Economy & Market

Gypsum, the speed breaker

Published

8 years ago

January 11, 2019

admin

Gypsum is the most essential ingredient of the finished cement. Though useful, handling of gypsum in a cement plant is not so easy since it is a hygroscopic material and very sticky in nature.

The terms cement and concrete are used interchangeably, although cement is actually an ingredient of concrete; gypsum is often added to cement to slow down the setting (hardens) time. Cement sets quickly and retarding that process allows workers to pour the mixture into the various forms or frames needed.

The majority of cement plants in Greece mainly use natural gypsum to prevent rapid cement setting. The partial or total replacement of gypsum by materials, which contain calcium sulphate, has been instigated by two facts. Firstly, the increasing availability of low-cost by-products containing calcium sulphate and secondly, the prospect of the gypsum quarries to mine, in the near future, a rock that is a mixture of gypsum and anhydrite.

FGD gypsum, a waste material of the desulphurisation process in coal burning power plants, to convert SO3 content of flue gases into gypsum, is an important alternative source of chemical gypsum. The experiments done with only FGD gypsum shows that the setting time was influenced by the percentages of FGD gypsum addition in the mortars tested. The initial and final setting time increased with increasing FGD gypsum ratio. The compressive strength also was affected by increase of FGD gypsum in the mortars. At all ages the compressive strength of the mortar with addition of FGD gypsum in combination with natural gypsum was higher that to other mixtures. The performances of cements prepared with mixtures FGD gypsum/natural gypsum were better compared with that prepared only with natural gypsum. At the same time, a hydration study of cements with FGD is presented. The addition of FGD gypsum increases setting time without affecting the compressive strength profile. The degree of dehydration of the dehydrated calcium sulphate regulates setting and strength performance of the cement partially replaced with either anhydrite or FGD gypsum.

In addition, gypsum will react with the tricalcium aluminate mineral (C3A), which is the compound mainly responsible for the early setting time of cement. The reaction of gypsum with (C3A) will retard the setting time of cement (i.e. prolong the setting time), which is necessary for concreting operations to be completed perfectly, if the amount of gypsum is small the setting time will be short, however, addition large amount of gypsum to the clinker during its grinding will delay the harden of the cement paste and producing a large amount of heat during the reaction and solidification of concrete. Therefore the amount of gypsum should be controlled to achieve the proper setting time and decreasing the percentage of SO3 in the concrete, and to avoid steel corrosion and concrete structure deformation.

While producing 53 grade of cement, generally cement plant prefers to use mineral gypsum. Today industry faces shortage of mineral gypsum, which is the purer form of gypsum and the gap is bridged by synthetic gypsum mainly coming from fertiliser industry. This gypsum is commonly known as chemical gypsum. Shreesh Khadilkar in his article has covered in details about various options available on sourcing gypsum. As stated by Shreesh, FGD gypsum from thermal plants can become alternate source in place of fertiliser gypsum but it is still at an experimental stage.

Handling of gypsum in a cement plant is not so easy since it is a hygroscopic material and very sticky in nature. The readers now will appreciate that though gypsum is essential ingredient of cement but proving to be a speed breaker.

VIKAS DAMLE

Concrete

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

Published

5 days ago

October 19, 2026

admin

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

admin

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

admin

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.”