AFRICA: AfriSam launching low-carbon cement

Cement producerAfriSam launched a cement product yesterday with half the carbon intensity of the global average, attributing its achievement to a decade of environmental focus and substantial investment.

The carbon footprint of AfriSam Eco Building Cement stands at 453g a kilogram of cement produced, compared with a global average of 890g.

The company claims the strength of the cement has not been compromised.

AfriSam chief executive Stephen Olivier said the group had started the process of environmental reform “many years back when people weren’t thinking of this” because of the internal requirements of its former Swiss owner Holcim.

AfriSam was majority-owned by Holcim until 2007, when a R16.4 billion black economic empowerment deal transferred control of the group to the AfriSam Consortium and resulted in the South African company’s name changing from Holcim SA.

The Public Investment Corporation facilitated that deal, which had recently been criticised for exposing the Government Employees’ Pension Fund to concentrated risk.

Olivier said there had been “no single recipe” for cutting the carbon intensity of AfriSam’s cement, which dropped by about 34 percent between 1990 and 2006.

Rather, the reduction had come about as a result of a host of interventions, led by “substantial investment” to improve thermal efficiency consumption, most notably at the group’s Dudfield plant in North West, where about R350 million had been spent since 2003 on a major upgrade.

While certain components had to be replaced anyway, AfriSam used the opportunity to retrofit the plant’s entire system. “We could have done it ‘el cheapo’ and only spent say R100m, but we spent considerably more as a future investment,” Olivier said.

Cement producers generate about 60 percent of their carbon dioxide emissions from the chemical process involved in the calcination of limestone, and the remainder from burning fuels such as coal to heat cement kilns. Electricity consumption adds another 10 percent to emissions levels.

AfriSam launched a mark on its packaging last year that lists the carbon intensity of each of its products. About half of its cement is sold via retail outlets, while the other half is sold directly in bulk to building contractors.

The group has an estimated one-third share of the domestic cement market.

Olivier said the labelling initiative had not affected sales volumes, although there could be financial rewards in the future, particularly once a price was set on carbon.

“What we do see is that some groupings find it interesting… I’ve had e-mails from certain suppliers and customers who felt it’s quite nice,” he said, adding that bigger retailers were excited about the product and wanted more of it.

“In a subtle way, it will influence the industry in terms of how they behave, and they will catch up.”

Olivier said AfriSam’s green focus was a strong motivator for employees. “Our employees are proud to be associated with (green cement).”

He said cutting carbon emissions further would be more difficult to achieve, but AfriSam was working on “all kinds of tricks”, such as activating the fly ash in its product and reducing clinker content.

AfriSam says the cement industry is estimated to be responsible for about 5 percent of global carbon emissions, but South Africa’s proportion is about 1.6 percent due to coal’s dominance of the electricity mix.

Philippines: Cement sales seen growing faster this year

CEMENT SALES this year could grow faster than a forecast of just 4%-6% given the surge seen in the first half and strong demand expected in the remaining months due to storm damage repairs, an industry official said on Wednesday.

Already, sales volume in the first half was roughly 12% more than year-ago levels, Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) President Ernesto M. Ordoñez said on the sidelines of another business group’s meeting. "A lot of this was due to the elections. [Officials] put their projects in the first quarter [in order to beat the election ban]," Mr. Ordoñez said.

He added that repair work in the wake of expected strong storms could drive sales towards the end of the year. "We don’t think [full-year growth] will be 12% like the first half’s, but the 6% forecast could increase if typhoons hit again," Mr. Ordoñez said.

If so, the industry could sell more than 15.95 million tons this year, based on 2009 figures.

Locally made cement accounts for nearly all the cement sold in the country, although the group has warned that this share could be threatened if tariffs on cement and clinker are kept at 0%.

Baltic index rises again, recovery seen fragile

* Capesize market continues to rally

* Fleet growth still gathering pace

LONDON, The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index .BADI, which tracks rates to ship dry commodities, rose on Wednesday with continuing Chinese iron ore interest boosting market sentiment.

The index, which gauges the cost of shipping commodities including iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser, rose 7.5 percent, or 166 points, to 2,378 points in a fifth session of gains.

Brokers said there had been active iron ore and coal fixture activity together with firmer period business.

"It's definitely being driven by iron ore," said Sverre Svenning, director of research at broker Fearnleys. "It will taper off once they have cleared out positions. Fundamentally there are far too many ships."

Brokers said a wheat export ban in Russia could also potentially boost freight rate activity with buyers having to source supplies from other origins including the United States. 

"The dry bulk fleet is currently expanding at an annualised rate of 14 percent," Nicolai Hansteen, chief economist with broker Lorentzen & Stemoco, said in a report. "The influx of new vessels will have a dampening effect on any market rebound.

Fearnleys' Svenning said the dry bulk fleet had already grown this year by 40 million deadweight tonnes.

"As of July 1 the entire bulk carrier fleet surpassed half a billion deadweight tonnes for the first time in history," he said. "From that point of view I don't think it (rising rates) can last."

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: National Cement Says First-Half Profit Declines 60% to 54 Million Dirhams

National Cement Co., a United Arab Emirates producer of the building material, posted a first-half profit of 54 million dirhams, a decline of 60 percent from the year-earlier period, according to a statement to the Dubai bourse today.

PAKISTAN: Cement supplies disrupted

KARACHI: Supplies of cement all across Pakistan have been disrupted due to excessive flooding in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Sindh.

“Although no major damage has been caused to cement manufacturing plants, supply lines for the transportation of raw materials as well as shipment of finished goods have been severely affected,” commented General Secretary Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association, Brigadier Niazi.

“Dera Ghazi Khan has been completely cut off from the rest of the country. This has left Dera Ghazi Khan Cement Company unable to transport materials from their facilities,” he pointed out while explaining the extent of the disturbance.

Similarly, other cement manufacturers including Nizampur, Kohat, Cherat and Lucky are unable to access road and rail routes for freight transport.

He also revealed that the factories of Maple Leaf Cement and Kohat Cement have been inundated. “Flood waters are receding so we expect both these factories to be cleared of water within the next few days but supplies will not be restored to optimum levels as long as the road and rail networks remain flooded,” said Niazi.

Meanwhile, the supply of raw materials, including clinker and chemicals, is also dependent on the restoration of road and rail links, particularly from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi Port. Niazi highlighted that the road connecting Peshawar and Nowshera has also been submerged and exports to Afghanistan will not resume until this route is re-established.

One analyst pointed out that some cement factories maintain enough coal reserves to last three months. If these deposits are flooded, the coal may be rendered useless. Falling prices of coal in the international market could further erode profitability since local firms would be forced to book losses at market prices.

“In the short term the current crisis is troublesome for local cement manufacturers and we are expecting them to take a hit in the next quarter,” said Farhan Bashir, a research analyst at InvestCap.

However, he pointed out that once reconstruction activities start there will be a significant increase in the demand for cement and this is expected to work well for the same companies.

“The important thing is that no major damage has been done to the infrastructure of these manufacturers so they will be able to start churning out supplies once the water recedes from these areas,” commented another analyst.

Experts say that the restoration of cement supplies will be crucial to reconstruction activities once flood waters recede.

CHINA: Possible boost for Chinese cement firms

Labourers unload packages of cement
 from trucks at a port in Wuhu, China.

 Chinese cement makers will benefit from the government's plans to close down plants with obsolete technology only if the decision is successfully implemented and new facilities don't replace the capacity expected to be phased out, analysts say.

In an order issued over the weekend, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or MIIT, said it planned to eliminate production capacity at 2,087 companies in 18 industries by September. The decision covers 762 cement companies, or more than a third of the affected companies.

The move is aimed at clamping down on energy-intensive and polluting industries marked by excess capacity, and it could potentially limit supply and improve pricing power for companies with modern and efficient plants.

However, the effectiveness of the measures would depend on the demand-supply equation, according to Credit Suisse.

"We believe that old capacity closure is only part of the [supply-demand] equation. We see that [a] higher closure target tends to be associated with more aggressive new capacity addition, thus not necessarily leading to improve the [supply-demand] picture in the coming quarters," Credit Suisse analysts Trina Chen and Kevin You wrote in a report.

The analysts said that the decision to lower capacity will not, by itself, improve business conditions for the cement makers. "However, combined with limited new supply and continued government efforts in future closures, we expect the [supply-demand picture] and margin to improve" in most regions next year, despite slowing growth in demand, they said.

INDIA: Adhunik Cement in expansion mode

Adhunik Cement Ltd, a joint venture between Adhunik Group and MSP Group, both Kolkata-based companies, is on an expansion mode to augment its production to 10 million tonne in the "next few years". Close on the heels of setting up a plant in Meghalaya, the company is now all set to invest Rs 250 crore for setting up another plant of 1.6 million tonne capacity near Guwahati.

"The company has plans to expand its cement business to 10 million tonne by adding further units across India in the next few years, namely in Assam, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," said GD Agarwal, chairman of Adhunik Group of Industries, to Business Standard.

The proposal to set up cement plants in three states, in addition to Assam, is in its preliminary stage.

For its proposed Assam plant, the company, said Agarwal, has already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Assam government and had purchased land at Sonapur in Kamrup district.

"We are ready to start very soon but all will depend on the government and state clearances," said Agarwal.

He said the company was in possession of the required no objection certificates (NOCs) and has applied for environmental clearances.

The company had invested Rs 700 crore for setting up a cement plant in limestone-rich Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. The plant has a capacity of producing 1.5 million tonne cement annually.

Yesterday, the company formally launched its cement brand – Adhunik MSP Cement, in the market. The company has set up a 25MW coal-based captive power plant for uninterrupted power supply to its plant.

The company claimed that its Meghalaya-based cement plant was "by far the largest integrated cement producing unit in the eastern region."

Agarwal said that initially the company would target the North-Eastern market through 2,000 retail counters and would subsequently expand to north Bengal and eastern Bihar.

"The erratic demand-supply gap of North-East market will no longer exist with the incorporation of Adhunik MSP Cement in the league as the plant's capacity of 1.5 million tonne is about 30 per cent of the cement requirement of North-East market," said Mahesh Agarwal, managing director of Adhunik Cement.

AFRICA: Ohorongo eyes American market

Ohorongo Cement is eyeing international markets, as the commissioning date for the plant nears. 

To facilitate the export of cement to the Americas, the company is now setting up a satellite plant at Walvis Bay port, as well as trans-shipment facilities. 

The Ohorongo Cement plant at Otavi comes on stream towards the end of this year. 

Its Managing Director, Hans-Wilhelm Schütte, says the company is not content to supply only the Namibian and southern Angolan markets with cement, but would also supply international cement markets along the shores of Africa and the Americas. 

“The main focus of such export markets was always the south of Angola and other neighbouring countries, but with the proposed satellite plant and trans-shipment facilities in Walvis Bay, the ocean will open up important additional markets,” says Schütte.

With a proposed annual production capacity above 700 000 tonnes, the cement plant would produce sufficient cement for local consumption, as well as for the export market. 

Ultimately, the cement plant would swell up the country’s total Gross Domestic Product by one percent, while current estimates indicate that the plant would contribute in excess of N$75 million every year to the overall economy.

Schütte says the idea to build the plant in Walvis Bay is not new, as Ohorongo has been in continuous discussions with the Namibia Ports Authority since the beginning of 2008, with both partners appreciative of the advantages an operating plant would bring for NamPort, Ohorongo and also Walvis Bay. 

“In this process, an environmental impact assessment was completed in 2008. Public hearings held in Walvis Bay also indicated the support for this proposal by the citizens of Walvis Bay,” say Schütte. 

He says Walvis Bay is the ideal place for this, being the gateway to the West African coast, America and other potential cement markets. 

“We can service our markets directly from our production plant, having a direct link by rail to Walvis Bay,” said Schütte. 

Construction of the Ohorongo plant commenced early 2009 at farm Sargberg, 20 kilometres north of Otavi. 

The plant is of the highest standards and places emphasis on the protection of the environment and ensures lowest emissions. 

Moreover, through the development of specialised technology, Ohorongo will produce clinkers, using biomass. This makes Sargberg one of the cement production plants with the lowest carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions anywhere in the world. 

German group, Schwenk, owns Ohorongo Cement. 

Ohorongo would take advantage of being ahead of other cement plants currently in the pipeline. 

The cement plant would employ 293 people, with an unspecified number of people to be employed in the ancillary services.

The Development Bank of Southern Africa, together with the European Investment Bank and the German Development Bank, provided long-term financing, while the Development Bank of Namibia and other local minority institutional investors provided short-term financing for the plant.

BRASIL: VOTORANTIM CIMENTOS AUMENTA OS TIJOLINHOS DO CONCEITO DE CONSTRUÇÃO COM SOPRO CRIATIVO DA TALENT

A Votorantim Cimentos, uma das dez maiores empresas globais de cimento, concreto, argamassas e agregados, lança uma campanha institucional reforçando os principais atributos da empresa quanto à responsabilidade social e ambiental, bem como seu compromisso com o desenvolvimento do País.

A campanha apresenta o modo como a empresa fabrica seus produtos. A Votorantim possui a menor taxa de emissão de gás carbônico (CO2) por tonelada de cimento produzida, dentre todas as cimenteiras do mundo, devido à aplicação de tecnologia e rigorosos processos de controle e qualidade. Além de manter um compromisso com a qualificação de profissionais e a geração de oportunidades de trabalho e de renda por todo o Brasil.

A nova estratégia de comunicação reforça o comprometimento da Votorantim Cimentos com o desenvolvimento do País, através da capacidade de atender à demanda crescente do mercado, construindo em tempo recorde fábricas em diversas regiões, conforme altos padrões de qualidade e com uma gestão sustentável dos recursos. Salienta ainda sua transformação em uma empresa global na última década, hoje presente em 20 países. Em mais de 70 anos de história, a empresa se orgulha por apoiar o crescimento da construção civil no País e de contribuir para os projetos de infra-estrutura que estão sendo desenvolvidos atualmente e que serão implementados nos próximos anos.

Para lançar o conceito "Construir é realizar", a agência Talent criou uma campanha voltada para clientes, consumidores e funcionários da Votorantim Cimentos. Composta por mídia impressa, endomarketing, hotsite e merchandising de rádio e internet, as mensagens transmitem um manifesto à sociedade, resumido no conceito criativo: “Mais do que fã de cimento, a gente é fã do que nasce dele. Porque construir não é só levantar paredes. Construir é realizar”.

Os anúncios são ilustrados por fotos de funcionários de perfil utilizando capacetes de segurança. Alinhados com o skyline de edifícios, em segundo plano, os capacetes trazem imagens que expressam as transformações geradas pela Votorantim Cimentos na realidade ambiental e socioeconômica das regiões em que a empresa atua.

CHINA: West China Cement in up to $179 mln Hong Kong IPO

West China Cement Limited plans to raise up to $179 million in a Hong Kong initial public offering, a term sheet obtained by Reuters showed on Monday.

West China, which is the second-largest cement producer in terms of production capacity in 2009 in Shaanxi province, is selling 823.1 million shares, or 20 percent of its enlarged share capital, at HK$1.21 to HK$1.69 each, the term sheet said.

Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) and ICBC International are handling the IPO.

BRASIL: Lafarge investe em campanhas no Sudeste, Nordeste e Centro-Oeste

A Lafarge investiu R$ 6 milhões em duas campanhas publicitárias - uma no Rio de Janeiro para celebrar o aniversário do cimento Mauá, o produto mais tradicional da empresa; outra nas regiões Nordeste e Centro-Oeste, apresentando a companhia aos novos mercados.

No Rio de Janeiro, a ação de mídia celebra os 75 anos do Cimento Mauá, líder de vendas no estado com uma sacaria especial e spots rádio, outdoors e mobiliário urbano. A tradicional embalagem circulará durante seis meses com um layout comemorativo, ilustrada com uma foto do Cristo Redentor e as pedras portuguesas de Copacabana. Com o slogan "Há 75 anos construindo o Rio de Janeiro", a iniciativa faz parte de uma ação que conta também com spots em para o Estado do Rio. A campanha, de R$1 milhão, foi assinada pela agência mineira Filadélfia.

Já a campanha de lançamento dos produtos da Lafarge no Nordeste e no Centro-Oeste somou investimentos de R$ 5 milhões. Desde 20 de julho, a Lafarge assumiu a operação de duas unidades de cimento no Nordeste (nas cidades de Caaporã, na Paraíba, e Candeias, na Bahia) e uma no Centro-Oeste (em Cocalzinho, em Goiás), além de três centros de distribuição nestas regiões. A aquisição dos ativos foi resultado da venda de sua participação de 17,28% no grupo português Cimpor, realizada em 3 de fevereiro deste ano, para a Votorantim.

Desenvolvida também pela Filadélfia, a campanha trabalha dois diferentes tipos de marcas de cimento do portifólio da empresa, lançados no Nordeste e Centro-Oeste: Campeão e Montes Claros.

Para o cimento Campeão, comercializado na Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Rio Grande do Norte, Distrito Federal e Goiás, a campanha traz um pedreiro como personagem principal. No filme de 30 segundos o pedreiro Betão salta de um carro elegante com uma bela mulher e, ao caminhar no tapete vermelho, é fotografado por paparazzi. Ele também aparece comendo uma marmita em um restaurante chique e assina seu nome na calçada da fama. Para finalizar, o presidente dos EUA, Barack Obama, diz por telefone ao Betão que precisa fazer um "puxadinho" na Casa Branca. O slogan da campanha é "Cimento Campeão, você usa, todo mundo reconhece". O filme está disponível no link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QQ1QFYAn5Y.

Também foi produzido um spot de 30 segundos no qual diversas pessoas pedem autógrafo para um pedreiro que diz que precisa terminar uma obra. Para os pontos de venda foram produzidas peças de merchandising como banners, wobblers, stoppers, bandeirolas e infláveis.

Já a campanha para o cimento Montes Claros, veiculada na Bahia e no norte de Minas Gerais, terá foco na família e contará com material de pontos de venda. O slogan é "Cimento Montes Claros. Construindo seu projeto de vida" e é focada na família.

Informações complementares - A Lafarge é líder mundial em materiais de construção, com posições de destaque em todas as suas atividades: Cimento, Concreto & Agregados e Gypsum (Gesso). Com mais de 78 mil empregados em 78 países, a empresa registrou um faturamento de 15,9 bilhões de Euros em 2009. Em 2010, pelo sexto ano consecutivo, a Lafarge figurou na lista das "100 Empresas mais Sustentáveis do Mundo".

 Em seu centro de pesquisas de materiais de construção pioneiro no mundo, a Lafarge coloca a inovação no centro das suas prioridades, contribuindo para a sustentabilidade da construção civil e a criatividade arquitetônica.

Presente no Brasil desde 1959, a Lafarge está entre os três maiores grupos cimenteiros do país, com 1,6 mil empregados e vendas em quatro das cinco regiões brasileiras. A empresa atua também nas atividades de concreto, agregados e gesso. Seu parque industrial está assim distribuído: oito fábricas e estações de moagem da atividade Cimento (nos estados do Rio de Janeiro, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Paraíba e Goiás); 41 unidades de produção de Concreto (em Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo); três áreas de mineração de grande porte para a produção de Agregados (no Rio de Janeiro e em São Paulo); e duas fábricas de Gesso (em Pernambuco).

PAKISTAN: Pending freight subsidy dents cement exports

A principal manufacturer attributed the downturn to non-payment of ‘inland freight subsidy’ by the government. 

Figures of outstanding amount varied but financial officials at several companies put the finger on or about Rs400 million. 

Producers and traders of concrete like other commodities lamented the delay in declaration of Trade Policy 2010-11. “It normally follows on the heels of the Federal budget, but this year, there is no sign of it yet”, said a person associated with the trade. 

“The inland freight subsidy on cement at 35 per cent of the actual freight was effective from March to June”, he stated and added that the industry was anxiously waiting to see if the Trade Policy announces its continuity. 

July sales numbers of cement at 2.5 million tons fell far short of 2.9 million tons sale in both June and the corresponding month last year. 

Producers and analysts blamed several factors including early monsoon and drop in effective industry capacity. “Many cement plants unable to float in a sea of financial crisis have closed down this year”, said an owner of a large company in the North. 

Mills going out of business include Dewan Hattar; Dandot; Dadabhoy and Javedan. A few such as Kohat, Gharibwal and Pioneer were being under-utilised for variety of reasons. 

But another cement manufacturer exuded optimism. He disagreed that cement sales were rolling down the hill, saying that one month figure can not be a justifiable measure of entire year’s trend. 

He emphasised that sales of concrete were cyclical and that despatches in July were also hampered by transporters’ slowdown. 

Most experts were, nonetheless, looking at a cement glut going forward since sales would naturally decline as construction had replaced destruction by the flash floods sweeping across the country. 

Rains and floods have damaged roads and infrastructure, making transportation of concrete an arduous task 

A producer who conceded to a possible sales slump in the local markets in the upcoming month of Ramazan, held on to the hopes of sustained exports to countries such as Iraq, Sri Lanka and those in the African continent. 

PERU: Yura amplía sus plantas

 En las próximas semanas debe concluirse integralmente la instalación de 3 nuevos molinos adquiridos por la empresa cementera Yura S.A. que le permitirá triplicar su producción.

El presidente ejecutivo del Grupo Gloria, Vito Rodríguez, empresario arequipeño, informó que la ampliación de la fábrica de cementos Yura fue posible con la inversión de 200 millones de dólares que amplía la capacidad de producción de clinker para pasar de 600 mil toneladas métricas anuales a más de dos millones de toneladas.

La empresa - según Rodríguez- también instala y pone en operación una nueva línea de producción de clinker de 4,200 toneladas métricas diarias, equivalentes a un 1.4 millones de toneladas anuales adicionales.

GASODUCTO. Rodríguez destaca la construcción del Gasoducto Surandino que será clave para que se instalen más fábricas y generará miles de puestos de trabajo y generará desarrollo en nuestra región.

INDIA: Calcom Cement lauhches its brand

Calcom Cement Limited (CCL), a joint venture between Vinay Cements Limited and Assam government, today launched its brand – Calcom Cement, in the market. The company had made investment to the tune of Rs 530 crore, the largest private sector investment in cement sector of the region. The company has two split plants located in Umrongsho, in Dima Hasao district (formerly known as North Cachar Hills) and at Lanka in Nagaon district. 

The plant at peak capacity is expected to make North-East self sufficient in cement. The installed capacity of the plant is 1.7 million tonne. As per industry figures, the North-Eastern region has a total installed capacity of 2.5 million tonne of cement (excluding that of Calcom) as against the demand of 4.5 million tonne.  

A senior official of CCL said that Calcom is the first and the only fully automatic  plant in North East built with imported German technology and runs on fuzzy logic driven computer technology.

INDIA: Builders accuse cement firms of cartelising

NEW DELHI: Builders have moved the Competition Commission alleging that cement firms, including A B Birla group firm Grasim, ACC, Gujarat Ambuja and others, have formed a price cartel and it is costing them dearly. 

Through their apex association, builders have formed a united front against major cement manufacturers, accusing them of forming a cartel and hiking rates of the building material artificially. 

The Builders Association of India (BAI) has alleged before the CCI that the Cement Manufacturers Association and 11 of its members have indulged in forming arrangements, directly or indirectly, to fix the selling price of cement. 

"It is most relevant to point out that besides indulging in an act of cartelisation, few of the above mentioned respondents have acquired a dominant position as defined under Section 4 of the Competition Act," the BAI said in its complaint. 

According to the complaint, the cement price of around Rs 231 per bag during the January-March period in Delhi increased to Rs 238 per bag between April and June. In Mumbai, the price rose from Rs 267 to Rs 273 during the comparable periods, while in Kolkata, cement prices rose from Rs 216 in January-March to Rs 233 per bag in April-June. 

However, when contacted, Grasim Wholetime Director Adesh Gupta said, "There is not cartelisation, otherwise prices would have not fallen down like this." 

The Cement Manufacturers' Association also rubbished the allegations. 

"Prices are coming down everyday. They are coming down for the last three-four months. So how come the question of cartelisation arises? There is absolutely no truth in this. Prices are below the cost of production now," said H M Bangur, a former president of the cement lobby. 

ACC and Gujarat Ambuja could not be reached for comment. According to BAI, cement-makers impose unfair and discriminatory conditions for the sale and purchase of the product and are wiping out small players. 

It is learnt that the petition was filed by Atul Dua, an advocate with Seth Dua & Associates, on behalf of BAI. 

The commission, according to official sources, will take a view on the complaint sometime this week and depending on its merit, an investigation will be ordered.