Today we are a 360-degree concrete solutions provider with a complete bouquet of solutions.
Shubhabrata Saha, MD & CEO, Ajax Engineering
How do you view the demand trend of concrete in India and globally in the current construction scenario?
Cement is considered as the proxy for demand of concrete in the construction industry. The world consumes over 4 billion tons of cement annually. While China is the world's largest cement producer with more than 50% share, in CY22, India is the second largest share at about 9%, followed by the United States, Russia, and Egypt. The total world cement output will remain flat on account of overcapacity in the near term. It is likely that the Chinese may drop its production in alignment with the challenges in the housing sector.
Even though India is the second-largest producer of cement in the world, the market is highly underpenetrated. The per capita consumption of cement is only between 250-270 kg/per capita compared to the world average of 500-550 kg/per capita. India is probably in the most transformative phase in its history, with massive Infrastructure development in Energy, Roads, Ports, Railways, Airports, Irrigation, Urban and Rural Infra. Global firms see India as a strategic destination to diversify their manufacturing reliance on China. We expect India's domestic demand to grow by 8-9% y-o-y to 410-415 MMT in FY24, driven by a growing government push for infrastructure development.
In the growing construction activities where cement and concrete play a major role, what opportunities do you anticipate for your equipment and technologies?
For the last 30-plus years, Ajax Engineering has been at the forefront of concrete technologies. Ajax Engineering is making India as we see it today, as 12 to 14% of cement gets poured as concrete with Ajax machines. We believe there is a lot of headroom for technology adoption in the Indian market, as the Indian growth story has just started. Technology adoption in India must meet Indian needs of self-reliance (vis-à-vis product import specifically from China), create a vibrant supplier ecosystem, help in job creation for Indian youth, and promote entrepreneurship at the grassroots level. We agree with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's views that “India's growth cannot be built on Chinese efficiency”.
At Ajax Engineering, innovation in concreting technologies is what we do! We created products when none existed. We started with a self-loading concrete mixer 30 years ago and today, we not only have a 75% market share, but we also pride ourselves as among the largest SLCM manufacturers in the world, a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The list of innovations goes on: Ajax is the first company in India to manufacture a concrete paver. Our self-propelled boom pump is a patented solution for concrete placement in off-highway applications. We were the first to launch a 30 m boom pump cost-effective solution specific to the Indian market on a 4x2 chassis. Today we are a 360-degree concrete solutions provider with a complete bouquet of solutions. Our product range encompasses batching plants, concrete pumps, transit mixers, boom pumps, self-propelled boom pumps, and pavers. We recently grabbed eyeballs when we demonstrated technological prowess a few months back by partnering in making the world's largest 3D printed campus. At the epicenter of the Ajax innovation ecosystem lies the catalyst - Ajax School of Concrete doing pioneering work by bringing together academia & industry and paving the way for innovation.
Can you elaborate on the recently unveiled 3D concrete printing technology? What are the advantages and benefits you would like to highlight for this technology?
At the recently concluded mega event for the construction industry, MEGACON 2023, AJAX presented a 3D concrete printer - APX 1.0. 3D concrete printing, also known as additive manufacturing of concrete, offers several advantages that make it an innovative and promising technology in the construction industry.
It offers design flexibility for intricate and complex designs that may be challenging or expensive to achieve with traditional construction methods. It provides architects and designers with greater freedom to experiment with creative and customized structures.
It can significantly reduce the construction time for certain structures, leading to quicker project completion. This is particularly beneficial for urgent or time-sensitive projects.
Traditional construction processes often generate a significant amount of construction waste. 3D printing is an additive process, meaning that material is deposited layer by layer only where needed, minimizing waste, and optimizing material usage.
While initial setup costs for 3D printing technology can be significant, the overall construction costs can be reduced through decreased labour requirements, faster construction times, and reduced material waste.
3D printing allows for the customization of structures to meet specific requirements. This is particularly advantageous in construction projects where unique designs or variations in building elements are desired.
The layer-by-layer construction process of 3D printing ensures a high level of precision and consistency in the final product. This can contribute to improved structural integrity and quality control.
3D printing can be used in locations that may be challenging for traditional construction methods, such as remote or inaccessible areas. This can be especially valuable in disaster-stricken regions where quick and efficient construction is needed.
3D printing allows for the use of specialized concrete mixes and materials optimized for the printing process. This can result in structures with enhanced durability, strength, and other desirable properties.
With optimized material use and reduced waste, 3D concrete printing has the potential to be more environmentally sustainable compared to traditional construction methods.
What are the other breakthrough technologies from the company for construction and infrastructure industry?
As we all are aware the next step in technological evolution this decade has been AI. And it is a fascinating time for the construction sector as well.
AJAX has launched Concrete AI, a custom AI solution developed to meet the unique needs of the construction sector. We are enthusiastic about embracing GenAI for revolutionizing business operations and services.
Optimizing construction cycle time and planning is now literally at our fingertips. The platform is tailored to enhance operational efficiency, improve decision-making, and optimize customer engagement across the construction value chain.
Concrete AI incorporates multimodal inputs (text, voice, prompts), specialized GPT modules, adaptive multilingual outputs, and customizable personas to facilitate precise and contextually relevant interactions in the global construction arena.
By leveraging the transformative power of GenAI, Concrete AI will streamline communication, enhance collaboration, and foster a culture of innovation within AJAX and its broader network of partners, distributors, and clients.
The diverse applications of Concrete AI, ranging from internal communications and sales enablement to after-sales support and investor relations, demonstrate our holistic approach to digital transformation.
This initiative positions AJAX at the forefront of the digital revolution in the construction industry aligning with our endeavor to be a global visionary in technological advancement within the construction industry.
