Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday launched ‘Valimai’ -- a new cement brand from Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation Limited (TANCEM), a State government undertaking. The two varieties of the Valimai cement brand are priced at ₹350 and ₹365 a bag, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu said.
An official release said that the new cement brand had greater compression strength and quick setting, and was also heat resistant. Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu, Industries Secretary S. Krishnan, Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation Limited (TANCEM) Managing Director Anil Meshram and senior officials were present when Mr. Stalin launched the new cement brand.
TANCEM initially operated with one cement plant at Alangulam in Virudhunagar district with a capacity of 2 lakh MT per annum. It eventually operated two more cement plants in Ariyalur district with a total capacity of 17 lakh MT per annum. It has been marketing a cement brand named ‘Arasu.’
Mr. Thennarasu had, earlier this year, announced in the Assembly that a new cement brand ‘Valimai’ would be introduced. The brand, which is being introduced a few months after complaints that a rise in cost of construction materials has hit construction activities in the State, is aimed at bringing down prices.
In another event, Mr. Stalin virtually inaugurated new buildings constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD) at Katpadi in Vellore district at a total cost of ₹1.27 crore. Minister for PWD, E.V. Velu, PWD Secretary Dayanand Kataria and senior officials were present.
