Economy & Market

Coal import witnesses growth

Published

8 years ago

May 31, 2018

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Coal imports grew by 8.1 per cent in FY18 on the back of sustained demand from steel sector for coking coal and steady demand from the power and cement industry.
Coal production in India touched 688.4 MT in FY18, clocking a 2.5 per cent increase over last year’s production. The two large state-run coal miners, Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) together accounted for 91.6 per cent of the total coal produced in the country during FY18.
Coal imports grew by 8.1 per cent in FY18 on the back of sustained demand from steel sector for coking coal and steady demand from the power and cement industry. Total coal import in FY18 stood at 213 MT, against 195 MT in FY17. Australia, Indonesia and South Africa are the three largest exporters of coal to India and contribute to 75-80 per cent of the country’s total coal import.
Coal imports were widely anticipated to fall during FY18. The government has been pushing steam coal consumers especially power producers to replace imported coal with domestic coal. But inadequate coal transportation infrastructure especially availability of rakes has been hampering supply to power producers. Coal import trend is expected to continue as power, cement and steel industry are expected to witness improvement in demand and capacity utilisation.Global trend
China continues to be the largest coal producer globally and accounts for 45 per cent of the world coal production. The USA, India, Australia and Indonesia together account for 33 per cent of the world coal production. Global coal production stood at 7,270 MT. Globally, coal production has been declining and 2016 marked the largest single-year global production volume decline as per data available from International Energy Agency (IEA).
Developed economies namely USA, China and Europe continued to report fall in demand for coal and have reported growth in gas-based and renewable energy generation. India remains among the top-three coal producers in the world and as per data for 2016 by IEA, overtook USA. USA as mentioned above reported fall in production, whereas India has been reporting growth in production to fuel its large thermal power capacity which contributes to 72 per cent of the country’s electricity generation.
Australia accounts for 18-20 per cent of the world coking coal production. India, China and Japan are the largest importers of coking coal from Australia. China is the largest coking coal consumer and accounts for 60-62 per cent of the world consumption. India which is the second largest coking coal consumer accounts for 10-11 per cent of the world consumption.
Australia and Indonesia continued to be the largest coal exporting nations in the world and accounted for 57 per cent of the total coal export volume. The top-4 destinations of exported coal were China, India, Japan and South Korea and accounted for 58.5 per cent of the total global coal import volume.India: Performance of demand driving sectors for coal
The year witnessed sustained demand for steam coal from power sector. Other sectors like cement and steel which use thermal coal as feedstock and coking coal as raw material reported steady growth in production. Thermal power plants in the country reported capacity utilisation above 60 per cent after having touched 59 per cent levels in 2016-17.
The power sector reported shortage in supply of coal from state-run coal miner’s, which has been affecting the operational performance of thermal power plants. The shortage can be roughly equated to the shortfall in CILs coal production target, i.e., 33 MT. Inadequate rail-connectivity and rake availability have been some of the major hurdles which led to shortage of coal during the year at thermal power plants. State-run miner CIL has is expected to invest significantly into developing railway infrastructure over the next 12-18 months which is expected to improve the connectivity of pitheads.
In the absence of unavailability of cheap domestic coal, thermal power plants, in and around coastal regions and ports opt for imported coal.
Steel production has been growing steadily and reported 5.6 per cent growth in FY18. Cement production grew by 6.3 per cent in FY18. During the last 12-months, average global coal prices have been in the range of $ 70-106 with prices hitting the peak in January 2018 after having bottomed out at $72.5 per tonne in May 2017.
Global steam coal prices have been on a steady rise after having touched a low of $ 50 per tonne in May 2016, on the back low demand from China. Coal India, countries largest coal producer hiked coal prices by 10 per cent in January 2018. The average coal price depending upon the Gross Calorific Value (GCV) of coal ranged between Rs 530-3,290 per tonne.
Domestic coal shortage has been widely reported especially for thermal power plants. The state-run miners (CIL and SCCL) on their part have been trying to address the issue of coal shortage at power plants. During the year, 580.3 MT of coal has been made available to the consumers, 7 per cent increase over previous year. CIL has introduced new pricing methodology based on energy content of coal starting April 1, 2018. The same would not have a significant impact on the prices of domestic coal. The price of each tonne of coal will be based on its total energy content.Coal import
Coal accounted for 4.9 per cent of total imported goods by value (approximately $22 billion) and is the fourth most imported commodity behind petroleum, precious stones and gold.Steam/thermal coal import
India imported around 155-158 MT of steam or steam coal used as fuel for thermal power plants. Roughly 80-85 GW of thermal power capacity in India is partially or fully dependent on imported coal to fuel these power plants. Additional 6-7 MT of other types of bituminous and coke was imported for other industries. Indonesia (81.5 MT), South Africa (33.5 MT), USA (6 MT), Mozambique (3.1 MT) and Australia (1.7MT) are the largest exporters of Steam coal to India between April-Feb 2018.Coking/metallurgical coal
Coking coal, also known as metallurgical coal, is used to create coke, one of the key inputs for the production of steel. China, India, South Korea, Japan and European Nations are major global demand centres of coking coal for manufacturing steel.
India imported roughly 46.5 MT (estimates) of coking coal in FY18, 8.1 per cent growth over import volumes in FY17. India also has coking coal reserves but the quality of domestic coking coal is inferior to imported coking coal. Imported coking coal fulfils 65-70 per cent of the total coking coal demand from steel industry.
Around 3/4th of India’s coking coal imports come from Australia, and the remaining from Canada, USA, Russia, Indonesia etc.Performance of CIL and SCCL
Coal India and Singareni Collieries Company are the two largest coal miners in the country. The two companies together produced 629.4 MT of coal which includes both steam and coking coal. India’s largest coal producer CIL has been unable to meet its annual target set by Government. CIL meeting its coal mining target would easily help cut coal imports by up to 10-15 per cent depending upon the quality of coal produced.CARE Ratings view
Total coal production may stagnate during the year given no visible improvement in availability of rakes or increase in evacuation infrastructure for mined coal. We expect the total domestic coal production to grow in the range of 2.5-3.5 per cent (705-712) MT for FY19. There is an immediate requirement to auction private coal blocks of coking and steam coal for 50 MT per annum, in order to control import of steam and coking coal. Total import of coal including coking coal and steam coal could touch 235-245 MT if the government approves an order to ban use of pet coke which is a feedstock in cement industry. Additional 35-40 MT of imported steam coal would be required to compensate for the pet
coke ban.Source: CARE Ratings

Economy & Market

Leonard Unveils Dual-Head Robotic Arm for Hazardous Industrial Demolition

Published

1 day 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

1 day 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