Concrete

Always Escalate, so as not to Escalate

Published

5 years ago

July 1, 2021

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Languages are such wonderful medium of human expression, because words can have such myriad meanings. There are many words which mean quite different things, taken in context. Unfortunately, here we are not talking about languages, but about project management. ??lways escalate, so as not to escalate??may sound, at first glance, like a meaningless play with words, but it is really not so, in our context. Check out these meanings: Escalate ??To increase in intensity or extent, or Escalate ??To become more serious, or be amplified.

Here, in this column, I mean to say that one must always escalate issues and problems to higher levels at the earliest opportunity, so as to avoid escalation of project cost and time. From my exposure to Project successes and failures, this is a very core issue in project management. Project cost escalation (time and cost are inextricably connected) is a very dreaded word in project management parlance. Not only dreaded, but also hated! But as long as there will be projects, there will remain the possibility of time/cost escalations. Unforeseen things happen, unprecedented situations develop, circumstances spin out of control, and these tend to delay projects and increase costs.

But in almost all cases, there are ways to manage and reduce the impact of these unforeseen things, provided we decide on a solution and act quickly to implement the solution. This is where we fail, because we do not highlight these events, rather we tend to push these below the proverbial carpet, as if they will vanish on their own. Why does this happen? There are two very interesting reasons, one hierarchical, and the other behavioural, and both act in tandem.

No organisation is absolutely flat, and there are levels. This is true for project teams also. In all cases, there will at least be three levels. There are operating people in the field, there is a manager who is responsible for leading and guiding the team, and then there will be so called ??op management?? which could be a CEO, or a Board, or a similar body assigned for review and/or oversight. Now, nascent problems in a project, such as insipient causes for delay, are likely to be known first to the operating level, who have their ??ars glued to the ground??

Think of it, who is most likely to get early signals of possible delays in designing of a building, or manufacturing of a critical component, or construction of a crucial structure, or a key regulatory approval ? who will know first, about a strike in a supplier?? factory, about an agitation at construction site, or about resignation of a key member of sub-contractors??team ? First to know will be the ??oot soldiers??of a project team. Now, this is very powerful information, with far-reaching consequences. However, sadly, officials at this level are not empowered to analyse the impact of such delays, leave alone evolve a solution. The knowledge to do so, and the authority to do so, lies one or two hierarchical levels higher up. And, more often than not, the information is not escalated upwards. Why not? That brings us to the second interesting reason.

This has to do more with psychology than project management per se. We all have an instinctive tendency to hush up bad news because we feel if we pass on these information, it will be taken as our failure. We try to resolve the problem at our level, and in the process waste precious time for intervention. What we do not realise, is that small adversities, when suppressed, may well become huge irreversible setbacks for a project, and that in these matters, speed of escalation and transparency always pay.

The sooner the bad news is known, the better it is, because the corrective actions can be taken immediately. But such rational thinking is often layered by the fear of immediate and short term outcomes of so-called failures. This is a cultural issue, this has to do more with our minds, than with our sense of logic. In larger project organisations, this phenomenon may also be driven by some nuances of internal politics. In any case, the project suffers. To get round this well-known issue, sometimes top management deploys informal and alternative channels to ensure flow of such information directly from field to boardroom. This is a crude workaround, because this kind of strategies undermine the formal organisation structures and dilutes accountability.

– SUMIT BANERJEE

Concrete

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

Published

2 hours ago

May 20, 2026

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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

Adani Group To Set Up Cement Factory In Madhya Pradesh

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurates plant in Guna

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

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Adani Group (Adani) will set up a cement factory in Madhya Pradesh, the chief minister of the state announced after an inauguration ceremony in Guna. The chief minister, Mohan Yadav, described the occasion as a historic day for the state and said the project will strengthen industrial capacity. The event was presented as a milestone in efforts to broaden manufacturing and attract large-scale investment. Officials said the facility will add to regional production capability and support related industries.

State officials outlined that the plant will enhance supply chains for construction and infrastructure projects across the region. The company will bring technical expertise and logistical resources to the site, with government agencies coordinating approvals and land allocation. Local suppliers and service providers will benefit from increased demand, and training initiatives will be developed to build workforce readiness. Officials indicated that the project complements broader plans to modernise industrial clusters in the state.

The state administration said it has facilitated clearances and infrastructure support to accelerate implementation. Local officials have coordinated with the company to ensure connectivity and utilities are in place ahead of commissioning. The chief minister emphasised that collaboration between private investors and the government aims to create sustainable economic growth. Community outreach programmes will address local concerns and establish grievance mechanisms as construction proceeds.

Officials said the inauguration in Guna marks a new phase in the state industrial story and will serve as a reference for future investments. Administrators noted that close monitoring and periodic reviews will guide timely execution and adherence to environmental and safety norms. The government affirmed its commitment to facilitating responsible industrial expansion while ensuring benefits reach local communities. Stakeholders will continue discussions on supply chain integration and long term maintenance arrangements.

Concrete

Railways Boost Cement Movement by 170 Per Cent and Eye Fly Ash

New container wagons cut costs and speed turnaround

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

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Indian Railways has recorded a 170 per cent rise in cement movement in the last four months after reforms launched in November to promote rail based bulk cement logistics. The Union Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, reviewed the container sector reforms and their implementation and described the shift as improving plant to market efficiency. The reforms introduced customised bulk cement tank containers and a bulk cement terminal policy to support multimodal handling and door to door solutions.

The new system has simplified loading and unloading by enabling mechanised operations and by reducing package losses compared with bagged cement transport. Since cement can move directly from manufacturing centres to consumption centres in standardised tank containers compatible with Ready Mix Concrete machines, two stages of handling have been eliminated and material loss has been reduced. The standard shape of the containers facilitates faster turnaround and lowers logistics costs for suppliers and builders.

The improved freight turnaround is helping to lower the delivered cost of cement, which can ease pressure on housing costs for the poor and middle class and support affordable construction. The reform is said to be environment friendly as dust generation during material transfer has fallen and fuel consumption and emissions have reduced due to modal shift from road to rail. The Make in India tank containers are designed for seamless movement between train and trailer and to enable efficient door to door movement while cutting congestion on roads.

Building on the cement reforms, officials were urged to tap the fly ash transportation market to convert industrial waste into national wealth. The minister noted that nearly 300 million metric tonnes (mn t) of fly ash is produced in the country while only about 13 million t is transported by rail and asked officials to substantially increase Railways share to serve brick kilns, cement industries and construction sites. Wider utilisation of fly ash should reduce pollution, promote recycling and lower construction material costs while strengthening sustainable freight movement across infrastructure sectors.