Cementing Success

K.C. JHANWAR'S DISCIPLINED AND FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH HAS ADDED TO ULTRATECH'S HEFT.

- BY NEVIN JOHN

THE PAST FEW years have truly tested the resilience of UltraTech Cement and its managing director, K.C. Jhanwar. The industry environment shifted faster than anyone could have anticipated—from price pressures and fuel volatility to a dramatically changing operating landscape. Yet, Jhanwar turned every challenge into an opportunity to learn, adapt, and emerge stronger.

“The last fiscal was one of the toughest periods, when cement prices softened even as input costs stayed high. It would have been easy to focus on short-term fixes, but we chose a different path,” recalls Jhanwar. He concentrated on improving operating efficiency and defending market position through stronger customer engagement. The focus helped UltraTech, which is a part of the Aditya Birla Group, achieve higher-than-industry capacity utilisation, and the company’s brand equity and extensive market reach ensured steady volumes and a resilient product mix despite the pricing environment. “It reaffirmed our belief that scale combined with speed is the key enabler in the challenging market context,” says Jhanwar.

Another major challenge was managing sharp fluctuations in fuel and freight costs. Energy prices swung unpredictably, but the team responded with remarkable agility, says Jhanwar. “We improved procurement efficiency through high-level engagement with key suppliers, and shortened logistics lead distances through better route planning and the use of rail and coastal shipping. These measures helped us manage cost volatility and strengthened long-term competitiveness.”