Economy & Market

JK Lakshmi, dark horse

Published

9 years ago

December 31, 2017

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Vaibhav Agarwal of PhillipCapital assess the potential of JKLC.

JK Lakshmi (JKLC) currently has a total installed capacity of 12.5 MTPA, which is spread across the geographies of North (inclusive of Gujarat) and East India. North India has a total capacity of 9.8 MTPA of which 1.6 MTPA is at UCWL – JKLC’s 71 per cent subsidiary. UCWL plant has been very recently commissioned and the utilisations of this plant are being ramped up -currently operates at approximately 50-60 per cent. East India has a capacity of 2.7 MTPA (of which 0.9 MTPA of grinding recently commissioned production in Q1FY18). Another 0.6 MTPA of capacity addition (grinding unit) is due to be added in Odisha (East India) and slated to be commissioned by mid FY19. Once this is commissioned, JKLC’s total capacity will increase to 13.1 MTPA – 9.8 MTPA in North India and 3.3 MTPA in East India.

Current capacity utilisation
JKLC’s north unit are currently operating at an average utilisation of 70 per cent versus industry’s capacity utilisation of 68 per cent in this region. Similarly, JKLC’s east India plants are currently operating at 79 per cent utilisations as against industry capacity utilisation of 67 per cent. As per our understanding, UCWL and the newer grinding unit of JKLC in North (Gujarat) and East India respectively are yet to scale up capacity utilisations and currently operate at just about 50-60 per cent capacity utilisations.

Volume growth trajectory and utilisation roadmap is driven by capacity additions over the past few years JKLC’s volume’s has been robust over the past few years (7-17 per cent). As we now see the capacity additions getting muted for JKLC we expect the volume growth to taper down and grow in the range of 5-6 per cent over the next two years. But, we also expect capacity utilisations of newer units of JKLC to ramp up to the existing levels by end of FY19 (a key to drive cost savings) and expect overall utilisations of the company as a whole at approximately 83 per cent by end of FY19/H1FY20.

Contributors to cost savings for JKLC will derive cost savings from multiple factors – power cost, utilisation ramp up and logistics costs. Waste Heat recovery at East India has commissioned commercial production in Q3FY18 and the management has indicated a savings of about Rs 100/tonne already being delivered from this initiative. UCWL is also due to commission a WHR and thermal power plant. In East India, thermal power plants are due for commissioning in H2FY19.

Major chunk of the savings will come from here in H2FY19 and onwards. JKLC has acknowledged that it needs to make its logistics more effective and is working towards a cost saving of Rs 100-150/tonne. Though a major chunk of this will be again from East India operations, North will also contribute to logistics savings as and when we see utilisation ramp up of UCWL and newer grinding units (Surat) in this zone. Utilisation ramp up will help scale efficiencies. As per the interactions, the least which can be expected as a ballpark is about Rs10/tonne of savings with every percentage increase of utilisation ramp up. This can be higher and will vary on case to case basis.

Utilisations and volume roadmap
JKLC currently operates its capacities at an average capacity utilisation of 72 per cent. It estimates for JKLC factor in an overall utilisation improvement of about 10 per cent over the next two years. As nearly 25 per cent of JKLC’s existing capacity is new, we believe this utilisation ramp up is possible. It can also be seen from the graphs below that JKLC is always ahead of industry capacity utilisations in all regions of its operations.

Though the utilisations are being ramped up by nearly 10 per cent over the next two years, but from volume growth perspective, the volume growth will taper down at 5-6 per cent yoy as JKLC exits its capex mode and fall in-line to industry discipline. Low volume growth is largely because of base effect and a more realistic assumption. Despite a low volume growth, JKLC will start deriving all the cost savings in FY19 and onwards as all the support infrastructure such as captive power, better logistics etc. will be available to the company by mid FY19. We will now discuss the cost saving drivers individually.

Cost savings drivers, power
As far as efficiencies are concerned, JKLC is already best placed on consumption parameters. It consumes approximately 70-74 units of power per tonne of cement across all locations, which is largely in-line with best of industry parameters. The key hurdle is absence of power plants in two of its existing locations – East India site and UCWL. Our interactions suggests us that for Eastern operations, the cost of power for JKLC is as high as Rs 7.5-8 per unit as against an internal cost of generation of approximately Rs 3.5-4/unit. This translates to savings of approximately Rs 4 per unit of power and approximately Rs 280-300/tonne for East India operations standalone. At UCWL as well, JKLC is likely to deliver a savings of approximately Rs 2.5 per unit as and when its captive power unit starts generation. This is all likely to be completed by mid FY19.

Waste Heat Recovery at East India has already commissioned commercial production in Q3FY18. Management has indicated a savings of about Rs 100/tonne already accumulating from Q3FY18 for eastern operations. This number has the potential to increase as we see capacity ramp-up of the newer grinding unit at East India. On our current volume assumptions for FY20, JKLC is likely to deliver power savings of approximately Rs 1.16 billion by end of FY20, which converges to an EBITDA/tonne of approximately Rs 110 per tonne at consolidated company level. We are also factoring in a 20 per cent reduction in Waste Heat Recovery savings as the WHR will reach optimum utilisations with ramp up of capacity utilisations.

Utilisation scale up
As a ballpark, the minimum savings expected out of every percentage increase in capacity utilisation is Rs 10 per tonne. This is the least and the savings can be much higher and will vary on case to case basis. At consolidated level, for JKLC, we expect utilisations to improve by nearly 10 per cent . However, the picture looks different on a plant-wise basis.

JKLC’s UCWL plant is likely to see utilisation ramp up of 20-25 per cent while the other two plants in North and East India will see an increase of utilisations of 1-10 per cent. Most of the utilisation ramp up will be a function of recent capacity additions. At Rs 10 per tonne of cost savings with scale efficiencies, JKLC will deliver a cost savings of approximately Rs 920 million by FY20 translating to savings of about Rs 90 per tonne.

Logistics
On logistics front, JKLC has opportunities of installing railway sidings at East India. It is also recalibrating its lead distances and relooking and renegotiating its contracts and arrangements with transporters. As a company, JKLC has guided for cost savings of approximately Rs100-150 per tonne in logistics over the next 12-18 months.

Opportunities will logistics costs savings will become more visible as and when all the newer plants of JKLC reach optimum utilisations.

We will now summarise the potential of cost savings for each of the cost heads on a plant wise basis. Our estimates in the following table are conservative and we have not yet factored in any incremental savings on account of further reduction in power consumption/tonne (which is quite possible as JKLC increases production of blended cement – especially composite cement). We have assumed only Rs10 per tonne of savings with every percentage increase in capacity utilisations which can also be higher. We have factored in only 50 per cent of the minimum targeted savings in logistics by the management (Rs 100-150per tonne). Our calculations suggest that we can remain fairly confident of minimum Rs 250per tonne of cost savings through internal measures.

Economy & Market

Leonard Unveils Dual-Head Robotic Arm for Hazardous Industrial Demolition

Published

5 days ago

October 30, 2026

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Leonard unveils Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve industrial safety and reduce shutdown time by up to 50 per cent.

Industrial robotics and refractory services specialist Leonard has launched Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve safety, accelerate maintenance and reduce shutdown times in hazardous industrial environments. The system made its debut at Lisahally Power Station in Northern Ireland, removing 25 tonnes of slag material within hours.

Developed for the cement, metals, waste-to-energy and petrochemical industries, Descender Duo enables remote-controlled refractory demolition, anchor cutting and welding, and refractory spraying inside boilers, calciners and silos. Its vertical-access design eliminates the need for personnel to enter confined, high-risk spaces during these operations.

Weighing less than two tonnes, the pre-assembled system requires an access opening of just 1.2 m². Supported by an external overhead hoist, it uses electrically operated hydraulic stabilising legs to secure itself inside vessels. The robotic arm offers 360-degree rotation and is suited to vessels approximately 9 m in diameter, with its operating reach extendable through strategically positioned access points.

Equipped with two independently controlled robotic heads, Descender Duo can perform identical or different tasks simultaneously, including refractory demolition, anchor cutting and spraying. Its remote-control system incorporates live camera feeds, allowing operators to monitor operations without entering hazardous environments.

According to Leonard, the technology can deliver time savings of up to 50 per cent compared with manual methods. Its ability to operate at temperatures exceeding 100°C allows maintenance to begin as early as 24 hours after burner shutdown. An all-electric power supply further supports cleaner and more cost-efficient operations.

First Deployment Demonstrates Shutdown Efficiency

The system was first deployed at Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor’s (BWSC) Lisahally Power Station in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The facility generates electricity from grade C waste wood, supplying approximately 40,000 homes and businesses.

Leonard and BWSC collaborated to develop a customised solution for the plant’s 26-metre furnace, where extensive external pipework created significant access challenges.

Mark Leonard, Managing Director, Leonard, said, “It required new thinking and rather than step away from the problem we were committed to solving it for the customer, with the customer. We’re relentless in our approach to tackling complex challenges, head-on. We took our years of cement plant experience, coupled with our working knowledge of the BWSC plant, and designed, engineered and tested a completely new vertical solution within just seven weeks from that initial conversation with the customer. That solution was the Descender Duo as we know it today.”

Traditionally, the furnace required a cooling period of up to 36 hours before preparatory work could begin, followed by manual slag removal using rope-access personnel. With Descender Duo, work commenced just 24 hours after shutdown, reducing downtime by up to one day.

The deployment removed 25 tonnes of slag within hours, eliminated the need for at least six workers to enter the hazardous furnace interior and saved 26 hours in the shutdown programme.

“The effectiveness exceeded expectation,” said Martin Doran, Plant Manager at Lisahally Power Station.

“When the Descender Duo concept was first discussed, we had to spend some time with the team from Leonard looking at how it was going to be moved into the furnace. Every site is different and that presented its own challenges, but nothing that the team couldn’t overcome. Once it was installed we were hugely impressed by its efficiency.”

Expanding Industrial Robotics Applications

Descender Duo joins Leonard’s existing portfolio of robotic maintenance solutions, including the Axis horizontal-access arm, Nano confined-space access arm, Charger cement mill media recharging system and Calibre cement mill media grading system.

Headquartered in Northern Ireland, Leonard provides robotic refractory demolition, installation, inspection and industrial maintenance services across the cement, metals, energy, biomass, glass and civil engineering sectors.

Formerly known as G Leonard, the company has more than 35 years of industry experience and operates across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

The latest innovation reinforces Leonard’s focus on replacing hazardous manual processes with robotic systems that improve workforce safety, enhance operational efficiency and minimise industrial downtime.

Concrete

Martin Engineering Appoints Ashwini Khunte as India General Manager

Published

6 days ago

October 30, 2026

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Martin Engineering names Ashwini Khunte India General Manager to strengthen operations and drive growth across key bulk material handling sectors.

Pune

Martin Engineering, a global provider of bulk material handling solutions, has appointed Ashwini Khunte as General Manager of its India business, strengthening its leadership as the company expands its presence across the country’s cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure sectors.

Khunte brings more than a decade of experience with Martin Engineering, having joined its Indian operations in 2013 as a Design Engineer, shortly after the company established its presence in the country in 2012.

A mechanical engineer by qualification, she spent her initial five years developing bulk material handling solutions in collaboration with the company’s operations team. During this period, she gained extensive experience addressing operational challenges in the steel, cement and coal industries. She subsequently moved into project engineering, managing major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) projects from initial enquiry to commissioning. Her responsibilities later expanded to overseeing Martin Engineering’s conveyor product portfolio in India, involving customer engagement, technical presentations and site visits across heavy industries.

In 2024, Khunte was promoted to Head of Sales & Marketing for the company’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) region. The position broadened her international market exposure and strengthened her strategic and commercial leadership capabilities.

Commenting on her appointment, Ashwini Khunte, General Manager, Martin Engineering India, said: “India represents a tremendous opportunity for Martin Engineering. The country’s continued investment in cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure is creating increasing demand for safer, cleaner and more productive bulk material handling, and that’s exactly what we do. My priority will be to build on the strong foundations already established in India, while continuing to develop our people, strengthen customer relationships and bring practical solutions to the challenges faced by our industry.”

Robert Whetstone, Area Vice President – EMEAI, Martin Engineering, highlighted Khunte’s technical expertise, market understanding and leadership experience.

“Ashwini brings an exceptional combination of technical understanding, customer knowledge and commercial leadership. She has grown as Martin Engineering has grown, and has consistently demonstrated outstanding capability to transform her expertise into practical solutions. Her knowledge of the Indian market, together with her international experience, makes her ideally suited to lead our India business through its next stage of growth for years to come.”

Since establishing its Indian business in 2012, Martin Engineering has expanded its local workforce, manufacturing capabilities and dealership network. The company supplies conveyor products, transfer point solutions, material flow aids, training and technical support to bulk material handling industries. Khunte’s appointment positions the company to further strengthen customer relationships and expand its solutions portfolio in India’s growing industrial and infrastructure markets.

Concrete

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

Published

2 weeks 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