Environment

Indian Cement Review Awards 2016 | The best rise and shine

Published

9 years ago

December 31, 2016

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Industry veterans, head honchos, thought leaders, policymakers and market analysts were all present under one roof for the second edition of the Indian Cement Review Awards 2016. They cheered the achievements of their peers and came away with actionable ideas that will surely transform the cement industry in the times to come. The second edition of the Indian Cement Review Awards 2016 was held on December 9th 2016 and was graced by Pratap Padode, Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director, ASAPP Info Global Group; Roshan Wadhera, Chief Advisor, Cement Expo; Sumit Banerjee, Chairman Editorial Advisory Board, Indian Cement Review; Ravneet Kaur, Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP); Mahendra Singhi, Group CEO, Dalmia Bharat, and KK Taparia, Advisor, Binani Cement. They lit a ceremonious lamp on the occasion.

The special 30th Anniversary Issue of Indian Cement Review had ‘Staying ahead in the game’ as its emphasis, with content intended to give cement players a competitive edge. It also carried in-depth articles on logistics, energy efficiency, process control and alternate materials, among others. On the occasion of the awards ceremony, the 30th Anniversary Edition was unveiled by the Chief Guest, Ravneet Kaur. The speakers on the occasion were Padode, Wadhera, Kaur and Singhi.

In his welcome address, Padode gave a brief background about the INDIAN CEMENT REVIEW magazine. He said, ‘Today happens to be a great day to celebrate the wins and winners. The process of selecting the awards is a unique one. When we started off in the year 2003, and requested for financial numbers, questions were raised as to why would anyone share his numbers with you, when the same players are going to be pitted against each other.’ Padode said that the same situation also existed in other fields like construction, infrastructure, power, and equipment. ‘And we have been conducting award ceremonies for these sectors as well. Today the situation is much more different, transparency is the mandate. There is value seen in transparency. It reflects good governance and that translates into positive numbers in stock markets.’

He added that the methodology deployed for the ICR awards was a little different. ‘We asked for financial numbers for the last six years; companies trusted us in sharing the numbers even though they were competing against each other. Their benchmarking was done. Growth in revenue and growth in profit for the past six years was given equal weightage, therefore we recognised profitable revenue growth.’ This is how the award recipients were short listed.

Padode elaborated on the value-addition that ASAPP Info Global had imparted to these awards by saying, ‘The response for the conference has been very good. For the expo we have taken video clips of the exhibitors, along with their products and e-brochures, which will be uploaded on our website for those who could not be present for the expo.’ He further said that as the cement industry passes through an over-capacity cycle, staying ahead is really challenging. Therefore, the theme of the 30th Anniversary issue is ‘Staying Ahead in the Game!’ It talks about the four sub-areas where industry is focusing: logistics, energy efficiency, process control and alternate materials.

Wadhera, founder of the magazine, appreciated the efforts taken by the ICR team in organising the event. He mentioned that many of his contemporaries like Yadupati Singhania were not present on the occasion due to ill health, but he appreciated the presence of Umesh Shrivastava who has supported ICR right from the magazine’s inception.

Mahendra Singhi, Group CEO, Dalmia Bharat acknowledged the completion of 100 years of the Indian cement industry. He said, ‘I salute all those who are receiving awards today. They are the veterans of the industry.’ He made a special mention about Umesh Shrivastava, whom he said enabled the industry to move from ‘Dream to Stream.’ ‘In the long journey of the Indian cement industry we have milestones; we shall continue to have many more. But we have to think new. It’s a smart world today, like we have smartphones, smart TVs, Smart Cities, we should have a smart cement sector, said Singhi.

‘We must have a smart approach to stay ahead in the business. We should try our best to conserve natural resources and save power. We should focus on how to consume less and produce more. I am a strong advocate of the philosophy ‘Polluters’ Pay.’ All over the developed world this policy is practiced. It will help the climate change program of COP21 supported by the government,’ he said.

Exploring alternate sources of energy, he suggested solar energy and treatment of Municipal Solid Waste, which will support the Clean India movement. ‘Whatever we do should be measured properly, monitored correctly, and displayed courageously. To be more efficient we should concentrate on coal, power and fuel used in the industry. Natural resources like water need our attention. We as a group shall be water positive by end of 2017. By 2030 we as a group will use only renewable energy. We must work for the society. Create better livelihoods for people around us. Make your factory as an island of prosperity for them,’ said Singhi.

He further said that the cement industry needs to get better respect as a corporate citizen and the sector should try and improve its image in all areas.’ He added, ‘Demonetisation has given us an opportunity; let us make use of it. We should be agile to bear the shocks of demonetisation. Use of technology in our day-to-day life is the need of the hour. In our operations, a company like Holtec is there to support us.

Technology must be used to bring down cost. We must make sure that better technology is used in construction also.’ He applauded the Indian cement industry since it has one of the lowest carbon emissions among its global counterparts.

Kaur appreciated the ASAPP Group for instituting a lifetime achievement award for the cement industry. She applauded the efforts taken by the Indian cement industry to be ranked as one of the best for its achievements in energy consumption and emission norms. She mentioned about the hard work done by the earlier leaders and by the present generation of leaders for raising the standard of the Indian cement industry. About the future, she said that Smart Cities, dedicated freight corridors, and road development provide lot of opportunities. ‘We are signatories to COP21, hence SOX and NOX control is a must for us. As a supporter of COP21, we need to adhere to global emission standards,’ said Kaur.

She referred to the speech given by Mahendra Singhi regarding the use of waste. ‘Utilising fly ash, slag, and municipal and industrial waste are to be taken as an opportunity. The vendors who are present here need to support the industry by localising their offerings. They have to make equipment available that is fit for the Indian context. We should congratulate ourselves for where we are today,’ she said. Later on, Kaur distributed the prizes.

The Small Category winners:

The Indian Cement Review trophy for the Second Fastest Growing Company in Small Category was given to NCL Industries. K Ravi, Managing Director, NCL Industries accepted the award.
The next award was presented to M Krishnam Raju, Senior VP-Marketing, Deccan Cement, for the Fastest Growing Company in Small Category.

The Medium Category winners

The Indian Cement Review trophy for the Third Fastest Growing Company in Medium Category was given to JK Lakshmi Cement and G Ingale and Milind Joshi, Dy General Manager, JK Lakshmi Cement, received the award.
Ashwani Sharma, President and CEO-Uflex Ltd presented the Indian Cement Review trophy for Second Fastest Growing Company in Medium Category to JK Cement. It was presented to Madhavkrishna Singhania, Special Executive and Rajnish Kapur, Business Head, Grey Cement, JK Cement.
The Indian Cement Review trophy for Fastest Growing Company in the Medium Category was given to OCL India, Mahendra Singhi, Group CEO, Dalmia Bharat and Amandeep Gupta, Director and CEO – Cement, OCL, received the award.

The Large Category winners

The Indian Cement Review trophy for the Third Fastest Growing Company in the Large Category, was given to Century Cement and RS Doshi, Sr Executive President (Commer?cial), Century Cement, received the award.
Ashwani Sharma, President and CEO-Uflex Ltd presented the award to Dalmia Bharat for Fastest Growing Company in the Large Category. Mahendra Singhi, Group CEO, Dalmia Bharat and RA Krishnakumar, Executive Director, Dalmia Bharat, received the award.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

The ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ was given to MH Dalmia, President – OCL, and Kaur gave away the prestigious award.
The next ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ was given to Umesh Shrivastava, Executive Chairman, Holtec Consulting and Pratap Kumar Ghosh, Initiator, ERCOM, presented him the award.
Madhavkrishna Singhania, Special Executive, JK Cement, received an award on behalf of Yadupati Singhania, Director/Partner, JK Cement.
PB Gopalakrishna, President (Manufacturing), Ramco Cement, received an award on behalf of PR Ramasubrahmaneya Rajha, Chairman, Ramco Group.

In his acceptance speech, MH Dalmia became very nostalgic and spoke about the style of working in earlier years. He spoke about the difficulties in getting resources and imported items for his plant, and the difficulties he had to face in procuring the spare parts for equipment. He surprised the audience by giving out some numbers like cost of power, coal, and cement and the salary he used to earn during those years.

Shrivastava, in his speech acknowledging the award, said, ‘This award is very special to me’. In life, he had received several awards, but this one was very special to him. He became visibly emotional, saying, ‘It comes to me from the industry for which I have been working for the last fifty and odd years.’

Saying he was all alone when he started off, Shrivastava said, ‘When I started in 1967, the cement capacity of the country was 13.7 million tonnes and production was 11.5 million tonnes. Today there is a 35-fold increase in numbers that indicates the growth the industry has gone through.’ He felt that the industry has made ‘all-round progress’ and was proud to be a part of it. ‘Today Holtec has a global footprint with 900 plus assignments outside India, and 4,000 plus assignments in India’ he said. At the end, Shrivastava said he would like to dedicate his award to his parents. The awards ended with a Vote of Thanks and a group photo was taken of all the winners with their trophies.

Concrete

India donates 225t of cement for Myanmar earthquake relief

Published

1 month ago

June 17, 2025

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On 23 May 2025, the Indian Navy ship UMS Myitkyina arrived at Thilawa (MITT) port carrying 225 tonnes of cement provided by the Indian government to aid post-earthquake rebuilding efforts in Myanmar. As reported by the Global Light of Myanmar, a formal handover of 4500 50kg cement bags took place that afternoon. The Yangon Region authorities managed the loading of the cement onto trucks for distribution to the earthquake-affected zones.

Concrete

Reclamation of Used Oil for a Greener Future

Published

1 month ago

June 16, 2025

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In this insightful article, KB Mathur, Founder and Director, Global Technical Services, explores how reclaiming used lubricants through advanced filtration and on-site testing can drive cost savings, enhance productivity, and support a greener industrial future. Read on to discover how oil regeneration is revolutionising sustainability in cement and core industries.

The core principle of the circular economy is to redefine the life cycle of materials and products. Unlike traditional linear models where waste from industrial production is dumped/discarded into the environment causing immense harm to the environment;the circular model seeks to keep materials literally in continuous circulation. This is achievedthrough processes cycle of reduction, regeneration, validating (testing) and reuse. Product once
validated as fit, this model ensures that products and materials are reintroduced into the production system, minimising waste. The result? Cleaner and greener manufacturing that fosters a more sustainable planet for future generations.

The current landscape of lubricants
Modern lubricants, typically derived from refined hydrocarbons, made from highly refined petroleum base stocks from crude oil. These play a critical role in maintaining the performance of machinery by reducing friction, enabling smooth operation, preventing damage and wear. However, most of these lubricants; derived from finite petroleum resources pose an environmental challenge once used and disposed of. As industries become increasingly conscious of their environmental impact, the paramount importance or focus is shifting towards reducing the carbon footprint and maximising the lifespan of lubricants; not just for environmental reasons but also to optimise operational costs.
During operations, lubricants often lose their efficacy and performance due to contamination and depletion of additives. When these oils reach their rejection limits (as they will now offer poor or bad lubrication) determined through laboratory testing, they are typically discarded contributing to environmental contamination and pollution.
But here lies an opportunity: Used lubricants can be regenerated and recharged, restoring them to their original performance level. This not only mitigates environmental pollution but also supports a circular economy by reducing waste and conserving resources.

Circular economy in lubricants
In the world of industrial machinery, lubricating oils while essential; are often misunderstood in terms of their life cycle. When oils are used in machinery, they don’t simply ‘DIE’. Instead, they become contaminated with moisture (water) and solid contaminants like dust, dirt, and wear debris. These contaminants degrade the oil’s effectiveness but do not render it completely unusable. Used lubricants can be regenerated via advanced filtration processes/systems and recharged with the use of performance enhancing additives hence restoring them. These oils are brought back to ‘As-New’ levels. This new fresher lubricating oil is formulated to carry out its specific job providing heightened lubrication and reliable performance of the assets with a view of improved machine condition. Hence, contributing to not just cost savings but leading to magnified productivity, and diminished environmental stress.

Save oil, save environment
At Global Technical Services (GTS), we specialise in the regeneration of hydraulic oils and gear oils used in plant operations. While we don’t recommend the regeneration of engine oils due to the complexity of contaminants and additives, our process ensures the continued utility of oils in other applications, offering both cost-saving and environmental benefits.

Regeneration process
Our regeneration plant employs state-of-the-art advanced contamination removal systems including fine and depth filters designed to remove dirt, wear particles, sludge, varnish, and water. Once contaminants are removed, the oil undergoes comprehensive testing to assess its physico-chemical properties and contamination levels. The test results indicate the status of the regenerated oil as compared to the fresh oil.
Depending upon the status the oil is further supplemented with high performance additives to bring it back to the desired specifications, under the guidance of an experienced lubrication technologist.
Contamination Removal ? Testing ? Additive Addition
(to be determined after testing in oil test laboratory)

The steps involved in this process are as follows:
1. Contamination removal: Using advanced filtration techniques to remove contaminants.
2. Testing: Assessing the oil’s properties to determine if it meets the required performance standards.
3. Additive addition: Based on testing results, performance-enhancing additives are added to restore the oil’s original characteristics.

On-site oil testing laboratories
The used oil from the machine passes through 5th generation fine filtration to be reclaimed as ‘New Oil’ and fit to use as per stringent industry standards.
To effectively implement circular economy principles in oil reclamation from used oil, establishing an on-site oil testing laboratory is crucial at any large plants or sites. Scientific testing methods ensure that regenerated oil meets the specifications required for optimal machine performance, making it suitable for reuse as ‘New Oil’ (within specified tolerances). Hence, it can be reused safely by reintroducing it in the machines.
The key parameters to be tested for regenerated hydraulic, gear and transmission oils (except Engine oils) include both physical and chemical characteristics of the lubricant:

Kinematic Viscosity
Flash Point
Total Acid Number
Moisture / Water Content
Oil Cleanliness
Elemental Analysis (Particulates, Additives and Contaminants)
Insoluble

The presence of an on-site laboratory is essential for making quick decisions; ensuring that test reports are available within 36 to 48 hours and this prevents potential mechanical issues/ failures from arising due to poor lubrication. This symbiotic and cyclic process helps not only reduce waste and conserve oil, but also contributes in achieving cost savings and playing a big role in green economy.

Conclusion
The future of industrial operations depends on sustainability, and reclaiming used lubricating oils plays a critical role in this transformation. Through 5th Generation Filtration processes, lubricants can be regenerated and restored to their original levels, contributing to both environmental preservation and economic efficiency.
What would happen if we didn’t recycle our lubricants? Let’s review the quadruple impacts as mentioned below:
1. Oil Conservation and Environmental Impact: Used lubricating oils after usage are normally burnt or sold to a vendor which can be misused leading to pollution. Regenerating oils rather than discarding prevents unnecessary waste and reduces the environmental footprint of the industry. It helps save invaluable resources, aligning with the principles of sustainability and the circular economy. All lubricating oils (except engine oils) can be regenerated and brought to the level of ‘As New Oils’.
2. Cost Reduction Impact: By extending the life of lubricants, industries can significantly cut down on operating costs associated with frequent oil changes, leading to considerable savings over time. Lubricating oils are expensive and saving of lubricants by the process of regeneration will overall be a game changer and highly economical to the core industries.
3. Timely Decisions Impact: Having an oil testing laboratory at site is of prime importance for getting test reports within 36 to 48 hours enabling quick decisions in critical matters that may
lead to complete shutdown of the invaluable asset/equipment.
4. Green Economy Impact: Oil Regeneration is a fundamental part of the green economy. Supporting industries in their efforts to reduce waste, conserve resources, and minimise pollution is ‘The Need of Our Times’.

About the author:
KB Mathur, Founder & Director, Global Technical Services, is a seasoned mechanical engineer with 56 years of experience in India’s oil industry and industrial reliability. He pioneered ‘Total Lubrication Management’ and has been serving the mining and cement sectors since 1999.

Concrete

Charting the Green Path

Published

3 months ago

May 13, 2025

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The Indian cement industry has reached a critical juncture in its sustainability journey. In a landmark move, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has, for the first time, announced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity reduction targets for 282 entities, including 186 cement plants, under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023. These targets, to be enforced starting FY2025-26, are aligned with India’s overarching ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2070.
Cement manufacturing is intrinsically carbon-intensive, contributing to around 7 per cent of global GHG emissions, or approximately 3.8 billion tonnes annually. In India, the sector is responsible for 6 per cent of total emissions, underscoring its critical role in national climate mitigation strategies. This regulatory push, though long overdue, marks a significant shift towards accountability and structured decarbonisation.
However, the path to a greener cement sector is fraught with challenges—economic viability, regulatory ambiguity, and technical limitations continue to hinder the widespread adoption of sustainable alternatives. A major gap lies in the lack of a clear, India-specific definition for ‘green cement’, which is essential to establish standards and drive industry-wide transformation.
Despite these hurdles, the industry holds immense potential to emerge as a climate champion. Studies estimate that through targeted decarbonisation strategies—ranging from clinker substitution and alternative fuels to carbon capture and innovative product development—the sector could reduce emissions by 400 to 500 million metric tonnes by 2030.
Collaborations between key stakeholders and industry-wide awareness initiatives (such as Earth Day) are already fostering momentum. The responsibility now lies with producers, regulators and technology providers to fast-track innovation and investment.
The time to act is now. A sustainable cement industry is not only possible—it is imperative.