Arasu Shanmugam, Director and CEO-India, IFGL, discusses the diversification of the refractory sector into the cement industry with sustainable and innovative solutions, including green refractories and advanced technologies like shotcrete.

Tell us about your company, it being India’s first refractory all Indian MNC.
IFGL Refractories has traditionally focused on the steel industry. However, as part of our diversification strategy, we decided to expand into the cement sector a year ago, offering a comprehensive range of solutions. These solutions cover the entire process, from the preheater stage to the cooler. On the product side, we provide a full range, including alumina bricks, monolithics, castables, and basic refractories.
In a remarkably short span of time, we have built the capability to offer complete solutions to the cement industry using our own products. Although the cement segment is new for IFGL, the team handling this business vertical has 30 years of experience in the cement industry. This expertise has been instrumental in establishing a brand-new greenfield project for alumina bricks, which is now operational. Since production began in May, we are fully booked for the next six months, with orders extending until May 2025. This demonstrates the credibility we have quickly established, driven by our team’s experience and the company’s agility, which has been a core strength for us in the steel industry and will now benefit our cement initiatives.
As a 100 per cent Indian-owned multinational company, IFGL stands out in the refractory sector, where most leading players providing cement solutions are foreign-owned. We are listed on the stock exchange and have a global footprint, including plants in the United Kingdom, where we are the largest refractory producer, thanks to our operations with Sheffield Refractories and Monocon. Additionally, we have a plant in the United States that produces state-of-the-art black refractories for critical steel applications, a plant in Germany providing filtering solutions for the foundry sector, and a base in China, ensuring secure access to high-quality raw materials.
China, as a major source of pure raw materials for refractories, is critical to the global supply chain. We have strategically developed our own base there, ensuring both raw material security and technological advancements. For instance, Sheffield Refractories is a leader in cutting-edge shotcreting technology, which is particularly relevant to the cement industry. Since downtime in cement plants incurs costs far greater than refractory expenses, this technology, which enables rapid repairs and quicker return to production, is a game-changer. Leading cement manufacturers in the country have already expressed significant interest in this service, which we plan to launch in March 2025.
With this strong foundation, we are entering the cement industry with confidence and a commitment to delivering innovative and efficient solutions.
Could you share any differences you’ve observed in business operations between regions like Europe, India, and China? How do their functionalities and approaches vary?
When it comes to business functionality, Europe is unfortunately a shrinking market. There is a noticeable lack of enthusiasm, and companies there often face challenges in forming partnerships with vendors. In contrast, India presents an evolving scenario where close partnerships with vendors have become a key trend. About 15 years ago, refractory suppliers were viewed merely as vendors supplying commodities. Today, however, they are integral to the customer’s value creation chain.
We now have a deep understanding of our customers’ process variations and advancements. This integration allows us to align our refractory solutions with their evolving processes, strengthening our role as a value chain partner. This collaborative approach is a major differentiator, and I don’t see it happening anywhere else on the same scale. Additionally, India is the only region globally experiencing significant growth. As a result, international players are increasingly looking at India as a potential market for expansion. Given this, we take pride in being an Indian company for over four decades and aim to contribute to making Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) a reality.
Moving on to the net-zero mission, it’s crucial to discuss our contributions to sustainability in the cement industry. Traditionally, we focused on providing burnt bricks, which require significant fuel consumption during firing and result in higher greenhouse gas emissions, particularly CO2. With the introduction of Sheffield Refractories’ green technology, we are now promoting the use of green refractories in cement production. Increasing the share of green refractories naturally reduces CO2 emissions per ton of clinker produced.
Our honourable Prime Minister has set the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. We are committed to being key enablers of this vision by expanding the use of green refractories and providing sustainable solutions to the cement industry, reducing reliance on burnt refractories.

Technology is advancing rapidly. What role does it play in helping you achieve your targets and support the cement industry?
Technology plays a critical role in achieving our goals and supporting the cement industry. As I mentioned earlier, the reduction in specific refractory consumption is driven by two key factors: refining customer processes and enhancing refractory quality. By working closely as partners with our customers, we gain a deeper understanding of their evolving needs, enabling us to continuously innovate. For example, in November 2022, we established a state-of-the-art research centre in India for IFGL, something we didn’t have before.
The primary objective of this centre is to leverage in-house technology to enhance the utilisation of recycled materials in manufacturing our products. By increasing the proportion of recycled materials, we reduce the depletion of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions. In essence, our focus is on developing sustainable, green refractories while promoting circularity in our business processes. This multi-faceted approach ensures we contribute to environmental sustainability while meeting the industry’s demands.

Of course, this all sounds promising, but there must be challenges you’re facing along the way. Could you elaborate on those?
One challenge we face is related to India’s mineral resources. For instance, there are oxide deposits in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, but unfortunately, they contain a higher percentage of impurities. On the magnesite side, India has deposits in three regions: Salem in Tamil Nadu, Almora in Uttarakhand, and Jammu. However, these magnesite deposits also have impurities. We believe the government should take up research and development initiatives to beneficiate these minerals, which are abundantly available in India, and make them suitable for producing high-end refractories. This task is beyond the capacity of an individual refractories company and requires focused policy intervention. While the government is undertaking several initiatives, beneficiation of minerals like Indian magnesite and Indian oxide needs to become a key area of focus.
Another crucial policy support we require is recognising the importance of refractories in industrial production. The reality is that without refractories, not even a single kilogram of steel or cement can be produced. Despite this, refractories are not included in the list of core industries. We urge the government to designate refractories as a core industry, which would ensure dedicated focus, including R&D allocations for initiatives like raw material beneficiation. At IFGL, we are taking proactive steps to address some of these challenges. For instance, we own Sheffield Refractories, a global leader in shotcrete technology. We are bringing this technology to India, with implementation planned from March onwards. Additionally, our partnership with Marvel Refractories in China enables us to leverage their expertise in providing high-quality refractories for steel and cement industries worldwide.
While we are making significant efforts at our level, policy support from the government—such as recognising refractories as a core industry and fostering research for local raw material beneficiation—would accelerate progress. This combined effort would greatly enhance India’s capability to produce high-end refractories and meet the growing demands of critical industries.

Could you share your opinion on the journey toward achieving net-zero emissions? How do you envision this journey unfolding?
The journey toward net zero is progressing steadily. For instance, even at this conference, we can observe the commitment as a country toward this goal. Achieving net zero involves having a clear starting point, a defined objective, and a pace to progress. I believe we are already moving at an impressive speed toward realising this goal. One example is the significant reduction in energy consumption per ton of clinker, which has halved over the past 7–8 years—a remarkable achievement.
Another critical aspect is the emphasis on circularity in the cement industry. The use of gypsum, which is a byproduct of the fertiliser and chemical industries, as well as fly ash generated by the power industry, has been effectively incorporated into cement production. Additionally, a recent advancement involves the use of calcined clay as an active component in cement. I am particularly encouraged by discussions around incorporating 12 per cent to 15 per cent limestone into the mix without the need for burning, which does not compromise the quality of the final product. These strategies demonstrate the cement industry’s constructive and innovative approach toward achieving net-zero emissions. The pace at which these advancements are being adopted is highly encouraging, and I believe we are on a fast track to reaching this critical milestone.

– Kanika Mathur

A 12-acre innovation campus enables Fornnax to design, test and validate high-performance recycling solutions at global standards in record time.

Fornnax has launched one of the world’s largest New Product Development (NPD) centres and demo plants, spanning more than 12 acres, marking a major step toward its vision of becoming a global recycling technology leader by 2030. Designed to accelerate real-world innovation, the facility will enable faster product design cycles, large-scale performance validation, and more reliable equipment for high-demand recycling applications.

At the core of the new campus is a live demo plant engineered to support application-specific testing. Fornnax will use this facility to upgrade its entire line of shredders and granulators—enhancing capacity, improving energy efficiency, and reducing downtime. With controlled test environments, machines can be validated for 3,000 to 15,000 hours of operation, ensuring real-world durability and high availability of 18–20 hours per day. This approach gives customers proven performance data before deployment.

“Innovation in product development is the key to becoming a global leader,” said Jignesh Kundariya, Director and CEO of Fornnax. “With this facility, we can design, test and validate new technologies in 6–8 months, compared to 4–5 years in a customer’s plant. Every machine will undergo rigorous Engineering Build (EB) and Manufacturing Build (MB) testing in line with international standards.”

Engineering Excellence Powered by Gate Review Methodology

Fornnax’s NPD framework follows a structured Gate Review Process, ensuring precision and discipline at every step. Projects begin with market research and ideation led by Sales and Marketing, followed by strategic review from the Leadership Team. Detailed engineering is then developed by the Design Team and evaluated by Manufacturing, Service and Safety before approval. A functional prototype is built and tested for 6–8 months, after which the design is optimised for mass production and commercial rollout.

Open-Door Customer Demonstration and Material Testing

The facility features an open-door demonstration model, allowing customers to bring their actual materials and test multiple machines under varied operating conditions. Clients can evaluate performance parameters, compare configurations and make informed purchasing decisions without operational risk.

The centre will also advance research into emerging sectors including E-waste, cables, lithium-ion batteries and niche heterogeneous waste streams. Highly qualified engineering and R&D teams will conduct feasibility studies and performance analysis to develop customised solutions for unfamiliar or challenging materials. This capability reinforces Fornnax’s reputation as a solution-oriented technology provider capable of solving real recycling problems.

Developing Global Recycling Talent

Beyond technology, the facility also houses a comprehensive OEM training centre. It will prepare operators and maintenance technicians for real-world plant conditions. Trainees will gain hands-on experience in assembly, disassembly and grinding operations before deployment at customer sites. Post-training, they will serve as skilled support professionals for Fornnax installations. The company will also deliver corporate training programs for international and domestic clients to enable optimal operation, swift troubleshooting and high-availability performance.

A Roadmap to Capture Global Demand

Fornnax plans to scale its offerings in response to high-growth verticals including Tyre recycling, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), E-waste, Cable and Aluminium recycling. The company is also preparing solutions for new opportunities such as Auto Shredder Residue (ASR) and Lithium-Ion Battery recovery. With research, training, validation and customer engagement housed under one roof, Fornnax is laying the foundation for the next generation of recycling technologies.

“Our goal is to empower customers with clarity and confidence before they invest,” added Kundariya. “This facility allows them to test their own materials, compare equipment and see real performance. It’s not just about selling machines—it’s about building trust through transparency and delivering solutions that work.”

With this milestone, Fornnax reinforces its long-term commitment to enabling industries worldwide with proven, future-ready recycling solutions rooted in innovation, engineering discipline and customer collaboration.

Dr Yogendra Kanitkar, VP R&D, and Dr Shirish Kumar Sharma, Assistant Manager R&D, Pi Green Innovations, look at India’s cement industry as it stands at the crossroads of infrastructure expansion and urgent decarbonisation.

The cement industry plays an indispensable role in India’s infrastructure development and economic growth. As the world’s second-largest cement producer after China, India accounts for more than 8 per cent of global cement production, with an output of around 418 million tonnes in 2023–24. It contributes roughly 11 per cent to the input costs of the construction sector, sustains over one million direct jobs, and generates an estimated 20,000 additional downstream jobs for every million tonnes produced. This scale makes cement a critical backbone of the nation’s development. Yet, this vitality comes with a steep environmental price, as cement production contributes nearly 7 per cent of India’s total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
On a global scale, the sector accounts for 8 per cent of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, a figure that underscores the urgency of balancing rapid growth with climate responsibility. A unique challenge lies in the dual nature of cement-related emissions: about 60 per cent stem from calcination of limestone in kilns, while the remaining 40 per cent arise from the combustion of fossil fuels to generate the extreme heat of 1,450°C required for clinker production (TERI 2023; GCCA).
This dilemma is compounded by India’s relatively low per capita consumption of cement at about 300kg per year, compared to the global average of 540kg. The data reveals substantial growth potential as India continues to urbanise and industrialise, yet this projected rise in consumption will inevitably add to greenhouse gas emissions unless urgent measures are taken. The sector is also uniquely constrained by being a high-volume, low-margin business with high capital intensity, leaving limited room to absorb additional costs for decarbonisation technologies.
India has nonetheless made notable progress in improving the carbon efficiency of its cement industry. Between 1996 and 2010, the sector reduced its emissions intensity from 1.12 tonnes of CO2 per ton of cement to 0.719 tonnes—making it one of the most energy-efficient globally. Today, Indian cement plants reach thermal efficiency levels of around 725 kcal/kg of clinker and electrical consumption near 75 kWh per tonne of cement, broadly in line with best global practice (World Cement 2025). However, absolute emissions continue to rise with increasing demand, with the sector emitting around 177 MtCO2 in 2023, about 6 per cent of India’s total fossil fuel and industrial emissions. Without decisive interventions, projections suggest that cement manufacturing emissions in India could rise by 250–500 per cent by mid-century, depending on demand growth (Statista; CEEW).
Recognising this threat, the Government of India has brought the sector under compliance obligations of the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). Cement is one of the designated obligated entities, tasked with meeting aggressive reduction targets over the next two financial years, effectively binding companies to measurable progress toward decarbonisation and creating compliance-driven demand for carbon reduction and trading credits (NITI 2025).
The industry has responded by deploying incremental decarbonisation measures focused on energy efficiency, alternative fuels, and material substitutions. Process optimisation using AI-driven controls and waste heat recovery systems has made many plants among the most efficient worldwide, typically reducing fuel use by 3–8 per cent and cutting emissions by up to 9 per cent. Trials are exploring kiln firing with greener fuels such as hydrogen and natural gas. Limited blends of hydrogen up to 20 per cent are technically feasible, though economics remain unfavourable at present.
Efforts to electrify kilns are gaining international attention. For instance, proprietary technologies have demonstrated the potential of electrified kilns that can reach 1,700°C using renewable electricity, a transformative technology still at the pilot stage. Meanwhile, given that cement manufacturing is also a highly power-intensive industry, several firms are shifting electric grinding operations to renewable energy.
Material substitution represents another key decarbonisation pathway. Blended cements using industrial by-products like fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) can significantly reduce the clinker factor, which currently constitutes about 65 per cent in India. GGBS can replace up to 85 per cent of clinker in specific cement grades, though its future availability may fall as steel plants decarbonise and reduce slag generation. Fly ash from coal-fired power stations remains widely used as a low-carbon substitute, but its supply too will shrink as India expands renewable power. Alternative fuels—ranging from biomass to solid waste—further allow reductions in fossil energy dependency, abating up to 24 per cent of emissions according to pilot projects (TERI; CEEW).
Beyond these, Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) technologies are emerging as a critical lever for achieving deep emission cuts, particularly since process emissions are chemically unavoidable. Post-combustion amine scrubbing using solvents like monoethanolamine (MEA) remains the most mature option, with capture efficiencies between 90–99 per cent demonstrated at pilot scale. However, drawbacks include energy penalties that require 15–30 per cent of plant output for solvent regeneration, as well as costs for retrofitting and long-term corrosion management (Heidelberg Materials 2025). Oxyfuel combustion has been tested internationally, producing concentrated CO2-laden flue gas, though the high cost of pure oxygen production impedes deployment in India.
Calcium looping offers another promising pathway, where calcium oxide sorbents absorb CO2 and can be regenerated, but challenges of sorbent degradation and high calcination energy requirements remain barriers (DNV 2024). Experimental approaches like membrane separation and mineral carbonation are advancing in India, with startups piloting systems to mineralise flue gas streams at captive power plants. Besides point-source capture, innovations such as CO2 curing of concrete blocks already show promise, enhancing strength and reducing lifecycle emissions.
Despite progress, several systemic obstacles hinder the mass deployment of CCUS in India’s cement industry. Technology readiness remains a fundamental issue: apart from MEA-based capture, most technologies are not commercially mature in high-volume cement plants. Furthermore, CCUS is costly. Studies by CEEW estimate that achieving net-zero cement in India would require around US$ 334 billion in capital investments and US$ 3 billion annually in operating costs by 2050, potentially raising cement prices between 19–107 per cent. This is particularly problematic for an industry where companies frequently operate at capacity utilisations of only 65–70 per cent and remain locked in fierce price competition (SOIC; CEEW).
Building out transport and storage infrastructure compounds the difficulty, since many cement plants lie far from suitable geological CO2 storage sites. Moreover, retrofitting capture plants onto operational cement production lines adds technical integration struggles, as capture systems must function reliably under the high-particulate and high-temperature environment of cement kilns.
Overcoming these hurdles requires a multi-pronged approach rooted in policy, finance, and global cooperation. Policy support is vital to bridge the cost gap through instruments like production-linked incentives, preferential green cement procurement, tax credits, and carbon pricing mechanisms. Strategic planning to develop shared CO2 transport and storage infrastructure, ideally in industrial clusters, would significantly lower costs and risks. International coordination can also accelerate adoption.
The Global Cement and Concrete Association’s net-zero roadmap provides a collaborative template, while North–South technology transfer offers developing countries access to proven technologies. Financing mechanisms such as blended finance, green bonds tailored for cement decarbonisation and multilateral risk guarantees will reduce capital barriers.
An integrated value-chain approach will be critical. Coordinated development of industrial clusters allows multiple emitters—cement, steel, and chemicals—to share common CO2 infrastructure, enabling economies of scale and lowering unit capture costs. Public–private partnerships can further pool resources to build this ecosystem. Ultimately, decarbonisation is neither optional nor niche for Indian cement. It is an imperative driven by India’s growth trajectory, environmental sustainability commitments, and changing global markets where carbon intensity will define trade competitiveness.
With compliance obligations already mandated under CCTS, the cement industry must accelerate decarbonisation rapidly over the next two years to meet binding reduction targets. The challenge is to balance industrial development with ambitious climate goals, securing both economic resilience and ecological sustainability. The pathway forward depends on decisive governmental support, cross-sectoral innovation, global solidarity, and forward-looking corporate action. The industry’s future lies in reframing decarbonisation not as a burden but as an investment in competitiveness, climate alignment and social responsibility.

References

• Infomerics, “Indian Cement Industry Outlook 2024,” Nov 2024.
• TERI & GCCA India, “Decarbonisation Roadmap for the Indian Cement Industry,” 2023.
• UN Press Release, GA/EF/3516, “Global Resource Efficiency and Cement.”
• World Cement, “India in Focus: Energy Efficiency Gains,” 2025.
• Statista, “CO2 Emissions from Cement Manufacturing 2023.”
• Heidelberg Materials, Press Release, June 18, 2025.
• CaptureMap, “Cement Carbon Capture Technologies,” 2024.
• DNV, “Emerging Carbon Capture Techniques in Cement Plants,” 2024.
• LEILAC Project, News Releases, 2024–25.
• PMC (NCBI), “Membrane-Based CO2 Capture in Cement Plants,” 2024.
• Nature, “Carbon Capture Utilization in Cement and Concrete,” 2024.
• ACS Industrial Engineering & Chemistry Research, “CCUS Integration in Cement Plants,” 2024.
• CEEW, “How Can India Decarbonise for a Net-Zero Cement Industry?” (2025).
• SOIC, “India’s Cement Industry Growth Story,” 2025.
• MDPI, “Processes: Challenges for CCUS Deployment in Cement,” 2024.
• NITI Aayog, “CCUS in Indian Cement Sector: Policy Gaps & Way Forward,” 2025.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr Yogendra Kanitkar, Vice President R&D, Pi Green Innovations, drives sustainable change through advanced CCUS technologies and its pioneering NetZero Machine, delivering real decarbonisation solutions for hard-to-abate sectors.

Dr Shirish Kumar Sharma, Assitant Manager R&D, Pi Green Innovations, specialises in carbon capture, clean energy, and sustainable technologies to advance impactful CO2 reduction solutions.