Cement majors' May sales up

Mumbai: Domestic cement manufacturers have reported widely varying year-on-year sales for May 2006. The Associated Cement Companies reported flat growth in sales at 15.22 lakh tonnes for May 2006, marginally lower than a year ago when May sales were recorded at 15.24 lakh tonnes. Production too was almost unchanged at 15.63 lakh tonnes (15.65 lakh tonnes). The Aditya Birla group reported combined sales of 28.3 lakh tonnes for May, which it said was 7.9 per cent higher from a year ago. The sales figures include those for Grasim Industries as well as UltraTech Cement for which separate figures were not provided. Gujarat Ambuja Cements reported a 20 per cent growth in despatches for May, which were recorded at 13.12 lakh tonnes (10.97 lakh tonnes). Production grew by 19 per cent to 13.15 lakh tonnes (11.04 lakh tonnes). Ambuja Cement Eastern reported a sales increase of 19 per cent, at 1.76 lakh tonnes and a 13 per cent rise in production, at 1.67 lakh tonnes.