Wonder Cement to more than double its production capacity

Investment and expansion plans

India’s Wonder Cement Ltd, part of the RK Marble Group, has announced plans to more than double its cement production capacity by the end of this year. The company is investing Rs.1600 crore in increasing the capacity of its plant in RK Nagar (Tehsil-Nimbahera, District Chittorgarh) from 3.25 million tpy to 6.75 million tpy.

Mr D. P. Somani, Managing Director of Wonder Cement Ltd, welcomes Mr Toshniwal to the company.

The plant is strategically located in the state of Rajasthan, which serves as a gateway to India’s northern markets. The facility is currently running at full capacity, selling some 180 000 bags/day. Wonder Cement is expanding its dealer network, which is already present in key markets such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi. It also recently launched a national branding campaign around the theme ‘Ek Perfect Shuruaat’.

The company has invested in a thermal power plant and its own railway line to increase its self-sufficiency. A state-of-the-art waste heat recovery system is also being installed.

New Executive Director

In other news, Wonder Cement has appointed Jagdish Chandra Toshniwal as Executive Director. With almost four decades of experience, including 18 years at Ambuja Cement, Mr Toshniwal brings with him a broad understanding of marketing and branding, in addition to operational and commercial skills.

“We are very pleased to have Mr Toshniwal in the family of Wonder Cement, a young and dynamic company poised for next level of growth. Mr Toshniwal’s enormous experience, especially of the northern region, will play a key role as the company scales up its expansion plans and sets new benchmarks in quality. We value his vast experience and will secure the benefit of his insights as the company moves ahead,” commented Mr D. P. Somani, Managing Director of Wonder Cement Ltd.

“It is an honour to join a young and ambitious company Wonder Cement. In the evolving cement industry paradigm, I firmly believe that customer service can emerge as a key differentiator. This industry is evolving rapidly and as we prepare for the next phase of the company's growth we firmly believe that brands focused on customer service will be able to command a premium in the market. We are focusing our efforts on increasing our market share by creating a clearly distinctive positioning in the market place,” said Mr Toshniwal.

“The Indian cement industry, which is the second largest cement market, is directly related to the country's infrastructure sector and thus its growth is important in the country's overall economic development. With a current production capacity of around 366 million t, India is the second largest producer of cement in the world. Driven by growth in the infrastructure sector, the capacity is expected to increase to around 550 million t by 2020. Some of the recent government initiatives such as development of 100 smart cities, housing for all by 2022 are expected to provide a major boost to the sector. Looking at the market potential, Wonder Cement has also invested highly on increasing its capacity,” he went on to add.

Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/asia-pacific-rim/03022015/wonder-cement-appoints-executive-director-and-announces-expansion-plans-264/