Marketing Project MCL

1. A STUDY ON THE BRAND POSITION OF
MALABAR CEMENTS IN KERALA
MARKET
Report of the Research Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the MBA (Full time) Degree of the
Mahatma Gandhi University
Submitted by
Prajesh Muthiyal
Reg. No. 22446
2010 – 2012 Batch
FISAT BUSINESS SCHOOL
Hormis Nagar, Angamaly,Cochin –683 577.
June 2012

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I thank the lord almighty for his perpetual showers of blessing,
which led to the successful completion of my project report. It gives me immense
pleasure to present this report.
I express my heartiest gratitude to Dr. P A Mathew, Dean and Director, Fisat
Business School Mookannoor for having permitted me to do this Project at Malabar
Cements, Walayar.
I express my sincere gratitude to Mrs. Delma Thaliyan, Faculty of Fisat
Business School for her valuable guidance for the successful completion of the
study.
I wish to express my heartfelt and sincere thanks to Mr. (Malabar Cements) who
gave me the opportunity to do the Project.
I would like extend to my heartfelt gratitude to all officials and employees of
Malabar Cements for being very helpful and suggestive in giving the valuable
information’s, regarding their Jobs and responsibilities in their respective concerns,
for the successful completion of the study.
I also thank my friends and relatives for their help and encouragement.
PRAJESH MUTHIYAL

3. DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the Project Report entitled A Study on the Brand
Positioning of Malabar Cements in Kerala Market is a record of bona-fide
work done by me in “Malabar Cements Walayar, during June 2012 under the
supervision of Mr. [Malabar Cements], and Mrs. Delma Thaliyan, Assistant
Professor, FISAT Business School, and that no part of this report has formed the
basis for award of any degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship or any other
similar title or recognition in any other institution.
Place : PRAJESH MUTHIYAL
Date :

4. CERTIFICATE
Certified that the Project Report entitled A Study on the Brand Positioning of
Malabar Cements in Kerala Market, Walayar is a bona-fide work done by
Prajesh M during June 2012 under my supervision and guidance.
Dean and Director Mrs. Delma Thaliyan
FISAT Business School Asst. Proffessor, FBS
(Faculty Guide)

5. LIST OF TABLES
Table No Title of the Table Page no.
1.1 About MCL 01

6. INTRODUCTION
The study was conducted at Malabar Cements, Walayar which is engaged in the
production of Cements.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are as given below:
 To find out the Brand Positioning of Malabar Cements in Kerala Market.
 To find out the effectiveness of Advertising Strategys of Malabar Cements
 To observe the functioning and various activities and also to get more
ideas about some departments.
 To interact with various managers and employees of different departments.

7. DATA COLLECTION METHOD
Primary data : The data are collected directly by interacting with the Staff and
Management of the Company.
Secondary data: The data are collected by studying and analyzing the company
records, annual reports, literature survey from books, journals and magazines.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
 The time factor is a major limitation of the study .
 Some of the factors were kept confidents .
 There may be error due to the bias of the respondents.

8. About MCL
Malabar Cements Ltd., a fully owned Govt. of Kerala Undertaking, is synonymous
with superior quality cements, vouched by customers spread across the state of
Kerala. The Company was incorporated in April 1978 and commenced production
in April 1984 at its Walayar plant. At Malabar Cements, product improvement is
not just a onetime strategy for boosting sales, rather a quest of excellence.
Perfecting the product quality is everybody's concern here. Our distinction begins
with scientifically selecting the best raw materials for clinker. Stringent quality
control is exercised right from pre-blending raw materials, clinkerisation, clinker
grinding, and finally to cement packing.
Malabar Cements contributes to the developmental activities of the State by
supplying the basic construction material. Only Malabar Cements can supply its
cement, 'factory fresh', without any deterioration in the original strength either due
to moisture or humidity, within 12 hrs anywhere in Kerala. With a production
capacity of 4.2 lakh tons of cement per annum,the unit at Walayar is the largest. As
part of expansion programme, it has commissioned a 2.0 lakh tons clinker-grinding
unit at Cherthala in Alappuzha district in August 2003. Thus the total installed
capacity of MCL is 6.2 lakh tons.
MCL is the first public sector company to receive ISO Certification & to win the
National Award for best achievement in Energy Conservation. Till date, MCL has
experienced no loss of production due to labour unrest. In just over 15 years of
commissioning, Malabar Cements has been able to meet about 10% of total cement
consumption in Kerala. With the expansion plans in progress, the figures are sure
to rise further.

9. History
Cement is a necessary constituent of infrastructure development and a key raw
material for the construction industry. As late as the 70’s, the State of Kerala was
virtually starving for cement. The state lacked a portland cement factory in either
private or government Sector. In 1961-62, the Geological Survey of India located a
limestone deposit in the Pandarethu valley of the Walayar region on the northern
side of the Palakkad gap. Located in dense forest area, the hilly terrain was
required heavy investment to mine. The State Govt. ventured to put up a Cement
factory in the region.
The feasibility study conducted revealed that the construction of a 1200 tpd dry
process cement plant using the Pandarethu limestone is feasible. KSIDC obtained
an Industrial License for the manufacture of cement in November 1976 and
decided to go ahead with the project and formed “Malabar Cements Limited” to set
up, own and operate the proposed cement plant. The plant was successfully
commissioned in 1984 and the commercial cement production started on 1984.
Now, The Company is all equipped to set precedence among public sector units in
the state. The launch of two Superior quality products under the brand name
‘Malabar Super’ and ‘Malabar Classic’, in the year 1994-95 gave a boost to the
market presence. Various modifications carried out since 1995 have improved
production and productivity of Malabar Cements. A 2.5 MW multi-fuel power
plant was commissioned in June 1998 to complement 25% of the total power
requirement for the Walayar plant operations. As part of expansion, the company
has commissioned a 600 tpd Grinding Unit at Cherthala in August 2003. The
modernization of Cement Mill, completed in December 2004, helped to increase
the cement production.
The company has upgraded the plant with state-of-the-art technology; Belt bucket
elevators, Kiln automation, modification of cement mill internals etc, are few to
mention. The 0.42 million tones capacity is less than 10% of the cement
consumption in Kerala and expansion will alow the company to harness the
markets beyond its core segment.

10. Growth Story
Some of the major milestones while on our growth:
 Feasibility Study for a cement plant at Walayar. – 1975
 Industrial License for the manufacture of Cement – 1976
 Date of Incorporation of Malabar Cements – 1978
 Commencement of mining activities – 1981
 Commissioning of Walayar Plant – 1984
 Commencement of clinker production – 1984
 Commercial Cement Production started – 1984
 43-grade OPC cement – ‘Malabar Super’ launched – 1994
 New product: ‘Malabar Classic’ launched - 1994
 Obtained ISO : 9002 certification, first PSU in Kerala to secure this
certification – 1996
 Installation of 2.5 MW multi-fuel power gen. set - 1998
 Introduction of ‘Malabar Aiswarya’ brand - 2003
 Commissioned of 600 tpd cement grinding unit at Cherthala – 2003
 Modernization of Cement Mill to close circuiting – 2005
 Introduced ERP system for integrated operation of all functional areas. –
2007
 Switched over to Quality Certification ISO : 9001 :2008 – 2010

11. Cerifications and Achievements
ISO Certification
 “IS/ISO 9002 : 1994” certification obtained in November 1996. First PSU to
secure this certification.
 Switched over to the revised standard ISO 9001 : 2000 in Aug’2003.
 Switched over to Quality Certification ISO : 9001 :2008 in 2010
Awards
 Kerala State Pollution Control Board Award - 1990-91
 Secured first State award for Energy conservation – 1992
 VSSC Rolling Trophy for safety measures - 1994 & 1995
 NCBM National Award for the Best improvisation in energy – 1998
 Kerala State Energy Conservation Award – 1998
 Govt. of Kerala awarded for outstanding achievement in Pollution abatement
– 2007
 Introduced ERP system for integrated operation of all functional areas. –
2007
 Kerala Trade Award of Kerala Government – 2010
 Indian Bureau of Mines Afforesation award
 National Energy Efficiency Award
 Management Studies Award

12. MCL Product Range
Malabar Cements uses the state of the art, dry process technology for the
manufacturing of super quality cement and the quality is much above the national
standards. For Various applications, the company has three brands: viz, "Malabar
Super", "Malabar Aiswarya" & "Malabar Classic"
1. MALABAR SUPER
A fabulous product in every sense: Super in strength, Wonderful in workability,
Incredible in aging, Implausible in durability, and Fantastic in strength gain. An
AMAZING performer! Tests carried out by Bureau of Indian Standards have
established unshakeable credentials of Malabar Super. Super strength accelerates
setting time and fine finish. Malabar super is superior in strength to ordinary '43'
grade cement. It attains the 28 days' strength required as per IS in just 7 days time.
Not only that, the strength attained in 28 days time is about 50 percent more than
the IS specification. The amazing strength of Malabar Super arises from it's
unequalled particle fineness, 33 percent more than the IS specification and
consistency in composition, made so by computerized process control system.
2. MALABAR CLASSIC
Superior in its class of cements, it offers better setting properties delayed initial set
and early final set offering more working time and reduced observation time.
Structures achieve excellent dimensional stability with the heat resistant properties
of MALABAR CLASSIC. It also reduces heat generation during hydration,
making it a better workable finished product absolutely reliable. The extra fineness
welded into it allows MALABAR CLASSIC better coverage and finish in wall and
roof plastering. This in turn, reduces paint consumption.

13. 3. MALABAR AISWARYA
It brings prosperity in many ways. It increases the life of your structures by
safeguarding against sulphate attack. Aiswarya offers high quality at reduced price.
Aiswarya generates less heat of hydration, reduces the formation of getting cracks.
This product is best studied for constructions in soil and water with excess alkali
metals, sulphates, alumina, iron and acidic waters. To obtain the best quality
cement, only glassy granulated slag is used for product manufacturing. With very
low magnesium oxide content this provides shape stability for concrete structures
The Making of Cement
MCL manufactures cement through the most modern dry process method based on
world-renowned German technology. The major raw materials for cement
manufacture are limestone and laterite, which are natural minerals obtained within
the state. These raw materials provide all necessary ingredients of cement like
lime, silica, alumina and iron oxide. The entire manufacturing process is computer
controlled from a central control room and stringent quality control measures are
applied at all stages of production. We are in the process of installing X - Ray
Analyzer for better quality control. The state of the art pollution control measures
like bag filters are also being installed. The process generally involves three stages
of production.
1. Raw meal production.
The limestone obtained from captive mines is enriched with higher quality
limestone procured from nearby states as and when required. The raw mix
normally contains 95% limestone and 5% laterite. The raw materials are crushed to
around 20-25 mm size and the proportioned raw materials are ground in a ball mill
in dry condition to a very fine powder. The resultant product is called raw meal
and is stored in concrete silos where it is pneumatically homogenized to get a
uniform product.

14. 2. Clinker production
Clinker is produced in a rotary kiln, which is a cylindrical steel shell of 65m length
and diameter 4.2m, lined with refractory bricks. The kiln is inclined at 3% and set
rotating at a speed of 2 – 2.2 rpm. It is provided with a 4-stage multi cyclone
preheater system through which the homogenized raw meal is fed to the kiln inlet
by means of belt bucket elevators. The Kiln is fired with pulverized coal and
maintained at a temperature of about 14500C. In the pre-heater and kiln, the raw
meal undergoes a series of physical as well as chemical changes giving rise to the
cement minerals. The resultant product in nodular form obtained from the kiln is
called clinker. Clinker is immediately quenched in the clinker cooler to stabilize its
properties and stored in the clinker stockpile.
3. Cement production
Cement is produced by grinding clinker with 3-5% gypsum in a closed circuit ball
mill to required fineness. Gypsum is added to control the setting properties of
cement. Grinding clinker and gypsum produces ordinary Portland cement (OPC).
Fly ash / Slag at required proportion is ground along with clinker and gypsum to
produce Portland pozzolana cement (PPC) / Portland slag cement (PSC). The
ground cement is stored in concrete silos and packed in 50 Kg bags using
electronic packing machines
Plant & Factory Details
The Geological Survey of India had identified a cement grade limestone deposit in
the Walayar reserve forest way back in 1961-62. The Mineral Exploration
Corporation Limited confirmed its efficacy. Malabar Cements Ltd., fully by the
Government of Kerala, is the only Portland cement manufacturer in Kerala.
The company was incorporated in April 1978 and commenced commercial
production in 1984 with capital outlay of Rs. 680 million and paid up equity capital
of Rs. 260 million. The 1200 TPD plant at Walayar has continuously registered
profit year after year.

15. The company has upgraded the plant with state-of-the-art technologies through the
years. After the inception and in line with technological developments, company
has carried out lot of modifications in the system for minimizing energy
consumption, Pollution control measures, process modifications etc. Some of the
salient features of the plants are listed below:
 Limestone reserve of about 10 million tons.
 Modern 110 TPH Closed Circuit Cement Mill.
 Strict Quality Control system to ensure quality of the product.
 Most modern Instrumentation & Control system for efficient process
engineering.
 Modern dry process manufacturing technology with four-stage suspension
pre heater system.
 Elaborate pollution control system to meet pollution control standards
Human Resources
MCL moves with a workforce of around 900+ dedicated and highly skilled
personnel. As part of the commitment towards the society, MCL plays a very
important role in generating employment for the general public. And, as a result,
more than three thousand families depended on MCL indirectly, for their
livelihood.
Health & Safety
Malabar Cements is always committed to sustain development of health and safety
working environment complying with all statutory requirements. We undertake
various programmes, methods and initiatives towards this by adopting proactive
safety approach rather than reactive ones. The plant uses sophisticated pollution
control devices in various parts such as raw mill, cement kiln, coolers and cement
mill. In addition, the mining technologies that have been implemented are also
based on environment safeguard norms. Periodical inspection and assessment of
working conditions is considered as the key tool for identifying hazards and risk
involved in each activity. We give utmost importance to enhance competency of

16. human resources by providing adequate awareness, training with the help of an
established full fledged Training & Development department.
We believe that safety is an integral part of all jobs and that can be achieved only
through active participation and involvement of employees from all levels, from
top to bottom. We promise workers participation in safety management by
establishing Safety Apex Committee and departmental safety sub committees.
These committees oversee the implementation of our OH & S policy. We practice
Japanese 5S concept of house keeping to acheive excellence in maintaining clean
and hygienic working conditions.
Our keen attention is always to create a green & healthy environment. In its
endeavor towards greenery, the company has initiated various types of
afforestation, horticulture and tree planting programs. To comply with the
numerous standards and norms stipulated in various statutes of environment
conservation, timely Modernization plans are prepared and implemented.
Labour Welfare
It can be undoubtedly stated that our company is providing numerous measures
both statutory and non-statutory when compared to neighbouring industries as well
as other Public Sector Undertakings in the State. Here is the list of welfare
measures provided by the company.
1. CANTEEN
Full-fledged round the clock canteen facilities are provided in plant and mines for
employees on duty. These provide food at subsidised rates.
2. MEDICAL CENTRE AND AMBULANCE
A full-fledged Medical Centre with two bed facility is situated in Township for the
benefit of employees and their dependant family members and the treatment &
medicine are provided free of cost. The services are rendered by two Medical
Officers. Apart from Medical Centre one Ambulance each is provided at the Plant
and Mines for meeting emergency medical assistance of the employees.

17. 3. COMPLIMENTS & GIFTS
Annual gifts are distributed among all employees in appreciation of their efforts in
writing home good profit. During the last two years, 4 gms Gold Coin was issued
to each employee as annual gift while a gold coin of 8 gms was gifted to each of
the employees retiring on superannuation. Employees completing 25 years of
regular services in the company were given 10 gms Gold Coin. Gifts are also given
away to employees annually in connection with Safety Day Celebrations.
4. SCHOOL / FESTIVAL ADVANCE
Interest free recoverable advances are paid to all employees in connection with
Onam festival and School reopening. In addition to this festival advance is also
paid
5. WELFARE FUND
A welfare fund constituted by the company lends a helping hand to needy
employees at times of financial crises. The Governing committee consists of
Management as well as elected representatives of the workmen. Apart from
financial assistance for treatment of specified diseases, retirement benefit, death
benefit etc., the fund is also linked with Group Medical Insurance through which
members and their dependents can avail cashless facility/ reimbursement for
inpatient treatment. In the case of death, dependant benefit is also paid by the
employer.
6. MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT
Medical Reimbursement to the tune of one month salary per year is provided to
those employees who are not covered under the E.S.I. Act.
7. CEMENT AT SUBSIDY RATE
Cement at subsidy rate is provided to employees who have completed 10 years of
regular service, on request. On superannuation, employees are offered a cement
agency subject to the rules and regulations applicable.
8. CONVEYANCE

18. Conveyance facility on the Walayar – Palakkad route is provided for the
employees for their to and fro journey to attend duty. Free conveyance is also
provided to school/ college going children of employees from township to
Palakkad.
9. COMPASSIONATE EMPLOYMENT SCHEME
This scheme provides employment in the company to the dependant of the
employees die while in service.
10.ACCOMMODATION
Family and bachelor accommodation is provided for the company employees.
11.EMPLOYEES CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY
An Employees Co-operative Society is functioning in Township with ample
assistance from the Company. The Society is providing provisions, stationary
items etc. to the employees on credit, which will be deducted from their salary.
12.EMPLOYEES RECREATION CLUB & LIBRARY
A recreation club is working to boost the creative talents of employees and their
children in the field of arts and sports. A full-fledged Library graded as ‘A’ by
State Library Council is also functioning in the Township.
13.COMMUNITY HALL
A community hall with a seating capacity of more than 300 is constructed in the
Township. The community hall is used as Indoor Stadium also for games like
Badminton, Table Tennis, Carroms etc
Social Welfare
Every industrial establishment especially profit making Public Sector Undertakings
have major role in the social upliftment of surrounding population and Malabar
Cements Limited is fulfilling it in a unique way.
NADUPATHY TRIBAL COLONY :

19. The company has adopted the tribal school in the Nadupathy Colony for the total
upliftment of the tribal community.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
1.Streetlights
Street light with electrical connection from the company line is provided through
NH from Chandrapuram Check post to Township covering around 3 kms.
2.Special Block at Medical College
A block was at Calicut Medical College was renovated by MCL in the year 2010
3.Afforestation in mines
As part of our commitment to the mother earth we have implemented an
Afforestation Programme in our Mines.