Economy & Market

A paradigm shift could happen in kilns

Published

9 years ago

December 31, 2017

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Mogens Fons, Managing Director, Fons Technology International

What products do you propose to showcase in India?
We are focusing on the clinker cooler, which is an important equipment when determining the overall fuel consumption of the pyro line because it recuperates heat of the clinker coming from kiln to the cooler.

In India, we are also focusing on fuel efficiency, especially since I believe that retrofitting work will pick up here, where we replace a clinker cooler in an existing plant.

Do not forget that 7 per cent of all the world’s fossil fuels are consumed by cement plants, and, therefore, they play a significant role in releasing carbon emissions. As technology evolves, we are witnessing a lot of disruptions happening across industries. What changes can we expect in the cement business?
A paradigm shift could happen in kilns. That means, some other equipment might replace the rotary kiln in future. Also, the vertical mills are getting bigger. A higher capacity cement plant will have vertical mills of an enormous size.

How do you see the cement industry globally evolving in the coming years?
We will focus on is what we call filter-to-filter technology. We sold two coolers from our head office in Turkey produced in our manufacturing facility there and then shipped to China. This is a significant achievement for us. China is closing down lot of its smaller cement plants as it has an overcapacity. We would like to examine the pyro process at their plants for upgrade. At time we may even recommend the addition of a pre-heater. We might also make changes to the cooler kiln seals to increase productivity. We will replace the old planetary cooler with Fons Delta Cooler for better heat recuperation. Improving capacity at existing plants is going to be our future business.

You have also indicated that you see lot of fabrication work happening in India.
Yes, I can say that as a first step we can do some fabrication work here. Looking at different possibilities in that area shouldn’t be a problem. While doing a retrofit job, a client might tell us that though he is manufacturing 2,000 tonne clinker daily presently, he would like to jump to the next level. Since the area inside the casing might not be enough, we can help extend it through our local partner.

How does India compare to China?
From 2005 to 2008, China opened a new cement plant every third day or 100 plants per year, of mostly 5,500 tpd each. But China has a different political system. They can just take a decision and then go about implementing it. Now India too want to make things move fast.

I am sure that will happen, but gradually. With your population and your present prime minister, the conditions are right.

What would you cite as the most important challenge?
In India, first the quality of education needs to come up at all different levels, and that is happening but the population is huge. India has a lot of potential, but if you do not know your mathematics, physics and chemistry, then how can to challenge your colleagues, your boss or us as supplier – in order to evaluate the soundness of a solution that we are offering you. But India has also an advantage since there is no language problem here.

Concrete

Fornnax Wins AIRIA’s Special Export Award for Rubber Machinery in 2025-26

Published

1 day ago

October 19, 2026

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Fornnax Technology Pvt. Ltd. has been honoured with the Special Export Award – Rubber Machinery for 2025–26 by the All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), in recognition of its highest exports of tyre recycling plants to the European region.

With more than a decade of experience in India’s tyre recycling industry, Fornnax has contributed to the development of advanced recycling technologies and infrastructure. The company currently holds a 90% market share in India’s domestic tyre recycling sector, while exports account for 30% of its business, spanning markets such as Europe, Australia and the GCC.

The award marks another milestone for Fornnax, whose tyre recycling lines and advanced shredding technologies are supporting the growth of the circular economy in India and international markets.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Founder and Director of Fornnax, said:

“This honour from AIRIA is a reflection of an incredible journey we have undertaken over the years. When we started Fornnax, there was no established recycling industry in India to follow. We chose to build for the future instead. Today, when you see India’s tyre recycling sector, it has already transformed into a dynamic, high-growth industry and we are extremely proud to have played our part in building it.”

Unlike standalone equipment suppliers, Fornnax focuses on developing complete, high-capacity recycling infrastructure. Its integrated systems combine multiple stages of shredding and size reduction to enable efficient, continuous operations. This system-level engineering approach helps recycling operators improve throughput, equipment reliability and operational consistency.

The recognition reinforces Fornnax’s commitment to developing engineering technologies that contribute to a more efficient and circular recycling ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its international presence while continuing to develop advanced shredding and recycling solutions to address the growing volumes and evolving requirements of the global recycling industry.

For more information, visit: www.fornnax.com

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

2 weeks ago

October 9, 2026

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

Published

2 weeks ago

October 8, 2026

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With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA,
Mumbai

JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”