India’s Pioneer Cement Brand ACC Celebrates its 82nd Anniversary
ACC Limited, India’s leading manufacturer of cement and ready mix concrete was born when ten cement companies came together for a historic merger on 1 August, 1936. Today, it stands tall as the country’s most influential cement brand. For 82 years, ACC has been the official supplier of cement to some of the country’s most iconic structures and development projects. Its back-end support is a formidable network of factories, ready-mix concrete plants, cement handling terminals, sales and area offices, warehouses, dealers and retail outlets. A household name today, ACC Cement is part of countless enduring edifices such as roads, bridges, homes, schools, hospitals, flyovers, stadiums, mass transit systems and more that define the nation’s infrastructural landscape – making the brand synonymous with trust and quality.
Over the last eight decades, ACC has grown exponentially from one indigenous cement plant in Chaibasa, Bihar, to successfully establishing 17 cement manufacturing sites, 62 concrete plants, a nationwide network of over 50,000 retail outlets making it India’s foremost manufacturer of cement and ready mix concrete.
Located in the heart of Mumbai, ACC’s iconic Cement House is an eminent landmark in the city. The design of ACC’s Cement House is the outcome of a national Architectural Competition held in April 1938, inviting architects from the country to participate. The company appointed Messrs. Gregson, Batley & King to judge the competition. The winning entry was submitted by Ballardie Thompson & Mathews and was rewarded with Rs. 2,500 in 1938. Cement House was commandeered by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and was released after much persuasion, on October 30, 1946. The first Indian expedition to Antarctica raised the tricolour on a pedestal built with special cement developed by ACC, which could set at extreme sub-zero temperatures and hostile environmental conditions. The ACC cement plant at Wadi has the world’s largest kiln, with an output capacity of 12,500 tonnes per day.
The company has also taken significant steps in the areas of corporate governance, sustainable development and social volunteering becoming the country’s “Most Sustainable Companies” recognised for its best practices in environment management and corporate citizenship. The company’s 82th anniversary illustrates ACC’s continued commitment to deliver superior and sustainable value to all its customers, business partners, shareholders, employees, and host communities.
