Economy & Market

Cement Makers Bullish on FY2019

Published

8 years ago

May 31, 2018

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Cement is never used as cement alone but is always converted to a value-added product in practice. Therefore application of cement becomes extremely important. The cement producers have a dedicated department that looks into the applications of product. Now onwards, we shall try and cover it through a series of articles in a structured way.
India is the second largest cement producer globally and is a vital part of the economic development, providing employment opportunities to more than a million people, directly or indirectly. Since its deregulation in 1982, the Indian cement industry has grown at a tremendous pace attracting huge investments – both from domestic as well as foreign investors. The industry has added over 110 MT of capacity in the last five years.
However, the financial year 2017-18 has been a relatively tough one for the industry due to ban on sand mining, use of pet coke and diminished market concentration of industry leaders. Slower progress in infrastructure projects and low offtake from housing and industrial users also slowed down the growth. A number of foreign players are also eyeing India’s cement sector, owing to high margins and steady demand.Industry structure
The Indian cement industry is dominated by a few companies. The top 20 cement companies account for almost 70 per cent of the total cement production of the country. A total of 210 large cement plants account for a cumulative installed capacity of over 350 MT, with 350 small plants accounting for the rest. Of these 210 large cement plants, 77 are located in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
Due to increased construction and infrastructural activities, which has led to growth in demand, cement industry has seen major consolidation and large investments in recent years. During the year, UltraTech Cement acquired Jaypee Cement while Orient Cement took over two entities – Bhilai Jaypee Cement and Nigrie Cement grinding unit. An improvement in utilisation rates of the newly-acquired capacities and fresh capacity additions by these players has led to higher volumes.The construction market
India’s construction value of output stands over at Rs 26,500 billion and has been slowly expanding over the years. With value addition close to Rs 10,000 billion, its share in total GDP rose from 5.6 per cent in 1990-91 to over 7.3 per cent in 2017-18. However, the growth of construction activity has slowed down significantly in recent years but picked in 2017-18. The last highest yearly growth of 10.8 per cent was recorded in 2011-12, but thereafter it has not even touched 5 per cent until now. In 2016-17, it is estimated to have increased 1.3 per cent and rebounded to 4.3 per cent in 2017-18. Going ahead, it appears that the growth will remain under 4 per cent, thus will result in slower increase in demand for construction materials including cement. However, the growth will largely depend on the government’s initiative in developing the infrastructure and the process of boosting the housing sector.
In construction, cement is the second largest component, although its value accounts for only 12.5 per cent of total input cost of construction, whereas steel takes away nearly half the cost of inputs. Over Rs 2,100 billion worth of cement is consumed to construct a variety of structures over the past three years. Under this premise, dwelling construction accounts for 27.5 per cent of all construction activity, while another 40 per cent is accounted for non-residential buildings construction. Roads and bridges, which is the major infrastructure component, accounts for just 6.4 per cent of construction. The remaining is other structures and land improvement activity. Thus, housing and commercial construction is the major economic activity and is largely dependent on cement and steel. According to estimates, housing sector accounts for about 67 per cent of the total cement consumption while infrastructure makes up for 13 per cent of the consumption in India.Cement industry performance in 2017-18
Cement production volume in 2017-18 grew 6.3 per cent year-on-year after a decline of 1.2 per cent in 2016-17, for the first time in 15 years as demonetisation reduced demand. The industry with an estimated capacity of about 465 million ton (as of December 2017), saw production grow 3.8 per cent per annum during the period 2012-13 to 2017-18. With no authentic data available on cement consumption or demand, it is assumed in this report, that production will be a proxy to consumption since ending stocks are negligible.
The cement industry witnessed a revival during 2017-18, backed by government spending on infrastructure. Construction of houses under the ‘Housing for All’ scheme and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) have been major drivers of demand from the housing segment especially in the rural areas. Infrastructure projects under Bharatmala, Sagarmala and smart cities continued to drive demand from infrastructure segment.
The real estate sector witnessed disruption in the construction and sales activity beginning demonetisation exercise in November 2016. The disruption continued with builders taking a cautious approach to RERA implementation, temporarily halting new sales or construction. Implementation of RERA in May 2017 impacted the demand for cement from real estate segment in first and second quarters of 2017-18.
Cement prices remained range bound in the past four years. They are mainly driven by regional capacity, utilisation levels and demand within the region. The price variation across regions contract when there is steady demand from both retail and institutional cement consumers. Western and eastern regions with favourable demand continue to record higher price for cement.Prospect for 2018-19
Cement demand has a very close linkage with economic growth and government spending. Demand for housing is driven by income growth while infrastructure development largely depends on government expenditure, both state and central. In recent past, demand for cement has remained poor as the economic growth slowed down to less than 7 per cent between 2012-13 and 2016-17 from an average of 9 per cent between 2005-06 and 2010-11 when cement demand had expanded by 8.5 per cent per annum. Considering that economy will grow between 7 to 8.25 per cent in the next five years, the statistical relation between cement demand and economic growth, predicts that cement demand will grow at the rate of 3.6 per cent per annum during the period 2018-23. In 2018-19, demand is expected to rise 3.8 per cent assuming GDP grows 7 per cent and overall construction activity expand 5.2 per cent during the year.
However, large cement companies are bullish on economic growth in 2018-19 and well as on the cement industry. This was largely evident from the developments in the last quarter of 2017-18 and early 2018-19. After a prolonged lull in demand, volume growth picked up pace, buoyed by government spending on infrastructure projects; but prices are far from their historic levels. Cement prices took a hard knock in the seasonally strong March quarter of 2017-18.
Care Ratings observes that demand for cement from housing and real estate sectors is expected to grow by around 7 per cent, and from infrastructure by 8 to 10 per cent. The demand from affordable housing is expected to sustain on the back of the government allocating Rs 6,500 crore for urban housing. Completion of the same would lead to an incremental demand of 1 to 1.5 per cent (3 to 4.5 MT) for cement in 2018-19. Additionally, the monsoon forecasts for the year indicate normal rainfall, which should lead to sustained demand from rural housing segment.
Similarly, infrastructure segment may continue to remain in focus during the year as far as demand for cement is concerned. Development of national highways is expected to contribute 2-3 MT of incremental demand for cement.
Demand from various projects at proposed smart cities and under-construction metro rail projects at various stages of development in 14 cities are some of the projects expected to drive demand for cement during the fiscal 2019. The development of the above-mentioned projects across the geography is expected to improve capacity utilisation of cement plants across the five regions. Election in some of the key states in southern, northern and central regions followed by the general election in 2019 would ensure faster implementation of sanctioned projects. The infrastructure segment is expected to grow by 8-10 per cent, the analysis added.Challenges
Increase in pet coke prices in the global markets and global crude oil price has been leading to increase in domestic diesel prices would impact operating margins of major players during 2018-19.
Availability of sand is a major challenge globally which affects construction activity. India has been facing acute shortage of sand across states especially in northern and southern region. Even though sand seems to be an abundant resource, the availability of sand required for construction is scarce in these regions. Sand is largely illegally mined across many of the states in southern and northern regions, and the respective state governments have been trying to curb the same, in order to boost their tax revenues. This has led to a sudden drop in sand availability for construction.
In 2018-19, capacity addition of around 8-10 MT is expected in eastern and western region. Central, northern and southern regions combined are expected to add about 10-15 MT of production capacity. Revocation of the sand mining ban and acceptance of manufactured sand, popularly known as M-sand in various region, is expected to aid construction activities. It is expected that in order to meet rising demand, cement companies will add 56 million ton capacity over the next three years.
With two major states (Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh) going into assembly elections followed by general elections in first and second quarters of 2019, the demand from infrastructure and construction is expected to peak in central, eastern and western region. Utilisation in cement capacity across regions is expected to improve during the year to around 67 per cent from 65 per cent in 2017-18.What large companies expect this year to be
ACC expects GDP growth, primarily fueled by consumption, to touch a respectable mark of 7.5 per cent in 2018-19, up from 6.5 per cent in the previous year. Budget initiatives are expected to raise the rural demand and bolster economic growth with initiatives such as Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers set at 1.5 times the cost of production, export impetus on agri-produce, increased allocation of Rs 14.4 lakh crore for rural housing and infrastructure and a 26 per cent increase in funding to the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY). Additionally, private consumption expenditure is expected to increase with the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission hike at the State level.
Demand for cement in 2018-19 is expected to increase from 6-7 per cent with continued government’s focus on rural development, affordable housing, smart cities, as well as infrastructure by laying thrust on construction of cement concrete roads, highways through its "Bharatmala Project", one of the biggest highway construction project. This also includes economic corridors’ development, coastal and port connectivity roads, border and international connectivity roads, expressway etc.
However, the cement industry is grappling with sub-optimal effective capacity utilisation of 70 per cent, with capacity overhang of more than 100 million ton. While cement plants in the northern, central and eastern regions of the country produced at levels above 85-90 per cent of capacity, excess capacity in the southern region has inhibited the industry’s average capacity utilisation. Intense competition and not enough demand pull, will continue to lead to excess capacity in 2018-19. However, this situation is expected to correct itself in 2019 with the increased outlays on housing, infrastructure development and agri-sector initiatives.
The five-fold increase in the outlay on Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) to Rs31,500 crore, is expected to revive urban housing demand, while generating a 30 per cent share of the overall demand for cement. Infrastructure development outlay for highways, roads and railways has increased by 11 per cent and 22 per cent respectively. This will boost demand for cement from the infrastructure sector, which is estimated to account for 20 per cent of cement demand. A social welfare surcharge of 10 per cent, will replace the existing 3 per cent education cess on customs duty, which will marginally inflate the cost of imported inputs such as petcoke and non-coking coal products.
According to Gujarat Ambuja Cement, 2018-19 will be a year of growth, which has been rightly endorsed by the World Bank. According to the World Bank, when compared to other emerging economies, India has an "enormous growth potential" with the implementation of comprehensive reforms. Key indicators across the economy have shown positive rebounds and there is hope that the upward trajectory will continue in the new fiscal year to help achieve a GDP of +8 per cent for the years to come.
However, it also pointed towards major challenges that can impede cement growth. The industry is dependent on natural resources and is highly energy intensive. Natural resources like limestone, coal and minerals are essential to produce cement. The industry needs to ensure the uninterrupted supply of these materials at an optimum cost and quality, however due to the depletion of reserves, this is becoming challenging. Volatility in the price of coal is also an area of concern for the industry. The quality of raw material additive and mineral gypsum is also depleting.
Nevertheless, with an improvement in the economic scenario, immense potential is being offered to the cement industry by the infrastructural, commercial and housing sectors.
UltraTech Cement is bullish on the growth prospects for the cement industry as the government goes big on roads and metro spendings. Reportedly it said that cement demand in the country could well grow by about 8 per cent in 2018-19, led by government spending on infrastructure. With bulk of demand is being generated from infrastructure spending, roads and metro are driving this growth.Sensitive issues
The government plans banning burning petroleum coke as a fuel nationwide to comply with a Supreme Court request as part of a long-running case to clean the country’s air. A refinery by-product, petroleum coke, or pet coke, is used as a fuel because of its higher energy content than coal, but it releases larger amounts of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide, which can cause lung disease and acid rain.
The ongoing consolidation in cement industry has changed the supply dynamics. Competitive intensity remains high as some regional firms are venturing into newer markets and some of them are on a capacity addition spree. So cement makers will be chasing demand growth at the expense of prices. And the trend of depressed prices may not reverse in near term.– NITIN MADKAIKAR

Concrete

PROMECON introduces infrared-based tertiary air measurement system for cement kilns

Published

2 days ago

May 20, 2026

admin

The new solution promisescontinuous, real-time tertiary air flow measurement in cement plant operations.

PROMECON GmbH has launched the McON IR Compact, an infrared-based measuring system designed to deliver continuous, real-time tertiary air flow measurement in cement plant operations. The system addresses the longstanding process control challenge of accurate tertiary air monitoring under extreme kiln conditions. It uses patented infrared time-of-flight measurement technology that operates without calibration or maintenance intervention.

Precise tertiary air measurement is a critical requirement for stable rotary kiln operation. The McON IR Compact is engineered to function reliably at temperatures up to 1,200°C and in the presence of abrasive clinker dust. Its vector-based digital measurement architecture ensures that readings remain unaffected by swirl, dust deposits or drift. Due to these conditions conventional measurement systems in pyroprocess environments are often compromised.

The system is fully non-intrusive and requires no K-factors, recalibration or periodic readjustment, enabling years of uninterrupted operation. This design directly supports plant availability and reduces the maintenance overhead typically associated with process instrumentation in high-temperature zones.

PROMECON has deployed the McON IR Compact at multiple cement facilities, including Warta Cement in Poland. Plant operators report that the system has aided in identifying blockages, optimising purging cycles for gas burners, and supplying accurate flow data for AI-based process optimisation programmes. The practical outcomes include more stable kiln operation, improved process control, and earlier detection of process disturbances.

On the energy side, real-time tertiary air data enables reduction in induced draft fan load and helps flatten process oscillations across the pyroprocess. This translates to lower fuel and energy consumption, fewer unplanned shutdowns, and a measurable reduction in NOx peaks. This directly reflects on the downstream cost implications for plants operating SCR or SNCR systems for emissions compliance.

Concrete

Filtration Technology is Critical for Efficient Logistics

Published

7 days ago

May 15, 2026

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Niranjan Kirloskar, MD, Fleetguard Filters, makes the case that filtration technology, which has been long treated as a routine consumable, is in fact a strategic performance enabler across every stage of cement production and logistics.

India’s cement industry forms the core for infrastructure growth of the country. With an expected compound annual growth rate of six to eight per cent, India has secured its position as the second-largest cement producer globally. This growth is a result of the increasing demand across, resulting in capacity expansion. Consequently, cement manufacturers are now also focusing on running the factories as efficiently as possible to stay competitive and profitable.
While a large portion of focus still remains on production technologies and capacity utilisation, the hidden factor in profitability is the efficiency of cement logistics. The logistics alone account for nearly 30 per cent to 40 per cent of the total cost of cement, making efficiency in this segment a key lever for profitability and reliability.
In the midst of this complex and high-intensity ecosystem, filtration often remains one of the most underappreciated yet essential enablers of performance.

A demanding operational landscape
Cement production and logistics inherently operate in some of the harshest industrial environments. With processes such as quarrying, crushing, grinding, clinker production, and bulk material handling expose the machinery to constant high temperatures, heavy loads, and dust, often the silent destructive force for engines.
The ecosystem is abrasive, and often one with a high contamination index. These challenging conditions demand equipment such as the excavators, crushers, compressors, and transport vehicles to perform and perform efficiently. The continuous exposure to contamination across every aspect like air, fuel, lubrication, and even hydraulic systems causes long-term damage. Studies have also shown that 70 to 80 per cent of hydraulic system failures are directly linked to contamination, while primary cause of engine wear is inadequate air filtration.
For engines as heavy as these, even a minor contaminant has a cascading effect; reducing efficiency, performance and culminating to unplanned downtime. Particles as small as 5 to 10 microns, far smaller than a human hair (~70 microns), can cause significant damage to critical engine components. In an industry where margins are closely linked to operational efficiency, such disruptions can significantly affect both cost structures and delivery timelines.

Dust management: A persistent challenge
Dust is a natural by-product in cement operations. From drilling and blasting in the quarries to packing in plants, this fine particulate matter does occupy a large space in operations. Dust concentration levels in quarry and crushing zones often create extremely high particulate exposure for equipment. These fine particles, when enter the engines and critical systems, accelerates the wear and tear of the component, affecting directly the operational efficiency. Over time every block fall; engine performance declines, fuel consumption rises, and maintenance cycles shorten. In this case, effective air filtration is the natural first line of defence. Advanced filtration systems are designed to capture high volumes of particulate matter while maintaining consistent airflow, ensuring that engines and equipment operate under optimal conditions.
In high-dust applications, as in cement production, even the filtration systems are expected to sustain performance over extended periods without the need of frequent replacement. This becomes crucial in remote quarry locations where access to frequent maintenance may be limited.

Fluid cleanliness and system integrity
Beyond air filtration, fluid systems also play a crucial role for equipment reliability in cement operations. Fuel systems are required to remain free from contaminants for efficient working of combustion and injection protection. Additionally, lubrication systems also need to maintain the oil purity to reduce friction and prevent any premature wear of moving parts. The hydraulic systems, which are key to several heavy equipment operations, are especially sensitive to contamination.
If fine particles or water enters these systems, it can lead to reduced efficiency, erratic performance, and eventual failure of the system. Modern filtration systems are designed with high-efficiency media capable of removing extremely fine contaminants, with advanced fuel and oil filtration solutions filtering particles as small as two to five microns. Multi-stage filtration systems further ensure that fluid performance is maintained even under challenging operating conditions.
Another critical aspect of fuel systems is water separation. Removing moisture helps prevent corrosion, improves combustion efficiency and enhances overall engine reliability. Modern water separation technologies can achieve over 95 per cent efficiency in removing water from fuel systems.

Ensuring reliability across the value chain
Filtration plays a critical role across every stage of cement logistics:
• Quarry operations: Equipment operates in highly abrasive environments, requiring strong protection against dust ingress and hydraulic contamination.
• Processing units: Crushers, kilns, and grinding mills depend on clean lubrication and cooling systems to sustain continuous operations.
• Material handling systems: Pneumatic and mechanical systems rely on clean air and fluid systems for efficiency and reliability.
• Transportation networks: Bulk carriers and trucks must maintain engine health and fuel efficiency to ensure timely deliveries.
Across these operations, filtration plays a vital role; as it supports consistent equipment performance while reducing the risk of unexpected failures.
Effective filtration solutions can reduce unscheduled equipment failures by 30 to 50 per cent across heavy-duty operations.

Uptime as a strategic imperative
In cement manufacturing, uptime is currency. Downtime not only delays the production, but it also greatly impacts the supply commitments and logistics planning. With the right filtration systems, contaminants are kept at bay from entering the
critical systems, and they also significantly extend the service intervals.
Optimised filtration can extend service intervals by 20 to 40 per cent, reducing maintenance frequency while maintaining consistent performance across demanding operating conditions. Filtration systems designed for heavy-duty applications sustain efficiency throughout their lifecycle, ensuring reliable protection with minimal interruptions. This leads to improved equipment availability, lower maintenance costs, and more predictable operations, with well-maintained systems capable of achieving uptime levels of over 90 to 95 per cent in challenging cement environments.

Supporting emission and sustainability goals
With the rising environmental awareness, the cement industry too is aligning with the stricter norms and sustainability targets. In this scenario, the operational efficiency is directly linked to emission control.

Air and fuel systems that are clean enable
much more efficient combustion. They also reduce emissions from both the stationary equipment and transport fleets. Similarly, with a well-maintained fluid cleanliness, emission systems function better. Poor combustion due to contamination can increase emissions by 5 to 10 per cent, making clean systems critical for compliance.
Additionally, efficient and longer lasting filtration systems significantly reduce any waste generation and contribute to increased sustainable maintenance practices. Extended-life filtration solutions can reduce filter disposal and maintenance waste by 15 to 20 per cent. Smart and efficient filtration in this case plays an important role in meeting the both regulatory and environmental objectives within the industry.

Advancements in filtration technology
Over the years, there has been a significant evolution in the filtration technology to meet the modern industrial applications.
Key developments include:
• High-efficiency filtration media capable of capturing very fine particles without restricting flow
• Compact and integrated designs that combine multiple filtration functions
• Extended service life solutions that reduce replacement frequency and maintenance downtime
• Application-specific engineering tailored to different stages of cement operations
Modern multi-layer filtration media can improve dust-holding capacity by up to two to three times compared to conventional systems, while maintaining consistent performance. These advancements have transformed filtration from a basic maintenance component into a critical performance system.

Adapting to diverse operating conditions
The cement industry of India operates across diverse geographies. Spanning across regions with arid regions with higher dust levels, to the coastal areas with higher humidity, challenges of each region pose different threats to the engines. Modern filtration systems are thus tailored to address these unique challenges of each region.
Indian operating environments often range from 0°C to over 50°C, with some of the highest dust loads globally in mining zones.
Additionally, filtration technology can also be customised to variations which then align the system design with factors like dust load, temperature, and equipment usage patterns. Equipment utilisation levels in India are typically higher than global averages, making robust filtration even more critical. This approach ensures optimal performance and durability across different operational contexts.

Impact on total cost of ownership
Filtration has a direct and measurable impact on the total cost of ownership of equipment.
Effective filtration leads to:
• Lower wear and tear on critical components
• Reduced maintenance and repair costs
• Improved fuel efficiency
• Extended equipment life
• Higher operational uptime
Effective filtration can extend engine life by 20 to 30 per cent and reduce overall maintenance costs by 15 to 25 per cent over the equipment lifecycle. These benefits collectively enhance productivity and reduce lifecycle costs. Conversely, inadequate filtration can result in frequent breakdowns, increased maintenance expenditure, and reduced asset utilisation.

Building a more efficient cement ecosystem
With the rising demand across various sectors, the cement industry is expected to expand at an unprecedented rate. This growth is forcing the production to move towards a more efficient and resilient system of operations. This requires attention not only to production technologies but also to the supporting systems that enable consistent performance. Filtration must be viewed as a strategic investment rather than a routine consumable. By ensuring the cleanliness of air and fluids across systems, it supports reliability, efficiency, and sustainability.

The road ahead
The future of cement logistics will be shaped by increasing mechanisation, digital monitoring, and stricter environmental standards. The industry is also witnessing a shift towards predictive maintenance and condition monitoring, where filtration performance is increasingly integrated with real-time equipment diagnostics.
In this evolving landscape, the role of filtration will become even more critical. As equipment becomes more advanced and operating conditions more demanding, the need for precise contamination control will continue to grow. From quarry to construction site, filtration technology underpins the performance of every critical system. It enables equipment to operate efficiently, reduces operational risks, and supports the industry’s broader goals of growth and sustainability. In many ways, it is the unseen force that keeps the cement ecosystem moving, quietly ensuring that every link in the value chain performs as expected.

About the author
Niranjan Kirloskar, Managing Director, Fleetguard Filters, is focused on driving innovation, operational excellence, and long-term business growth through strategic and people-centric leadership. With a strong foundation in ethics and forward-thinking decision-making, he champions a culture of collaboration, accountability, and technological advancement.

Concrete

Cement’s Next Fuel Shift

Published

7 days ago

May 15, 2026

admin

Jignesh Kindaria highlights how Thermal Substitution Rate (TSR) is emerging as a critical lever for cost savings, decarbonisation and competitive advantage in the cement industry.

India is simultaneously grappling with two crises: a mounting waste emergency and an urgent need to decarbonise its most carbon-intensive industries. The cement sector, the second-largest in the world and the backbone of the nation’s infrastructure ambitions, sits at the centre of both. It consumes enormous quantities of fossil fuel, and it has the technical capacity to consume something else entirely: the waste our cities cannot get rid of.
According to CPCB and NITI Aayog projections, India generates approximately 62.4 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, with that figure expected to reach 165 million tonnes by 2030. Much of this waste is energy-rich and non-recyclable. At the same time, cement kilns operate at material temperatures of approximately 1,450 degrees Celsius, with gas temperatures reaching 2,000 degrees. This high-temperature environment is ideal for co-processing, ensuring the complete thermal destruction of organic compounds without generating toxic residues. The physics are in our favour. The infrastructure is not.
Pre-processing is not the support act for co-processing. It is the main event. Get the particle size wrong, get the moisture wrong, get the calorific value wrong and your kiln thermal stability will suffer the consequences.

The regulatory push is real
The Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2026 mandate that cement plants progressively replace solid fossil fuels with Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), starting at a 5 per cent baseline and scaling to 15 per cent within six years. NITI Aayog’s 2026 Roadmap for Cement Sector Decarbonisation targets 20 to 25 per cent Thermal Substitution Rate (TSR) by 2030. Beyond compliance, every tonne of coal replaced by RDF generates measurable carbon reductions which is monetisable under India’s emerging Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). TSR is no longer a sustainability metric. It is a financial lever.
Yet our own field assessments across multiple Indian cement plants reveal a sobering reality: the primary barrier to scaling AFR adoption is not waste availability. It is the fragmented and under-engineered pre-processing ecosystem that sits between the waste and the kiln.

Why Indian waste is a different engineering problem
Indian municipal solid waste is not the material that imported shredding equipment was designed for. Our waste streams frequently exceed 40 per cent to 50 per cent moisture content, particularly during monsoon cycles, saturated with abrasive inerts including sand, glass, and stone. Plants relying on imported OEM equipment face months of downtime awaiting proprietary spare parts. Machines built for segregated, low-moisture waste fail quickly and disrupt the entire pre-processing operation in Indian conditions.
The two most common failures we observe are what I call the biting teeth problem and the chewing teeth problem. Plants relying solely on a primary shredder reduce bulk waste to large fractions, but the output remains too coarse for stable kiln combustion. Others attempt to use a secondary shredder as a standalone unit without a primary stage to pre-size the feed, leading to catastrophic mechanical failure. When both stages are present but mismatched in throughput capacity, the system becomes a bottleneck. Achieving the 40 to 70 tonnes per hour required for meaningful coal displacement demands a precisely coordinated two-stage process.

Engineering a made-in-India answer
At Fornnax, our response to these challenges is grounded in one principle: Indian waste demands Indian engineering. Our systems are built around feedstock homogeneity, the holy grail of kiln stability. Consistent particle size and predictable calorific value are the foundation of stable kiln combustion. Without them, no TSR target is achievable at scale.
Our SR-MAX2500 Dual Shaft Primary Shredder (Hydraulic Drive) processes raw, baled, or loosely mixed MSW, C&I waste, bulky waste, and plastics, reducing them to approximately 150 mm fractions at throughputs of up to 40 tonnes per hour. The R-MAX 3300 Single Shaft Secondary Shredder (Hydraulic Drive), introduced in 2025, takes that primary output and produces RDF fractions in the 30 to 80 mm range at up to 30 tonnes per hour, specifically optimised for consistent kiln feeding. We have also introduced electric drive configurations under the SR-100 HD series, with capacities between 5 and 40 tonnes per hour, already operational at a leading Indian waste-processing facility.
Looking ahead, Fornnax is expanding its portfolio with the upcoming SR-MAX3600 Hydraulic Drive primary shredder at up to 70 tonnes per hour and the R-MAX2100 Hydraulic drive secondary shredder at up to 20 tonnes per hour, designed specifically for the large-scale throughput that higher TSR ambitions require.

The investment case is now
The 2070 Net-Zero target is not a distant goal for India’s cement sector. It starts today, with decisions being made on the plant floor.
The SWM Rules 2026 are already in effect, requiring cement plants to replace coal with RDF. Carbon credit markets are opening up, and coal prices are not going to get cheaper. Every tonne of coal a cement plant replaces with waste-derived fuel saves money on one side and generates carbon credit revenue on the other. Pre-processing infrastructure is no longer just a compliance requirement. It is a business investment with a measurable return.
The good news is that nothing is missing. The technology works. The waste is available in every Indian city. The government has provided the policy direction. The only thing standing between where the industry is today and where it needs to be is the commitment to build the right infrastructure.
The cement companies that move now will not just meet the regulations. They will be ahead of every competitor that waits.

About the author
Jignesh Kundaria is the Director and CEO of Fornnax Technology. Over an experience spanning more than two decades in the recycling industry, he has established himself as one of India’s foremost voices on waste-to-fuel technology and alternative fuel infrastructure.