group level? Thank you.

Basically, in terms of the temporary closure of the plants, basically this is temporary because we are anyways working on optimizing it. The capacities are closer to about say around say 3.5-odd million tons of annual capacity, number one.

What was your second question?

The ICDs from the subsidiaries to the parent.

The ICDs? From Sorry, Pinakin?

The ICDs from, I think, ACC and Orient Cement to the parent. What is the particular requirement for it at this point of time at the Ambuja level?

No, so

as part of the whole MSA commitments, because Ambuja has the higher share of the capacity and therefore Ambuja is supplying the materials. This time, you have seen that almost 1.6 to 2 million tons of cement has been supplied, huh?

How much? 3 million?

3 million has been supplied to ACC by Ambuja. I think this is part of the whole MSA arrangement, Pinakin, wherein the investments which have been made by Ambuja, the benefits are also being received in terms of volume by ACC, Orient, and everyone within the cement part, and that's how the MSAs are ensuring proper payouts also to the respective companies.

Got it. Thank you.

Good evening, sir. I have three questions.

Firstly, can you discuss the quarter timelines of this 3 million ton Jodhpur clinker and 4 million ton Maratha clinker?

See, Maratha, we are expecting to commission next year, and that is what, for example, we have planned. Far as Jodhpur is concerned, we already have seen trials started, and in Q2, which is in this current quarter, it will start stabilizing and supplying to my grinding units.

Next year's in, you mean Maratha is next financial year, FY28? First,

yeah. Absolutely, first quarter of next year.

Okay. The question is on your cost again.

You have done this quarter 4,240 kind of cost, full year 4,250 expectation. Basically, incremental cost impact of inflation will be absorbed by incremental savings.

Your full-year cost remains same what you reported in Q1. Is that correct?

Absolutely, well summarized by you, Prateek. Okay.

Last question, because your PPT first time mention of fly ash sales and power sales, can we get cumulative revenue and cost of fly ash and power sales in 1Q and 4Q to get a exact calculation of cost per ton?

Prateek, I mentioned to you that these two components basically which are basically closer to 45 crores of units which we have sold in RE power, and fly ash, I don't have right now with me, but I can circle back to you in terms of what tons of fly ash been sold.

No, I'm looking for revenue and cost for these two line items cumulatively. I don't require separately.

On this point, let me just circle back once I have the details on this call or maybe separately.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Sir, thank you for taking my question. I don't know if this has already been asked, but my first question is the plants that have been suspended, any time duration for which they have been put under suspension?

Around say 6 months basically.

We should not expect any volume throughput coming from those plants for the next 6 months or it's in total 6 months?

Total 6 months basically.

Total 6 months. Sir, my second question is more bookkeeping.

The depreciation number is much lower in the quarter. Any specific reason, and what's the run rate that we should keep for the next few quarters?

I will request Rohit, my CFO, to answer on this.

Sir, if I can add to here, the depreciation run rate would stay at the similar level. In the last quarter, due to the true-up entries which were taken on account of the merger of Sanghi and Penna, the depreciation was higher Q-on-Q.

Otherwise, it's going to be at the similar levels at this touch point. Sir.

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

Hi. Thank you for taking my question.

Two questions. First, with data keeping, you mentioned that power revenues were around ₹140 crores in the first quarter.

Can you give us the comparable number for fourth quarter?

For the fourth quarter, the question was about the power revenue? Yes.

In terms of the million units, I can highlight that in the fourth quarter, which is March '26, and over here, just give me a second. Almost the 70-odd crores is the number for power.

This was 45 crore units in the first quarter, right?

No, for fourth quarter, the units would be lesser. In terms of the overall sale, this was around 24 crore of units for the fourth quarter.

Versus 45 in this quarter?

Versus 45 in this quarter.

Got it. My second question is a bit towards understanding your strategy in South.

Now, you said that you cut off some of the volumes in the region. Can you please help us understand what kind of volumes were being cut off and how much of that would be from Penna and Orient?

Thank you.

We actually curtailed the low and negative EBITDA volumes, and this is almost closer to a million, for example, which we actually reduced.

Is it fair to say that some of this volume would not come back?

Sorry?

Is it fair to say that some of these volumes of this 1 million ton would stay the way they are, or is there any strategy to improve

No, I think the strategy is to work on the cost so that they become viable and sustainable and the margins expand on them. That the way which we are working right now.

Can you please help us understand what you are doing to help improve their profitability to the parent level?

Precisely in terms of the overall say improving on the cost for those specific plants which are serving those markets, right from the green power to alternate fuel to WHRS to basically bringing the fly ash at the most optimum cost, the overall say raw material mix, the fuel mix, these are precisely the treatments and the efficiency factors for those. The overall say blend of cement which has to improve and for the clinker factor to come down, these are all the basic important treatment which has to go to those plants.

The reason I'm asking this question is I'm just trying to understand the 1 million ton volume that has been lost, how soon can we expect this to come back?

No, rather see, I'm saying I'm not so concerned about the 1 million which has been lost. I'm more concerned on how I move that 1 million into trade segment, number one.

It is anyways the work in progress is there, and out of 1 million, we will be able to capture a good volume. More importantly is, how can I move into the trade segment?

How soon can you Because

we have an opportunity because our market share, for example, will give us the opportunity to move into the trade segment. That happens, therefore I said that I have to invest on the channel, I will have to build up that in especially the markets like South, which is, for example, it will take one or two quarters more.

The ramp-up otherwise on the other clusters, the other four clusters which I mentioned, is moving very, very well, the brand pull, the brand equity, the channel is excited, I think that is helping us, and South is also now started to pick up in terms of my trade sales.

Got it. Thank you so much.

Hi, sir. I was just comparing your NSP with UltraTech's.

The UltraTech's reported NSP was like-to-like comparison. I see, barring Q1, the preceding eight quarters, Ambuja delivered better NSP compared to UltraTech, but this quarter, almost ₹50 higher on an average versus this quarter we are down ₹100 versus UltraTech's reported NSP.

Given that we have almost similar market mix, why should there be a such a sharp fall in our number versus UltraTech, wherein the focus was more on trade sales and premiumization versus UltraTech, which is aggressive both in trade as well as in non-trade?

I think I mentioned to you, Rajesh, that we have seen a disruption in the June quarter coming from multiple factors which are beyond control. Therefore, for example, this was one quarter which has seen this aberration.

I think the idea is to also basically how to get this whole channel growth and all, and you spend a investment on that. I'm not sure accounting-wise which companies does what.

We actually in our NSP, we treat that accounting-wise also and reduce the NSP from all those costs. For example, this time we are investing into channel.

Understood. Sir, just to clarify on that power revenues, which you have told the green power, you sold around 140-odd crore realized in Q1 and around 70 crore in Q4, which you netted off in your power cost.

Incrementally, your plan is that you will be consuming those captive green power within your cement companies, and hence, if I have to look at, that cost per ton, that should be on a sustainable basis, that is a benefit which will directly accrue, right?

Absolutely, Rajesh. In fact, that's what I mentioned, that out of 45 crore, I'm expecting 50% of that will be consumed this quarter, and every progressive quarter with our capacities moving up, this will be consuming it.

Yeah.

All use

the benefit will be more basically because my savings on cost is better than my realization by selling in the market.

Correct, correct. Agreed, sir.

Incrementally, are your solar power plants, how much more they can ramp up? I want to understand this opportunity of selling 140 crore in Q1.

Even when you ramp it up for your captive consumption, would you still be left with surplus over next three to four quarters, whereby you can sell and realize some incremental gain, resulting in lower cost for the cement business?

I think first priority will be for the own consumption, and there will be some left-out basically capacity, which will be sold efficiently. We'll keep balancing on it.

Let us say that at any stage, not more than 10% will be used for selling, and rest we will be actually consuming for our own requirement.

Understood, sir. Lastly, this fly ash sale was an opportunistic sale where you had surplus and you sold it off in the market, or what should we understand of that?

Sorry, Rajesh, if you can circle back.

The fly ash sales which said that you have realized through fly ash sales in Q1, was it surplus inventory liquidation which you did, or this is

No, Rajesh, we have entered into through a long-term agreement basically for the fly ash. Wherever, for example, we are consuming it, and we are actually consuming almost 30%, and wherever we have an opportunity to sell, we are also selling in the market.

Instead of selling or dumping into the dykes and all, we are actually selling it.

Understood. Fair to understand that you would be making some profit out of that sale versus your own long-term purchase price?

Absolutely. Effectively, it actually brings down my overall effective cost of fly ash.

Great. That's nice to hear.

Thank you. That's all from my end.

thanks for the opportunity. Sir, just wanted to check, given that we've temporarily suspended manufacturing at these facilities, sir, can we gain some color as to which facilities are they?

Are they the acquired facilities, are those old ACC facilities? Which facilities are we exactly talking about?

Siddharth, your voice was very feeble, but what I hear is that the mothballing facilities your question is about that, basically?

Yes, which facilities are they?

These are the very old facilities of ACC, some of them, and one facility also of an acquired company. Just Siddharth, as I mentioned to you that these are actually a temporary closing, because we are working to see a improvement in terms of the overall treatment what we do on cost and efficiency.

Before that, I mentioned that about say 6 months time horizon which I'm expecting. This will actually help us to optimize it.

It doesn't mean that we're losing on the market, because we have alternate supplying plants which we are catering to.

Sir. We've highlighted that we have around 24 crores of termination-related exceptional items and no impairments for this quarter.

Can you give us some color as to what sort of further impairments are we looking at maybe two quarters down the line?

No, this is not to do with impairment. This is a normal VRS scheme which has been implemented in one of our plants in South India, and this is more about bringing more efficiency in the operations, nothing to do with the impairment.

Right now, we don't really expect any impairments to happen on this account, right?

No, no, no.

Got it, sir. Thank you.

Good evening, sir. Thank you for the opportunity.

Just wanted to know, every year, we have increased our market share by 2%. Now, of course, demand decline in your volumes, what kind of market share gain do we expect, given if you're growing at 8% in FY27 and then FY28?

Second is, we have seen cost measures. The Adani has acquired ACC and Ambuja in 2022.

I would like to see, when are we going to really see the actual cost measures feeding into the EBITDA per ton, to let's say 1,200 and then 1,500 of that big number that we've always heard of? When do we see Ambuja actually on that trajectory of gaining that kind of numbers?

Okay. Jyoti, thank you.

I think both are important questions. First is on the cost journey.

I still remember when we acquired, that was way back in September 2022, and the journey from there, for example, cost was almost ₹4,700 to ₹4,800 a ton, for example, and we rather actually ₹5,000 my team tells me ₹5,000. We have now come to say ₹4,244 a ton, and with a high element of confidence, we are giving guidance for ₹4,250 a ton for the FY27, number one.

The way we have worked upon is, the next year also we want to bring another ₹250 reduction in the cost, so that by end of FY28, we reach up to ₹4,000 or below in terms of cost per metric ton. Now, that's a ₹1,000, for example, reduction from ₹5,000 to the journey which we are right now navigating.

Your second question is about the EBITDA. I think I would rather restrict myself to cost.

EBITDA is a multiple factor of basically price and cost, and that is something which is beyond your control. The cost journey is what, for example, my request to all of you, and therefore, we are giving our guidance on that.

Far as the market share is concerned, Jyoti, I think I can only highlight what is my growth. Market share is again dynamic, that depending on how others are growing.

I can highlight that we will be growing when I'm adding 10% almost 10 million ton capacity say every year. From a capacity addition perspective, we are going almost say 8% to 10%, and that is what, for example, we would be targeting to grow in terms of our growth plan on the trade side especially.

Okay. Thank you, sir.

Yeah. The first question, in retrospect, if you think about all the acquisitions that we made, whether Penna, Sanghi, etc., now that we have a better chance of assessing what we've done and what we've got, do we think we have acquired more of an asset or more of an liability in that?

Bharat Bhai, thank you for this alerting question, but we have actually bought assets only, and these assets will actually start giving the results. I think rest be assured, these are assets.

Okay. I had a second and last question.

It's not about numbers or any micro data, but about people and the talent pool. What exactly is being done to tone up the organizational talent pool in general and senior management in particular?

Because cement is a traditional business, it's not a business of some grand strategy, but of terrific detailed execution. Therefore, people with eye for detail, fire in the belly, taking every element of the cost, every element which will optimize advantage in the marketplace, which will gain that incremental volume, and implement the strategy at the ground level in a very efficient, deterministic way, that, and using technology in an apt way.

What exactly we have done so far to tone up the talent pool and more steps which are on the way to make that happen?

Bharat, nice, I think you are the first one to actually put this perspective, and I really appreciate this because these are the two Ts which you mentioned: the talent and technology. In the group also, in cement business, these are highly focused upon as of now, and you will see benefits of this.

We are building up a young team, a very enthusiastic and energetic team who are roaring to and willing to take up the larger responsibilities, who have been groomed with substantial L&D programs, and group has a very methodical structure on this basically. As you rightly said, in cement, we always say, take care of the pennies, the pounds will take care of themselves.

I think that is the beauty of cement in terms of the operating leverage, and we have our eyes on that.

Are we satisfied as to what we have done so far, and are there major initiatives in place going ahead?

Bharat Bhai, there is always a scope of improvement, and more so in the last investor call also, we highlighted there are a few delays which have happened in terms of our certain efficiency CapExes and all in terms of giving the outcomes. I think better than late than never, good thing is now in June we have already given the savings of ₹206 a ton, and every, for example, passing quarter I will keep improving, and there is going to be still a scope of improvement.

I think that's a learning curve and opportunity for us and my business.

Sure, and we'll take you on that.

Thank you, Bharat Bhai.

Hi, sir. You mentioned upon a point in terms of the realization and the ex-sales sort of impacting it, so that sort of should be reflected in lower freight as well, right?

Sir, our lead distance has gone down from 269 km to 249 on a y-o-y basis, but yet the freight per ton is stable. If you could just help here with some insights.

Kunal Bhai, basically, there was this disruption of the diesel shortages, and more so in some of the plants in western side and all, basically which hampered the distribution and therefore escalation of the costs. We have also seen some disruptions which have happened in East.

Therefore, that is one factor which has resulted into, and then there was the green cess which have come, the ADT, for example, in Himachal. There are some of these factors which were beyond control, which has kept the logistics costs higher, and I think I mentioned that that is one area for us, and with the tech platform on logistics, there's a good opportunity for us, which we are working on, and we will come with more details on this.

Point very well taken. This is an area which we want to improve.

Understood. Secondly, sir, just to understand our strategy, from here on, what would be the desired utilization levels or a range on the expanded base of 119 million tons for us to start the next leg of CapEx?

When do we actually think about the next leg now? Just a follow-up to that, are there any regions in our current footprint wherein the utilizations would be tight and we might need to initiate CapEx there despite relatively lower utilization at company level?

Kunal Bhai, absolutely, good. Thank you.

I think our targeted utilization, now that our focus on value and all, in that background, I'm saying around 70% to 75%, and this is a all value-focused capacity utilization, point number one. Point number two, in terms of the expansion requirement, we have done that in North, I've expanded Bathinda, I've also expanded the Marwar Mundwa, and we also have now say Penna, Jodhpur.

I have almost like 1 plus 2.4, 3.4, plus another 2, almost 5.5 million tons of additional cement capacity which has come in North. That was, as I mentioned, one of the most profitable markets what we have.

Likewise, in West also, we are in fairly advanced stages to expand our Kalamboli, which is an important asset what we have, and we are putting up additional, say this will give me additional 1 million tons of capacity, for example. We're also expanding few other locations like Bihar, for example.

I mentioned East and Center also are going very, very well. Salai Banwa and Warisaliganj, Salai Banwa, the trials are through, and Warisaliganj will come in second quarter, most likely in September.

Wherever this need is there, we already have proactively worked on that, and the capacities are therefore going to help me to sustain the volumes which I mentioned. There was this previous question that how are we confident, and this is where the confidence comes, because now I already have almost like 10 million tons of capacity which will be coming in the market on the commercial production sense.

Understood. Just one last, if I could squeeze in, sir, there's this clinker line at Maratha, and the earlier timelines were 2Q, 3Q of this year, which moved to FY27, and now we are talking of FY28.

Any reasons there, why the delay, are there any structural issues, if you could just tell there?

No structural issues. In fact, no structural per se issue, because I have a good level of overall balancing of my utilization of the facilities, because Maratha would have served the Maharashtra market, and I have clinker coming from Sanghi also, which is, for example, now going very well.

In fact, in Sanghi, I'm utilizing almost like 60% to 65% clinker capacity utilization, which will actually go up to a larger capacity utilization. Therefore, I think we are trying to now balance it well.

We don't want to rush and then unnecessarily have a capacity while we already have capacity which can be augmented well with a marine infrastructure which we have in Sanghi. Per se, things are absolutely under control.

Last call, we have highlighted one teething issue which we had faced with one of this contractor partner, but I think that is also now under control, you will see now closing of many of these projects which are in the hands.

Understood. This is very helpful, sir.

All the very best.

Thank you, Kunal Bhai.

Good evening, sir. Congratulations on overall improving on the cost and the efficiency on the quarter-on-quarter basis, and we are on the right part towards that.

Couple of questions, sir. Basically on this fly ash and power sales which are shown in the presentation, this fly ash sales which has happened, has this been reduced from the raw material cost itself, as the raw material cost per ton looks to be a lower both on quarter-on-quarter and y-o-y basis?

I'm saying on the absolute numbers of raw material cost. Hello?

Sorry, can you please put your question again? Some voice has been feeble, sorry, please.

Can you repeat?

My question was, you have fly ash sales in the quarter since you have long-term contract and you sold as shown in the presentation. The absolute number of sales of fly ash which has happened, has that been reduced from the raw material cost itself in the absolute numbers of ₹1,526 crores on the consolidated basis?

There are two factors, Bhavin. One is the actual consumption basis basically fly ash costing has come down, and further on top of it, the overall say sale also gives me advantage further.

This is like on both the sides, we have seen the improvement. The same is the case so far as the power is concerned.

Both the sales which has happened has been accounted in the top line, my question was that basically.

That is part of the other operating income.

Other operating income, okay. Sir, you guided that the plants which are mothballed will be restart in say 3 to 4 months' time.

This assumption is dependent on, because obviously for your 7% to 8% volume growth, you're obviously looking at 12% to 13% volume growth for the remaining part of the year. When the second half demand would be much stronger, is that when you want to restart those plants, because you still have enough capacity in the remaining plants to service the market?

How the restart of the plants would be dependent upon?

Bhavin, thank you. I think let me first again request and put you all: mothballing may not be the right word.

What we are doing or we have done is a temporary basically closing of this so that we do a thorough plan of optimization and then look forward to restart. Now, your question is, what are those initiatives to optimize the cost, correct?

Now,

I think, right from the overall say efficiency factors to the investments required in terms of the overall say costs, whether it is WHRS or AFR, whether if it requires any kind of debottlenecking, what is the railway infrastructure requirement, what is the availability of fly ash, what kind of say coal can be consumed, can we actually put some technical efficiency in terms of heat factors, these are like, I think cement is that way well understood by all of you, these are like very important factors which we will be going through it. Of course, we have the alternate plants, but we don't want to lose any asset if we are able to turn it around, and that is the whole endeavor and efforts to see how best we can turn them around.

Great, sir. Best of luck.

Thank you.

Thank you, Bhavin.

Thank you for the follow-up opportunity. Sir, my question was about the other expenses.

I was just looking at your annual report, and last 2 years, I see some of these expenses have seen sharp jump year-on-year, particularly your stores and spares cost, or even the advertising and sales promotion cost, or repairs and maintenance cost also for that matter. How should one look at these major cost items which largely form part of other expenses in FY27?

Naveen, when you have acquired assets, and which we have actually acquired four companies, obviously there has been this other expenses would, depending on the intensity of requirement of the investments on this core stores and spares, to the likes of Penna, Sanghi, and other assets, for example. Therefore, like apple-to-apple, we'll look at it.

Now, we are stabilizing well, and therefore, for example, prospectively, and therefore, this one cement platform, which is anyways like this financial year we are hoping that we will be able to close it, it now, for example, with all the organic growth, it brings a level of say stability and no for per se any surprises which otherwise would get when you acquired the assets and all.

Understood. Sir, just a clarification again on the green power cost, you said we sold about 45 crore units in this particular quarter, and if I do a simple arithmetic as per your power and fuel cost per ton reported, I broadly understand the cost of these units sold was roughly ₹3.3 a unit, correctly if I'm wrong.

Broadly then, I just want to understand at what price they are currently sold, because in next quarter, I just wanted to understand that when they actually start getting consumed, then it will displace or offset what cost of power so as to broadly understand the delta gains that will actually accrue incrementally at the EBITDA level. That will be my question, thank you.

Very good point, Naveen. See, my blend of power, if I look at the overall say grid power, that comes almost at say ₹7 to ₹8 a unit, and that is the first opportunity for us to basically replace with this green power, and hence, you know the math, for example.

I think I mentioned in my previous question also, I mentioned that it is always beneficial for me to consume the power first, and only for any reason surplus, we will want to sell it. Otherwise, the opportunity is far better to consume on account of cost element.

Very helpful. Thank you so much, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you. All of my questions has been answered, and all the best.

Thank you, Girija.

Thanks for the opportunity, sir. If I just calibrate here or look at your say write-downs which we took for the impairment, if I see, in particularly in ACC, Chaibasa, Bagalkot, then Wadi, and even say Lakheri, somewhere around 6.5 million ton of capacity, which I presume have been on the suspension for a temporary purpose, and even say if we take one plant in acquired entity, that also have been suspended.

What is the learning going forward if we take a look at any inorganic opportunity which comes in the play, because these are mammoth capacity which has been suspended? Just wanted to have a thought on that, sir.

I think, Kamlesh, when you acquired ACC and Ambuja, obviously the whole world knew that ACC has these old assets, and at some stage, there will be a situation of improving and upgrading them, and we have been highlighting about this during the investor call also. I think the learnings are enormous whenever you operate business, and the learnings in terms of the organic and inorganic both expansions are immense.

As I said, every prospective quarters, despite level of improvement, we will keep further upgrading and improving, so that is one part. Second is about the overall say what you said about the asset any impact on the asset per se?

No. Because I mentioned to you, these are all temporary suspension.

We are working on that. Unless and until we decide to permanently close, which we have not yet, for example, we are still evaluating, and that point of time, for example, any treatment on the books, we will do that.

Sir, the way say in the past we have seen some companies have been preference over value over volume, and that has played in their say margins getting improved or the realizations getting improved. In our case, if we see the NSR, it has improved hardly 1% quarter-on-quarter, and despite the fact that we have cut down so much of volumes.

Honestly, that has not realized in form of higher realizations. On the cost front, no doubt we have sold renewable power, so that also doesn't give a proper picture on how the cost has come down.

No, I think,

Kamlesh, in absolute terms also the cost has come down, and on top of it, this sale has further complimented. If you look at and you can do a real quick math also whatever the numbers you've highlighted, in both absolute terms and on top of it the sale which is complimenting.

Your first question is about the NSP, precisely, for example, when the NSP of those particular clusters were not supporting and the costs were not supporting, that we decided to suspend those plants temporarily and then basically put the whole focus on the cost, because NSP is beyond your control and my control. That is what we are doing as a treatment to see the revival of those plants in a most optimized manner.

Lastly, sir, on post 3Q, we had done the call and on the maintenance cost, we had highlighted that now the maintenance cost would be portioned over the four quarters. In your opening remarks, you have said that your maintenance cost is higher by ₹50 in this particular quarter.

Since we are now going for that accounting equalized manner, how come our maintenance cost is higher by ₹50 in this particular quarter? No,

good point, Kamlesh. I think we are still engaging with our auditors on this point, because from the accounting standard perspective, they are deliberating on this point that how we basically equalize over the four quarters.

Till that time happens, we have continued with the reporting on the actual basis on the O&M cost. That's also my follow-up with the auditors, also, but otherwise, in the industry, people have been following on the actual basis.

We only thought we will actually amortize over four quarters, subject to the accounting standard, which they will let us know.

Great, sir. Thanks a lot and best of luck.

Thank you, all the best.

Thank you, sir. I thought I will not be getting a opportunity to ask a question.

Just a couple of things, sir. First, sir, in WHRS, when we are saying 228 megawatt will increase to 370 376 megawatt in FY28 from now, which is a 148 megawatt, would you help in terms of how much clinker capacity are we adding, where this significant WHRS will come up?

It's a combination of both the existing kiln lines and the new kiln lines, basically. In terms of the clinker, new capacity is coming up, say Assam, we have announced, and then Mundra, for example, then Maratha is expanding, and so is the Penna, Jodhpur, which has come up now.

Then Bhatapara, we have already expanded, for example. On top of it, some of the acquired assets of Sanghi and Penna, for example, they will also be having this investments on the WHRS.

Overall, basically, this will compliment and improve the capacity of WHRS.

Okay. Sir, correct me if I'm wrong, we said that from FY28 onwards, we will be adding 8 to 10 million ton capacity every year.

This year definitely will reach to 119, and then one can look at 8 to 10 million ton every year capacity addition?

That is true, Shravan, on the cement capacity, absolutely you're right. That's the plan which we are working on.

Okay. Similarly, for FY28, the similar ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 crore kind of a CapEx, one can factor in?

Yes. Yes, on a run rate, yes.

Yeah.

Sir, still many people have asked on the costing front, because everybody wants to understand the cost reduction, the 4,241 number of cement cost. Still not able to figure it out, particularly because of maybe the fly ash, even for RE if we take, if you can break it up, the entire cost of let's say the reported ₹7,911 crore console cost for this quarter, if I go by this number 4,241 multiply into the units or the volume that we sold, 17 million, which comes 7,238, and then the RMC cost is obviously 33 crore is the PAT, then the cost is there, but still there is a gap is there, and similarly for the Q4.

If you can help us in terms of reconcile how the cost per ton comes?

Shravan, maybe I will repeat basically. Our cost, which was reported at almost ₹4,500 say in March, and where we have now come down to say almost ₹4,241, and some of the components of this cost I have highlighted: the overall say clinker factor, which has improved by 3%, which gives me savings of almost ₹50 a ton; the fixed cost optimization almost

Sir, that we got. What I was trying to understand, in terms of if I have to break it down, this entire reported cost of 7,911-odd crore into cement, into RMC, into RE power, and into fly ash, if that is available, would be helpful to understand for Q4 and for Q1, then it would be a more easy or convenient to understand how the cost reduction has happened.

I think that detail which you require, maybe then offline we can connect, or I don't have it right now in terms of breaking between cement, RMC, and all in totality. Definitely, we will circle back offline.

Thank you. Thank you, and all the best, sir.

Thank you.

Hi, thank you. Karan, just wanted to understand on the trade non-trade.

Historically when we saw Ambuja before the acquisition, it was mainly trade-focused organization. What it seemed like in the last 2, 3 years, there was a thought of moving more volumes to non-trade.

What has the learning journey been in terms of non-trade and now going back to trade? Looking at 65% utilization on the outside, logically it would seem like an 85%, 90% utilization you can still make a decision between trade, non-trade.

Why leave extra volumes on the table when you can maximize EBITDA and return? Why at 65% utilization you want to give up the non-trade?

Let me give some flavors. I think originally, yes, Ambuja, ACC was heavy on trade and non-trade was a small part of it.

I think as we look at last year as well as our performance in the last I would say last year, especially on the acquired assets, what we have seen is the performance had dipped because we have increased our non-trade volumes over there, and most of the volume was happening at a negative EBITDA or a marginal EBITDA. That was actually dragging the overall performance of the company down.

Even when we look at today the performance, we feel that having a sustainable performance matters more than anything. The variable cost of operating, producing the cement at a lower EBITDA or at marginal EBITDA generally doesn't make sense, because end of the day, your fixed cost is smaller compared to your variable cost.

That's where we feel that, even with a lower capacity utilization, you're actually not leaving value on the table. Yes, you might be leaving the volume, but you're not leaving value on the table.

That's where we have focused on. The idea is, as you become more cost-competitive, automatically those volumes will come back on to the table, because end of the day, we are looking at EBITDA and not looking at permanent loss of volume over here.

Just to clarify, these volumes were largely for the acquired assets, not Ambuja and ACC did not shift in to a meaningful degree of non-trade and now moving back to trade. This is largely at the acquisition level, is that a fair statement?

Yes, that's right.

Secondly, on the cost, just trying to understand the rationale, and sorry if I missed it, of selling RE power outside and fly ash, it seems, is some CPPs which because anyway it's coming from you have a long-term agreement with Adani Power. The rationale for selling it outside through power pulse and not using it internally, can you clarify on the

Let me clarify over here, both on the RE as well as on the fly ash. The ultimate goal is to consume everything in-house.

It is a transition phase, because as a lot of our systems come online. For example, in RE, a few of our plants we need to connect to the central grid, they don't have the connectivity to the central grid, which programs are under execution.

Even on the fly ash, as the RBFC projects come online with the capacity coming in, we do believe that all of this will be consumed internally. There will be a 10 10% or 15% volume both on the fly ash as well as on the renewable where there will be a mismatch between consumption, in-house consumption and production, which we will look at optimizing from a sales perspective.

The ultimate objective is to consume 100% in-house. This is a sort of a transition phase where we will move in the next three quarters to 100% consumption.

This is 1 gigawatt in Khavda, where you're saying the ISTS connectivity is not there? Where

is this 1 gigawatt? No, Khavda is connected.

Khavda is connected. Some of our cement plants are not connected, so that is where the programs are going on.

The plant is not an issue, connectivity to the power plant is not an issue. Just also add that 700 is Khavda, 300 is Rajasthan, this 1 gigawatt is in this breakup.

Right now you're selling on the exchange, is that a safe statement, this 1 700 and 300 megawatt?

Not everything. A large part of it is consumed in-house and balance is sold.

Okay. Thank you so much.

Thank you for the opportunity. Just had a small concern.

The asset of Orient Cement has delivered quite impressive results after acquisition by our company. The valuation at the time of acquisition of this asset and the valuation being offered at the time of merger, do you think, sir, that this is too low in comparison to the acquisition price of around 8,000 crores?

If at all it has come down to 3,000, 4,000 crores as per the merger valuation, how do we reflect this loss on acquisition in the books of Ambuja?

Rajesh, I think you are looking at the standalone numbers of Orient and then giving this remarks. I think always there's a element of MSA between Orient and Ambuja.

Therefore, when I look at in totality, Orient assets are delivering us decent margins and justifies the valuation. When you look it on a standalone, therefore, you will find that beyond the MSA treatment.

My request is, we will have to factor those MSA treatments and then look at it.

I see. No, I was just trying to come to some explanation for the wide divergence between the acquisition price and the implied price derived by the merger ratio.

I just thought that maybe some color can be thrown by the management just to reconcile that difference. That was all.

Okay. I think on that part, it is all about the valuations by the independent valuers and followed with the guidelines of pricing SEBI guidelines and all.

I think during the approvals also, those were discussed in details. My request is, if you can refer to those discussion, so that would be sufficient.

On this call, maybe on the operations part I can address.

Fine, sir. Thanks for clarifying whatever could be done.

Thank you.

Yes.

I think most of the questions have already got answered. Just on the clinker capacity addition, this financial year, we are not commissioning any clinker unit, and the Maratha would get commissioned next year, and the Mundra project would also be operational mostly in FY28.

Is this understanding correct?

Rajesh, my Penna assets in Jodhpur,

that's

a 3 million ton of clinker has already started trial production,

and

yeah, this is one development. I think just to also highlight, we are well-balanced on all my requirements of cement with the clinker available.

Right,

right. For commercial depreciation and all purpose, the Penna clinker unit in Jodhpur, that was commissioned in March quarter or that will be considered to be operational or commissioned in FY27?

It will be considered in September quarter, because trials have started,

right. Okay.

Understood. Okay.

This Mundra project is also expected to be on stream for next year?

Mundra is expected about say 18 to 24 months from here, 2029 basically.

Not in FY28. Understood.

Next year then we only have the Maratha project which would get commissioned on the clinker side?

We have that, and already we have commissioned our Bhatapara line, for example, we have Penna over here,

and so

we have adequate clinker because market to market, we will be able to move on our cement.

Understood, understood. That's all from my end.

Thank you, sir.

Hi, this is Amit here from Axis. Just to clarify, the ₹206 Q-o-Q per ton reduction in cement cost that you highlighted, in that calculation, is this power sale being netted off, that 45 crore units?

Yes, it is netted off. It is very much part and parcel of my overall say OpEx only, this is netted off.

Got it. Even the fly ash sale is netted off in that calculation?

Yes, yeah,

yeah, absolutely.

Sure. By when are you expecting the cement plants to get connected to the power grid in order to receive the green power?

In about say two to about say two to three quarters in a phase-wise manner progressively. Yes.

Sure. Got it.

Just lastly, you say that there's some plants which are shut and you will be kind of upgrading or making these plants more efficient before you bring them online. Again just to clarify, these are mostly plants in South India, or these are plants also in other regions of the country?

No, these are mix and match basically, Atishay. There are a few plants which are there in Central, Eastern side basically, and one of them in say North and one of them in South.

We are evaluating them.

Sure. Sure, okay.

Got it. Thank you.

That's it.

Thank you, Atishay.

Thank you.

Hi, sir. My question is regarding on the gross margin.

How much gross margins and the company expects in the next quarter and next few quarters? This financial year I think see,

margins again in the prior call I have highlighted that right now we will give you guidance on the cost, and which is 4,250. Margin is a factor of combination of NSP and cost.

That leg of NSP, for example, I would say that it is still market forces driven. I think we will sustain on our margins, but we'll improve on our cost.

Got it. In terms of the volume growth guidance of 8%, this is for trade segment, not for non-trade, right?

The focus right now remains very much on trade. We'll separately come on non-trade also, but yes, the 75-plus percent bucket will be on the trade side, and which we are seeing a good healthy growth now.

Got it. Understood.

That's it from my side.

Hi, thank you for taking my question again. Just want to understand what would be the fly ash sales during the quarter.

My math suggests that it was more like 50 crore in the fourth quarter, can you give us comparable numbers in the first quarter as well?

The first quarter sale is about ₹25 to ₹30 crores. Let me just confirm it.

Can you just give me a minute? I have the details with me, just a second.

Rahul, it is ₹15 crores for the first quarter, and you are right, around ₹50 crore for the second quarter.

Thank you. Is it fair to say that just like power sales, almost entirely it flows through the profitability, right?

Yes, net of the expenditure around that.

Okay. Thank you so much.

Wish you all the best.

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone, for your time and engagement today. We appreciate your continued interest in Ambuja.

If there are any follow-up questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly. We look forward to stay connected.

Thank you.