(REOPENS DCM 20)

India Cements Ltd Vice Chairman and Managing Director, NSrinivasan said that despite reduction in net plantrealisation, the company was able to improve the profitsbecause of increased volume and reduction in operating costs. Noting that the total cement volume year-on-year basisgrew by 10 per cent, he said sequential quarter wise cementvolume dropped as there was elections held in Tamil Nadu. "Compared to last year during the quarter ending June 30,2016, the net plant realisation dropped to Rs 3,461 as againstRs 3,930 during same quarter of last year. In Andhra Pradesh,the net plant realisation almost dropped by Rs 1,000," hetold reporters. He also informed that the company’s total plant capacityutilisation grew to 65 per cent during the quarter ended June30, while it was 58 per cent in the year-ago period. "The demand in South grew by seven per cent. That hashelped us a little. But in Andhra Pradesh it is not growing,"the Vice CMD said. Cement volume during the quarter ending June 30, 2016 was23.07 lakh tonnes, compared to 20.81 lakh tonnes in the samequarter of last year. The EBIDTA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciationand Amortization) for the quarter ending June 30, 2016 weremarginally higher at Rs 205 crore as against Rs 200 croreduring same quarter of previous year. On the company’s Rajasthan facility he said it wasrunning at almost 95 per cent capacity and added that growthin Andhra Pradesh would give a "fillip" to cement demand. Shares of the company closed 1.17 per cent up at Rs125.60 apiece on BSE. PTI VIJ APRABI