Industrial investments in India to rise 30% in FY22-24: CRISIL

  • Industry News
  • Oct 21,21
Without PLI scheme, capex would have likely taken nearly two years to touch pre-pandemic levels, says CRISIL Research. PLI holds the potential to generate Rs 2.2 lakh crore worth of capex over the scheme period (3-4 years).
Industrial investments in India to rise 30% in FY22-24: CRISIL

Mumbai

Industrial investments in India are expected to rise 30% in FY22-24 as the stage is set for private investment cycle with new growth triggers and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in place, according to CRISIL Research.

Industrial capex slows, large companies save the blushes
Last fiscal, the top 350 of the ~15,000 manufacturing firms (non-infra – listed and unlisted) on CRISIL’s Quantix platform deferred capital expenditure (capex) because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This led to an estimated 14% contraction in their capex, albeit less than a 21-23% decline for the entire industry.

Typically, the ~15,000 manufacturing firms spend Rs 3.2-3.5 lakh crore annually, with a chunky part of the capex being invested by large firms. The dispersion analysis of the capex spread shows that 62-65% is spent by the top 350, 20-22% by the next 1,400 firms, and a meagre 15-18% by the next 13,000+. 

To be sure, the past decade witnessed a relatively muted private industrial capex cycle, especially during fiscals 2013-2017, on weak demand, strong supply and leveraged balance sheets. While fiscals 2018-2020 did see a revival, it was largely led by regulatory capex in the oil & gas and automotive space (emission norms compliance) and large metal firms. Then the pandemic struck, causing sector-wide capex deferral.
 
Macro and micro triggers are set for a recovery 
CRISIL Research expects industrial capex to pick up, driven by: 
  • Conducive government support through policy measures such as the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and reduced tax rates 
  • Accommodative monetary policies and lower interest rates 
  • Commodities upcycle, which has benefitted metal and cement players by repairing their balance sheets 
  • Rising merchandise exports 
  • Supply chain diversification 
  • Healthy balance sheets 
  • Global liquidity 
The external environment for the capex cycle in the current decade will more likely resemble that seen in the first decade of the century (2000’s) in terms of global liquidity, monetary policies, liquidity, and healthy balance sheets.

PLI a booster shot 
The PLI scheme has given a much-needed booster dose to flailing capex. Without it, capex would have likely taken nearly two years to touch pre-pandemic levels. Actualisation of the scheme will result in aggregate industrial capex rising 1.3 times through fiscals 2022-2024 in comparison to fiscals 2018-2020.

The new capex cycle will be relatively distinct compared with earlier cycles on several counts. First, asset-heavy sectors such as metals, cement, and mining will see more localised investments, led by large players at their existing sites (brownfield capex). In comparison, asset-light ones such as pharma, telecom equipment, mobile, and electronics will see more greenfield capex, led by PLI as well as supply chain diversification. Second, the pandemic-induced focus on digital and automation will spur growth. Third, rising emphasis on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance will trigger green capex towards energy transition, especially for core industrial sectors.

 

Large firms in core industrial sectors (steel and cement) as well as consumption sectors (fast moving consumer goods or FMCG and pharma) have gained significant market share over the past few years, especially during the pandemic, necessitating further investments. 

In the steel sector, large and small players operated at a similar utilisation rate of 73-74% in fiscal 2016, but the gap has widened over the years. Large players operate at 82%+ vis-à-vis smaller firms’ 65% as of fiscal 2021.

The top five FMCG companies versus smaller players have seen the differential in their asset turnover leap from 8% in fiscal 2016 to 52% in fiscal 2021.

Further, healthy volumes and rise in commodity prices (especially for metals) have helped repair the leveraged balance sheets. Resolution of series of assets under the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has also helped large players gain market share. This has resulted in large players announcing a series of expansion plans for the next three years followed by greenfield capex from fiscal 2024 onwards.



PLI, covering 13 sub-sectors, holds the potential to generate Rs 2.2 lakh crore worth of capex over the scheme period (3-4 years). Of this, nearly 55% of the capex would be concentrated in the three sectors of ACC (advance chemistry cell) battery, automotive, and specialty steel. 

Asset-light sectors such as telecom, mobile, and IT hardware are expected to incur lower capex. However, many incentives have been doled out to attract investments in order to plug the import bill in these high growth segments. Further, the back-end value chain of these segments will eventually set up shop locally in the medium term.

Article Source: CRISIL Research

Related Stories

Machine Tools & Accessories
Dormer Pramet shifts identitly, to work as a single group

Dormer Pramet shifts identitly, to work as a single group

Dormer and Pramet will now officially operate under a single unified entity combining both the brands while Miranda and Precision continue to serve as local markets’ hero brands.

Read more
Process Equipment
Aditya Birla Group eyes further investments in US manufacturing and R&D

Aditya Birla Group eyes further investments in US manufacturing and R&D

Aditya Birla Group, a prominent player in the U.S. metals and chemicals sectors through subsidiaries like Novelis and Aditya Birla Chemicals, announced a $50 million investment earlier this year for..

Read more
Other Industrial Products
Shyam Metalics rises 3% on new blast furnace and sinter plant in West Bengal

Shyam Metalics rises 3% on new blast furnace and sinter plant in West Bengal

The facility also features an 18 MW top gas pressure recovery turbine (TRT), which improves energy recovery by 10%, and an evaporative cooling system that reduces water and power consumption by 20% ..

Read more

Related Products

Tata Motors unveils facilities for development of Hydrogen propulsion tech

AUTO COMPONENTS & ACCESSORIES

Tata Motors, India?s largest automobile company, unveiled two state-of-the-art & new-age R&D facilities for meeting its mission of offering sustainable mobility solutions. The unveilings constitute of Read more

Request a Quote

Tata Motors plans petrol powertrain for Harrier and Safari SUVs

AUTO COMPONENTS & ACCESSORIES

Tata Motors is in the process of developing a new petrol powertrain for its premium sports utility vehicles, the Harrier and Safari, as confirmed by a senior company official. Currently, these models Read more

Request a Quote

Electric Vehicle Charger

AUTO COMPONENTS & ACCESSORIES

RRT Electro is engaged in manufacturing of customized Power Electronic Products over two decades having capability to Design, Develop, Prototyping, Regulatory Compliance testing & Certification, Manuf Read more

Request a Quote

Hi There!

Now get regular updates from IPF Magazine on WhatsApp!

Click on link below, message us with a simple hi, and SAVE our number

You will have subscribed to our Industrial News on Whatsapp! Enjoy

+91 84228 74016