Connect with us

Concrete

The incomplete packaging solution!

Published

on

Shares

As per a study conducted, on an average, a sack would have eight to nine hook marks by the time it reaches the destination. These hook marks further lead to cement losses, thus making the working conditions of the workers from bad to worse, writes Madhvi Lijhara.

Packaging is a very generic term that has been in existence for ages now. Man has used packaging since times unknown for storage, protection, handling and so on. The ways were quite crude but served their purpose well. With the advancement of time and technology, the purpose of packaging also changed, the ways changed, the materials change and it changed the mindsets too.

Today packaging has a much bigger role to play and satisfy much higher expectations of the consumers, marketeers, manufacturers and others in the supply chain. It’s not just about protecting the goods, giving ease of storage, handling, increasing the life of the product, but also serves as a mode of communication between the manufacturer and the consumer, between the marketer and the buyer. It talks about how to use the product, why to buy the product, why to buy that particular brand, price to pay; when was that particular product manufactured and by when to use. It also takes care of the government regulations and ensures on quality and quantity of the product to the user.

Besides the above mentioned attributes of packaging, we all forget a very important aspect of packaging and that is its contribution to "environment sustainability". In India at large the cement is packed in WPP sacks. The woven polypropylene fabric, PP is a kind of thermoplastic resin material that is produced by the polymerisation of propylene. The weave in two directions of the PP threads gives the strength to the fabric, its light weight and strong enough to carry weight of cement which is high density. The pores in the weave have a role to play – while cement filling, these pores help the air to escape from the sack preventing the bursting of the sacks. But at the same time these pores also lead to cement loss at various junctures of the journey from the factory to the point of use.

On an average, from one kg to 500 grams of cement is lost while in transit. At times the loss can be even more depending on the number of hands it exchanges. This cement lost is not just an economic value lost for the user or manufacturer but it actually leads to much more intangible loss, the loss of cement particles into the environment, polluting the the air we breathe in. It’s a surprising fact that the air quality inside the cement plant is much better than the place of storage of the cement or the place of use of the cement, and the major reason is the way cement is packed. Every time the sack is moved from one place to another it leads to cement loss, so much so that the branding, printing or any information printed on eth sack becomes invisible due to a cement dust layer on the sack. Thus the way in which cement is packed destroys all the attributes of packaging.

These pores also give easy way to the moisture in the air to penetrate inside the sack and thus reducing the shelf life of the product. Cement is hygroscopic and attracts water from the atmosphere to set . Thus the purpose of protection and increasing the shelf life is defeated.

The labourers use iron hooks for loading and unloading of cement sacks even though its banned as per the government directives. As per a study conducted, on an average, a sack would have eight to nine hook marks on the sacks. These hook marks further lead to cement losses thus making the working conditions of the workers from bad to worse.

Even worse is the recycling of the cement sack, although PP is recyclable but a major issue is that the cement is all stuck in the pores of the sack and therefore the sacks cannot be recycled easily. The sack needs to be absolutely clean to be recycled. Another issue is with the collection of the empty cement WPP sacks; there is no defined process under which the cement sacks are collected after the use and taken to recycling plant. In most of the cases these sacks land up into "land-fills". The end of the "product life cycle" of a WPP cement sack is very unfriendly to our environment.

It can be concluded that the way cement is packed in India is actually an "incomplete packaging solution". All the aspects of packaging are defeated when cement is packed in WPP. It neither protects the material, neither increases the shelf life, nor does it increase the brand value; in nutshell it serves no purpose of packaging other than holding the material together and giving it a partial ease of handling; a 50 kg bag with dead weight is really tough to handle. The only driving factor for WPP sacks is the price of the sacks. But the irony is that only the "price per sack" is considered and not the "actual cost of packing" is considered. The actual cost should include the wastage in transit, its contribution to air pollution and its impact on the health of the workers. Even though the industry would agree with this but very little efforts have been made to give a sustainable packaging solution for cement. It’s the need of the hour that we look at creating more cement packaging options that justify all the attributes of packaging including the environment sustainability aspect and improved working conditions of the laborers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Madhvi Lijhara,
a paper and packaging specialist, is an economics graduate from Delhi university and a post graduate in Marketing management from Lucknow University. She has worked with paper and allied companies like APP India, Thomson Press, Ballarpur Industries (BILT) and BillerudKorsnas AB. While on the job, she has been closely associated with various cement companies promoting paper sacks for cement packaging in India. She can be contacted on: madhvi@hotmail.com

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Concrete

Adani’s Ambuja Cements Plans Expansion Strategy

Ambuja Cements targets 140 million-tonne capacity.

Published

on

By

Shares

Ambuja Cements, a subsidiary of the Adani Group, is actively pursuing an expansion strategy focused on acquisitions to bolster its production capacity to 140 million tonnes. This move is part of a broader ambition to strengthen its position within the cement industry and enhance its market share across various regional markets.

The company’s growth plans include identifying and acquiring complementary businesses that can enhance its production capabilities and operational efficiency. With the increasing demand for cement driven by ongoing infrastructure development projects in India, Ambuja Cements aims to capitalize on this momentum through strategic investments.

Adani’s emphasis on sustainability is expected to play a critical role in this expansion. The company is committed to adhering to high environmental standards, ensuring that its operations contribute positively to the community while minimizing the ecological footprint. This focus on innovation and sustainable practices will not only improve profitability but also position Ambuja as a leader in responsible manufacturing within the cement sector.

The competitive landscape of the cement industry is evolving rapidly, with numerous players vying for market dominance. By increasing its production capacity, Ambuja Cements aims to navigate these industry trends effectively and solidify its role as a key player in the market.

In summary, Ambuja Cements is set on a growth trajectory with its sights set on achieving 140 million tonnes in capacity through calculated acquisitions and a commitment to sustainable practices. This strategy reflects a robust response to the rising demand for cement in the context of India’s infrastructure push, promising to enhance both the company’s profitability and its market standing in the long term.

Continue Reading

Concrete

Ambuja Cements’ net profit falls 52% in Q2 FY25

The company recorded 9% YoY increase in sales in Q2 FY25.

Published

on

By

Shares

Ambuja Cements, a part of the Adani Group, reported a 52.10% decline in net consolidated profit for the quarter ending September 30, 2024. The profit after tax stood at Rs 4.72 billion, down from Rs 9 .87 billion in the same period last year, according to the company’s filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

The company’s total consolidated income for Q2 FY25 was Rs 78.90 billion, slightly lower than the Rs 78.99 billion recorded in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

Ajay Kapur, the company’s CEO and Whole-time Director, commented, “Following the successful completion of the Orient Cement transaction, we are on track to achieve a 100+ MTPA capacity by the end of this fiscal year.”

Ambuja Cements reported an increase in net worth by Rs 4.5 billion during the quarter, bringing it to Rs 599.16 billion. The company remains debt-free and maintains its CRISIL AAA (Stable) / CRISIL A1+ ratings. As of September 30, 2024, cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs 101.35 billion.

The company recorded a 9% year-on-year increase in sales volume, reaching 14.2 million tonnes in Q2 FY25.

During the quarter, Ambuja Cements invested Rs 22 billion by subscribing to 8% non-convertible cumulative redeemable preference shares (RPS) issued by its subsidiary, Sanghi Industries.

Additionally, the company announced a binding agreement to acquire a 46.8% stake in Orient Cements at an equity value of Rs 81 billion, solidifying its expansion strategy.

(ET)

Continue Reading

Concrete

Masdar, EMSTEEL complete MENA’s first green hydrogen steel project

It is a pilot project, demonstrating the use of green hydrogen in steelmaking.

Published

on

By

Shares

Masdar and EMSTEEL recently completed the first pilot project in the Middle East and North Africa to produce green hydrogen-based steel in Abu Dhabi, marking a significant step in utilising green hydrogen for steelmaking. The fully operational pilot project employs green hydrogen to extract iron from iron ore, an essential phase in steel production.

The green hydrogen produced has received certification from Avance Labs under the ISO 19870 methodology, and Bureau Veritas has validated the project, highlighting the UAE’s ambition to become a global leader in green steel production. Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, stated that the project showcases world-class innovation stemming from their partnership with EMSTEEL, aimed at producing green steel with green hydrogen. He further noted that decarbonising hard-to-abate industries is critical to achieving the goals established under the historic UAE Consensus at COP28.

EMSTEEL, the UAE’s largest publicly listed steelmaker, reported that over 80% of its energy sources in 2023 were clean. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL, commented that their partnership with Masdar would significantly contribute to the ongoing decarbonisation efforts within the steel industry, a sector known for its challenging emissions profile. He added that the company’s operations currently achieve a carbon intensity 45% lower than the global average.

The pilot aligns with Abu Dhabi’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Policy and the UAE National Hydrogen Strategy, which aims to establish the UAE as a top producer of low-carbon hydrogen by 2031. Since its founding in 2006, Masdar has developed projects in over 40 countries, with plans to expand its renewable energy capacity to 100 GW by 2030 and to produce 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen or derivatives annually within the next decade.

Continue Reading

Trending News

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER

 

Don't miss out on valuable insights and opportunities to connect with like minded professionals.

 


    This will close in 0 seconds