Technology

Bringing the entire supply chain into the system will be a challenge

Published

9 years ago

June 30, 2017

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The fundamental aspect of GST is the seamless flow of input tax credit along the entire value addition chain, believes Amman Devralia, Executive Director (Whole Time Director) and Head of Finance, IT & Administration, Humboldt Wedag India Private Ltd.

Is the GST rate of 28 per cent for cement appropriate, given its status of being an important input for infrastructure and housing industry?
Given the Government’s focus on developing infrastructure and affordable housing, a lower GST rate for cement would have certainly benefited the infrastructure and housing industry.

What are the biggest worries on the readiness of the supply chain in the cement industry, which is multi-layered, and the evolving rules?
Bringing the entire supply chain into the system will be a challenge. The ability to claim input credit under the GST regime will depend on the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data filed by the vendors. This makes it imperative to familiarise the vendors with the GST regime, and to ensure that they have the right systems and processes in place.

There is anxiety on the cut-over (from old to new regime), what do you think would be the process in the interim?
Any exercise, when it commences, will face issues in transition. Uncertainty with respect to treatment of taxes paid-such as excise duty and sales tax, how and to what extent businesses will receive input tax credit on unsold inventories at the time of transition to the GST regime, etc.-might lead to deferment of purchases, de-stocking and thereby disrupt the supply chain in the interim.

What are the topmost concerns for the industry – unless suppliers, distributors, retailers, logistics partners, etc, are prepared, will the credit mechanism work?
The top concerns for the industry are:
a)Limited timeframe to gear-up the existing IT and accounting systems;
b)un-interrupted connectivity to the GST network; and
c)increased time and costs of compliance on a monthly basis.
The fundamental aspect of GST is the seamless flow of input tax credit along the entire value addition chain, wherein credit on taxes paid on inputs at each stage will be available in the subsequent stage of value addition, thereby making GST essentially a tax only on value addition at each stage. This credit mechanism under the GST regime will depend on timely compliance and matching of data filed by the parties under the supply chain. Little underscores the practical necessity of this process more than the fact that the GST regulation provides limited timeframe for any rectification of input/output tax credits.

The fact that GST rules are still evolving and are complicating the process, what are your preparations to decipher them?
While, GST as a subject itself will take time for things to settle, we started with the basics like:
1)Communication with vendors and customers to register/migrate to the GST regime and share the GTN number;
2)review and updation of vendor and customer master;
3)engagement with tax consultants to conduct an impact analysis and understand the areas of concerns; and
4)most important, involvement of wider organi-sation to ensure that GST implementation is not viewed just as an F&A/tax initiative, but a business one.

While large-size companies would have a strong IT network for the transition, this may not be true for smaller companies and entities along the entire supply chain. What are the challenges you see for them to streamline?
Companies need to invest to gear-up their existing IT system for the GST regime. Also, companies in rural areas with limited network connectivity will require support of external IT companies/service providers for setting-up offline compliance models, entailing increased compliance costs.

Will GST entail less paperwork with ease of registering for new dealers and retailers?
Yes, online registration process will definitely reduce the paperwork for which uninterrupted connectivity to the GST network will be very important.

It is indicated that for a robust cut-over, will you opt for auditor verification of closing stocks of raw material, finished goods, spares, etc?
No, we will get the physical verification done by the internal team. However, large companies can opt for auditor’s verification to estimate the unutilised tax credit on closing stocks that can be carried forward to the GST regime.

The cost of compliance (IT, accounting) will go up, particularly at the customer level. Is the industry ready to compensate the channel for this?
While larger set-ups will have the required infrastructure, it will be quite challenging and expensive for smaller set-ups. Hope that the benefits of GST will outweigh the increased cost of compliance.

Supply chain issues could jeopardise operations and have financial implications. What worries are particularly higher in case of suppliers and service providers?
GST shifts the tax revenue base from where goods and services are produced (origin-based tax) to where they are consumed (destination-based tax), businesses will therefore need to closely re-assess existing operational structures. Suppliers with multi-state operations will possibly go for consolidation of manufacturing related registrations. Whereas, service providers currently having centralised registration will require State-wise registrations.

Will cost of doing business rise for the cement industry in general? If yes, what components will add to the cost. If no, what changes will bring in benefit both to the industry and the consumer?
GST is likely to have a positive impact on the cement industry. Lower GST rate of 5 per cent on key inputs/raw materials (like limestone, coal, lignite) should reduce the cost of production of cement. Further, cement manufacturers will also be able to save on their logistics costs due to rationalisation of warehouses and lower transportation costs due to decline in transit time.

However, following elements will continue to be included in the cost of production:
a)Royalty paid to State Government for quarrying limestone;
b)clean energy cess levied on coal, not subsumed under GST;
c)tax on electricity, not subsumed under GST; and
d)tax on fuels (diesel and petrol) used for running DG sets or RMC trucks etc., not subsumed under GST.

Will the need for working capital rise as all taxes must be paid right at the time of dispatch?
Yes, levy of GST on stock transfers, receipt of advance payments from customers, GST on inputs consumed for making zero rated supplies like exports, abolition of concessional tax form (such as Form C, F, H etc.) will raise the working capital/cash flow requirements.

De-stocking, which has already started, will it result in financial losses ahead of the GST rollout, although temporary?
Yes, de-stocking will entail selling existing stocks at discounts, thereby impacting the top line as well as the bottom line.

Do you perceive that cost of production will rise/fall in the GST regime. What will make them go up/down?
The cost of production depends on the price of key inputs/raw materials. Lower GST rate of 5 per cent on key inputs/raw materials like limestone, coal, lignite should reduce the cost of production of cement. However, the exact impact of these changes on the cost of production will depend on the fuel mix of a cement manufacturer.

Given that the GST rates for various inputs are fixed lower than cement and electricity outside its purview, will it increase or decrease the cost of production?
Keeping electricity outside the ambit of GST will break the credit chain and will increase the cost of production.

Freight is a major cost element in cement business, will the GST on transportation increase or decrease the cost or price to end-consumers?
The effective service tax rate on transportation of goods by road through the Goods Transport Agency after factoring in abatement was 4.5 per cent where-in input credit was available to the cement manufacturer for inward supplies up to the factory gate. Under the GST regime transportation of goods by road through the Goods Transport Agency will be subject to GST rate of 5 per cent with no input tax credit. Thereby, increasing the costs of transportation of goods by road through the Goods Transport Agency. However, the overall transportation costs is expected to come down due to rationalisation of warehouses in the long run, efficient movement of fleet and ease of cross border movement of goods (reduction in transit time).

Do you perceive that cement consumer prices will move up/down under GST. What will make them go up/down?
Cement manufacturers were expecting GST rate of around 18 per cent on cement. Therefore, GST rate of 28 per cent on cement might result in increase in price for the end-consumers, at least temporarily, until the credit chain starts working at all levels.

Will the GST regime attract investment into the sector?
The Government’s focus on infrastructural growth will certainly attract investment into the sector. Positive impact of GST will also help the sector, which is presently facing challenges with respect to lower capacity utilisation and low margins. Bringing the real estate under the ambit of GST will also boost the investment into the sector.

There is no clarity on GST’s anti-profiteering rules. It is not yet comprehendible whether businesses will be able to hike prices or not in case costs rise. What is your opinion on this uncertainty?
In principle, the anti-profiteering clause is clear – businesses must pass on the benefit of higher input tax credit or reduction in tax rate to the end-consumers by way of commensurate reduction in price of product. While the objective may sound simple, implementing the anti-profiteering clause is fraught with grave risks. Further, it is certainly questionable whether a free market economy should even have such price control mechanisms. After all, movement in price of product could be due to a host of reasons such as the demand-supply scenario, competition and in certain cases, prices of a commodity in international markets, the level of the currency and so on. In the absence of detailed rules and clear understanding of market dynamics, this clause remains an important open issue and will limit the ability of businesses to change prices in response to changing tax rates.

Will GST be more of self assessment service, less discriminatory and less corruption?
Yes, online filing of tax returns, assessments, refunds, etc. under the GST regime will reduce the interface between the assessees and tax officials.

In case cement prices go up marginally, will it impact the demand and therefore the construction industry?
Given the Government’s focus on developing infrastructure it is unlikely that marginal increase in cement prices will have much impact on the demand side. The increase most likely will be passed on to the end-consumers, which in turn, will increase the costs of infrastructure and housing projects.

Any other information you wish to share.
With the onset of GST, India will be adopting a unique invoice to invoice matching concept wherein the details of inward supply furnished by the recipient shall be matched with the corresponding details of outward supply furnished by the supplier. In case, it is successful, the world will follow.

-Nitin Madkaikar

Concrete

Redefining Efficiency with Digitalisation

Published

2 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

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Professor Procyon Mukherjee discusses how as the cement industry accelerates its shift towards digitalisation, data-driven technologies are becoming the mainstay of sustainability and control across the value chain.

The cement industry, long perceived as traditional and resistant to change, is undergoing a profound transformation driven by digital technologies. As global infrastructure demand grows alongside increasing pressure to decarbonise and improve productivity, cement manufacturers are adopting data-centric tools to enhance performance across the value chain. Nowhere is this shift more impactful than in grinding, which is the energy-intensive final stage of cement production, and in the materials that make grinding more efficient: grinding media and grinding aids.

The imperative for digitalisation
Cement production accounts for roughly 7 per cent to 8 per cent of global CO2 emissions, largely due to the energy intensity of clinker production and grinding processes. Digital solutions, such as AI-driven process controls and digital twins, are helping plants improve stability, cut fuel use and reduce emissions while maintaining consistent product quality. In one deployment alongside ABB’s process controls at a Heidelberg plant in Czechia, AI tools cut fuel use by 4 per cent and emissions by 2 per cent, while also improving operational stability.
Digitalisation in cement manufacturing encompasses a suite of technologies, broadly termed as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), AI and machine learning, predictive analytics, cloud-based platforms, advanced process control and digital twins, each playing a role in optimising various stages of production from quarrying to despatch.

Grinding: The crucible of efficiency and cost
Of all the stages in cement production, grinding is among the most energy-intensive, historically consuming large amounts of electricity and representing a significant portion of plant operating costs. As a result, optimising grinding operations has become central to digital transformation strategies.
Modern digital systems are transforming grinding mills from mechanical workhorses into intelligent, interconnected assets. Sensors throughout the mill measure parameters such as mill load, vibration, mill speed, particle size distribution, and power consumption. This real-time data, fed into machine learning and advanced process control (APC) systems, can dynamically adjust operating conditions to maintain optimal throughput and energy usage.
For example, advanced grinding systems now predict inefficient conditions, such as impending mill overload, by continuously analysing acoustic and vibration signatures. The system can then proactively adjust clinker feed rates and grinding media distribution to sustain optimal conditions, reducing energy consumption and improving consistency.

Digital twins: Seeing grinding in the virtual world
One of the most transformative digital tools applied in cement grinding is the digital twin, which a real-time virtual replica of physical equipment and processes. By integrating sensor data and
process models, digital twins enable engineers to simulate process variations and run ‘what-if’
scenarios without disrupting actual production. These simulations support decisions on variables such as grinding media charge, mill speed and classifier settings, allowing optimisation of energy use and product fineness.
Digital twins have been used to optimise kilns and grinding circuits in plants worldwide, reducing unplanned downtime and allowing predictive maintenance to extend the life of expensive grinding assets.

Grinding media and grinding aids in a digital era
While digital technologies improve control and prediction, materials science innovations in grinding media and grinding aids have become equally crucial for achieving performance gains.
Grinding media, which comprise the balls or cylinders inside mills, directly influence the efficiency of clinker comminution. Traditionally composed of high-chrome cast iron or forged steel, grinding media account for nearly a quarter of global grinding media consumption by application, with efficiency improvements translating directly to lower energy intensity.
Recent advancements include ceramic and hybrid media that combine hardness and toughness to reduce wear and energy losses. For example, manufacturers such as Sanxin New Materials in China and Tosoh Corporation in Japan have developed sub-nano and zirconia media with exceptional wear resistance. Other innovations include smart media embedded with sensors to monitor wear, temperature, and impact forces in real time, enabling predictive maintenance and optimal media replacement scheduling. These digitally-enabled media solutions can increase grinding efficiency by as much as 15 per cent.
Complementing grinding media are grinding aids, which are chemical additives that improve mill throughput and reduce energy consumption by altering the surface properties of particles, trapping air, and preventing re-agglomeration. Technology leaders like SIKA AG and GCP Applied Technologies have invested in tailored grinding aids compatible with AI-driven dosing platforms that automatically adjust additive concentrations based on real-time mill conditions. Trials in South America reported throughput improvements nearing 19 per cent when integrating such digital assistive dosing with process control systems.
The integration of grinding media data and digital dosing of grinding aids moves the mill closer to a self-optimising system, where AI not only predicts media wear or energy losses but prescribes optimal interventions through automated dosing and operational adjustments.

Global case studies in digital adoption
Several cement companies around the world exemplify digital transformation in practice.
Heidelberg Materials has deployed digital twin technologies across global plants, achieving up to 15 per cent increases in production efficiency and 20 per cent reductions in energy consumption by leveraging real-time analytics and predictive algorithms.
Holcim’s Siggenthal plant in Switzerland piloted AI controllers that autonomously adjusted kiln operations, boosting throughput while reducing specific energy consumption and emissions.
Cemex, through its AI and predictive maintenance initiatives, improved kiln availability and reduced maintenance costs by predicting failures before they occurred. Global efforts also include AI process optimisation initiatives to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact.

Challenges and the road ahead
Despite these advances, digitalisation in cement grinding faces challenges. Legacy equipment may lack sensor readiness, requiring retrofits and edge-cloud connectivity upgrades. Data governance and integration across plants and systems remains a barrier for many mid-tier producers. Yet, digital transformation statistics show momentum: more than half of cement companies have implemented IoT sensors for equipment monitoring, and digital twin adoption is growing rapidly as part of broader Industry 4.0 strategies.
Furthermore, as digital systems mature, they increasingly support sustainability goals: reduced energy use, optimised media consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. By embedding intelligence into grinding circuits and material inputs like grinding aids, cement manufacturers can strike a balance between efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Conclusion
Digitalisation is not merely an add-on to cement manufacturing. It is reshaping the competitive and sustainability landscape of an industry often perceived as inertia-bound. With grinding representing a nexus of energy intensity and cost, digital technologies from sensor networks and predictive analytics to digital twins offer new levers of control. When paired with innovations in grinding media and grinding aids, particularly those with embedded digital capabilities, plants can achieve unprecedented gains in efficiency, predictability and performance.
For global cement producers aiming to reduce costs and carbon footprints simultaneously, the future belongs to those who harness digital intelligence not just to monitor operations, but to optimise and evolve them continuously.

About the author:
Professor Procyon Mukherjee, ex-CPO Lafarge-Holcim India, ex-President Hindalco, ex-VP Supply Chain Novelis Europe, has been an industry leader in logistics, procurement, operations and supply chain management. His career spans 38 years starting from Philips, Alcan Inc (Indian Aluminum Company), Hindalco, Novelis and Holcim. He authored the book, ‘The Search for Value in Supply Chains’. He serves now as Visiting Professor in SP Jain Global, SIOM and as the Adjunct Professor at SBUP. He advises leading Global Firms including Consulting firms on SCM and Industrial Leadership and is a subject matter expert in aluminum and cement. An Alumnus of IIM Calcutta and Jadavpur University, he has completed the LH Senior Leadership Programme at IVEY Academy at Western University, Canada.

Concrete

Digital Pathways for Sustainable Manufacturing

Published

2 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

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Dr Y Chandri Naidu, Chief Technology Officer, Nextcem Consulting highlights how digital technologies are enabling Indian cement plants to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and transition toward sustainable, low-carbon manufacturing.

Cement manufacturing is inherently resource- and energy-intensive due to high-temperature clinkerisation and extensive material handling and grinding operations. In India, where cement demand continues to grow in line with infrastructure development, producers must balance capacity expansion with sustainability commitments. Energy costs constitute a major share of operating expenditure, while process-related carbon dioxide emissions from limestone calcination remain unavoidable.
Traditional optimisation approaches, which are largely dependent on operator experience, static control logic and offline laboratory analysis, have reached their practical limits. This is especially evident when higher levels of alternative fuel and raw materials (AFR) are introduced or when raw material variability increases.
Digital technologies provide a systematic pathway to manage this complexity by enabling
real-time monitoring, predictive optimisation and integrated decision-making across cement manufacturing operations.
Digital cement manufacturing is enabled through a layered architecture integrating operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). At the base are plant instrumentation, analysers, and automation systems, which generate continuous process data. This data is contextualised and analysed using advanced analytics and AI platforms, enabling predictive and prescriptive insights for operators and management.

Digital optimisation of energy efficiency

Thermal energy optimisation
The kiln and calciner system accounts for approximately 60 per cent to 65 per cent of total energy consumption in an integrated cement plant. Digital optimisation focuses on reducing specific thermal energy consumption (STEC) while maintaining clinker quality and operational stability.
Advanced Process Control (APC) stabilises critical parameters such as burning zone temperature, oxygen concentration, kiln feed rate and calciner residence time. By minimising process variability, APC reduces the need for conservative over-firing. Artificial intelligence further enhances optimisation by learning nonlinear relationships between raw mix chemistry, AFR characteristics, flame dynamics and heat consumption.
Digital twins of kiln systems allow engineers to simulate operational scenarios such as increased AFR substitution, altered burner momentum or changes in raw mix burnability without operational risk. Indian cement plants adopting these solutions typically report STEC reductions in the range of 2 per cent to 5 per cent.
Electrical energy optimisation
Electrical energy consumption in cement plants is dominated by grinding systems, fans and material transport equipment. Machine learning–based optimisation continuously adjusts mill parameters such as separator speed, grinding pressure and feed rate to minimise specific power consumption while maintaining product fineness.
Predictive maintenance analytics identify inefficiencies caused by wear, fouling or imbalance in fans and motors. Plants implementing plant-wide electrical energy optimisation typically achieve
3 per cent to 7 per cent reduction in specific power consumption, contributing to both cost savings and indirect CO2 reduction.

Digital enablement of AFR
AFR challenges in the Indian context: Indian cement plants increasingly utilise biomass, refuse-derived fuel (RDF), plastic waste and industrial by-products. However, variability in calorific value, moisture, particle size, chlorine and sulphur content introduces combustion instability, build-up formation and emission risks.
Digital AFR management: Digital platforms integrate real-time AFR quality data from online analysers with historical kiln performance data. Machine learning models predict combustion behaviour, flame stability and emission trends for different AFR combinations. Based on these predictions, fuel feed distribution, primary and secondary air ratios, and burner momentum are dynamically adjusted to ensure stable kiln operation. Digitally enabled AFR management in cement plants will result in increased thermal substitution rates by 5-15 percentage points, reduced fossil fuel dependency, and improved kiln stability.

Digital resource and raw material optimisation
Raw mix control: Raw material variability directly affects kiln operation and clinker quality. AI-driven raw mix optimisation systems continuously adjust feed proportions to maintain target chemical parameters such as Lime Saturation Factor (LSF), Silica Modulus (SM), and Alumina Modulus (AM). This reduces corrective material usage and improves kiln thermal efficiency.
Clinker factor reduction: Reducing clinker factor through supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag and calcined clay is a key decarbonisation lever. Digital models simulate blended cement performance, enabling optimisation of SCM proportions while maintaining strength and durability requirements.

Challenges and strategies for digital adoption
Key challenges in Indian cement plants include data quality limitations due to legacy instrumentation, resistance to algorithm-based decision-making, integration complexity across multiple OEM systems, and site-specific variability in raw materials and fuels.
Successful digital transformation requires strengthening the data foundation, prioritising high-impact use cases such as kiln APC and energy optimisation, adopting a human-in-the-loop approach, and deploying modular, scalable digital platforms with cybersecurity by design.

Future Outlook
Future digital cement plants will evolve toward autonomous optimisation, real-time carbon intensity tracking, and integration with emerging decarbonisation technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). Digital platforms will also support ESG reporting and regulatory compliance.
Digital pathways offer a practical and scalable solution for sustainable cement manufacturing in India. By optimising energy consumption, enabling higher AFR substitution and improving resource efficiency, digital technologies deliver measurable environmental and economic benefits. With appropriate data infrastructure, organisational alignment and phased implementation, digital transformation will remain central to the Indian cement industry’s low-carbon transition.

About the author:
Dr Y Chandri Naidu is a cement industry professional with 30+ years of experience in process optimisation, quality control and quality assistance, energy conservation and sustainable manufacturing, across leading organisations including NCB, Ramco, Prism, Ultratech, HIL, NCL and Vedanta. He is known for guiding teams, developing innovative plant solutions and promoting environmentally responsible cement production. He is also passionate about mentoring professionals and advancing durable, resource efficient technologies for future of construction materials.

Concrete

Turning Downtime into Actionable Intelligence

Published

2 weeks ago

February 19, 2026

admin

Stoppage Insights instantly identifies root causes and maps their full operational impact.

In cement, mining and minerals processing operations, every unplanned stoppage equals lost production and reduced profitability. Yet identifying what caused a stoppage remains frustratingly complex. A single motor failure can trigger cascading interlocks and alarm floods, burying the root cause under layers of secondary events. Operators and maintenance teams waste valuable time tracing event chains when they should be solving problems. Until now.
Our latest innovation to our ECS Process Control Solution(1) eliminates this complexity. Stoppage Insights, available with the combined updates to our ECS/ControlCenter™ (ECS) software and ACESYS programming library, transforms stoppage events into clear, actionable intelligence. The system automatically identifies the root cause of every stoppage – whether triggered by alarms, interlocks, or operator actions – and maps all affected equipment. Operators can click any stopped motor’s faceplate to view what caused the shutdown instantly. The Stoppage UI provides a complete record of all stoppages with drill-down capabilities, replacing manual investigation with immediate answers.

Understanding root cause in Stoppage Insights
In Stoppage Insights, ‘root cause’ refers to the first alarm, interlock, or operator action detected by the control system. While this may not reveal the underlying mechanical, electrical or process failure that a maintenance team may later discover, it provides an actionable starting point for rapid troubleshooting and response. And this is where Stoppage Insights steps ahead of traditional first-out alarm systems (ISA 18.2). In this older type of system, the first alarm is identified in a group. This is useful, but limited, as it doesn’t show the complete cascade of events, distinguish between operator-initiated and alarm-triggered stoppages, or map downstream impacts. In contrast, Stoppage Insights provides complete transparency:

Comprehensive capture: Records both regular operator stops and alarm-triggered shutdowns.
Complete impact visibility: Maps all affected equipment automatically.
Contextual clarity: Eliminates manual tracing through alarm floods, saving critical response time.

David Campain, Global Product Manager for Process Control Systems, says, “Stoppage Insights takes fault analysis to the next level. Operators and maintenance engineers no longer need to trace complex event chains. They see the root cause clearly and can respond quickly.”

Driving results
1.Driving results for operations teams
Stoppage Insights maximises clarity to minimise downtime, enabling operators to:
• Rapidly identify root causes to shorten recovery time.
• View initiating events and all affected units in one intuitive interface.
• Access complete records of both planned and unplanned stoppages

Driving results for maintenance and reliability teams
Stoppage Insights helps prioritise work based on evidence, not guesswork:
• Access structured stoppage data for reliability programmes.
• Replace manual logging with automated, exportable records for CMMS, ERP or MES.(2)
• Identify recurring issues and target preventive maintenance effectively.
A future-proof and cybersecure foundation
Our Stoppage Insights feature is built on the latest (version 9) update to our ACESYS advanced programming library. This industry-leading solution lies at the heart of the ECS process control system. Its structured approach enables fast engineering and consistent control logic across hardware platforms from Siemens, Schneider, Rockwell, and others.
In addition to powering Stoppage Insights, ACESYS v9 positions the ECS system for open, interoperable architectures and future-proof automation. The same structured data used by Stoppage Insights supports AI-driven process control, providing the foundation for machine learning models and advanced analytics.
The latest releases also respond to the growing risk of cyberattacks on industrial operational technology (OT) infrastructure, delivering robust cybersecurity. The latest ECS software update (version 9.2) is certified to IEC 62443-4-1 international cybersecurity standards, protecting your process operations and reducing system vulnerability.

What’s available now and what’s coming next?
The ECS/ControlCenter 9.2 and ACESYS 9 updates, featuring Stoppage Insights, are available now for:

Greenfield projects.
ECS system upgrades.
Brownfield replacement of competitor systems.
Stoppage Insights will also soon integrate with our ECS/UptimeGo downtime analysis software. Stoppage records, including root cause identification and affected equipment, will flow seamlessly into UptimeGo for advanced analytics, trending and long-term reliability reporting. This integration creates a complete ecosystem for managing and improving plant uptime.

(1) The ECS Process Control Solution for cement, mining and minerals processing combines proven control strategies with modern automation architecture to optimise plant performance, reduce downtime and support operational excellence.
(2) CMMS refers to computerised maintenance management systems; ERP, to enterprise resource planning; and MES to manufacturing execution systems.