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We sell solutions to complex bulk material handling needs

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Y Srinivas Reddy, Founder and Managing Director, Bevcon Wayors.

Our emphasis on R&D, foreign collaborations and in-house manufacturing facilities make our products truly world class. We have major market share in turnkey execution of fuel (coal/coke/lignite) handling systems for thermal power plants across India and have also executed various raw material handling projects for the steel and cement plants. Plus, we have multiple foreign collaborations across the world that have helped us offer matchless services to our clients, says Y Srinivas Reddy, Founder and Managing Director, Bevcon Wayors. Excerpts from the interview.

How do you assess the growth potential for bulk material handling industry?

Business of Indian bulk material handling for last two years has been deeply affected by volatile markets and by ambiguous policy situations. Considering the momentum in the infrastructure sectors in particular power, ports, mining and cement, a steady growth rate of 15-20 per cent can be seen in the bulk material handling sector for the next five years There is great scope for the material handling industry in future once guiding policies regarding environmental clearances, land acquisitions and method of awarding contracts are defined by the government in a transparent manner. I am optimistic that Indian material handling industry will have golden days ahead.

What are the latest innovations from Bevcon?

Recently we got technology agreement with Overland Conveyor Co., USA, for cross country long distance conveyor and pipe conveyors. The will be used in power and mining industries. Using belt conveyors to transport ore, coal and other materials from the mines and ports to the processing plants or power plants has been proven to be an efficient method of transportation. These conveyors can follow most terrains and have little or no impact on the enviornment. Operating and maintenance costs are low and they are extremely safe to operate.

Introduction of high angle sandwich belt conveyors has made it possible to convey any mineral from pit bottom to the surface. The technology is developed in collaboration with Dos Santos International, USA, for open pit mine and for in-pit crushing. The technology also minimises the impact on environment and brings down the operational cost.

How do you spread awareness about your latest innovations?

Awareness about new developments in the bulk material handling industry is not a big challenge in the present age of information. However, as a manufacturer we have to take extraordinary initiatives in promoting the product by way of interactions with consultants and clients by conducting seminars, showcasing products in exhibitions, use of print media of concerned segment journals and of course through internet.

How energy efficient is Bevcon’s range of solutions?

Bevcon provides cost effective solutions to the industry with a series of new generation material handling equipments like steep angle conveyors, air-supported-belt conveyor, sandwich conveyors etc. Recently we have implemented revolutionary concept in one of the cement plants in India for conveying clinker from wagon unloading to silo storage in most cost effective and very low power consumption.

What are the challenges in front of the industry?

Risk assessment is major challenge for the industry considering tight cash flows and time consuming financial clearances from Institutions. Also, slow project clearance processes of the government puts extraordinary strain on the industry and on the economy.

Tell us about your R&D efforts.

Our in-house research and development group called TDG develops on average 10 to 12 new equipment per year for the various material handling needs. The core focus of the department is development of new products, validation of those products and providing cost effective solutions. The group consists of ‘subject matter specialists’ from various domains working collectively to get the desired results. We have also approached the DISR for recognition of our facility as an R&D hub.

Could you throw some light on the sales and distribution network of your company?

We believe that our strong sales and marketing team, along with our after-sales services team, separates us from our competition. To make our services easily accessible we have established full-fledged regional sales and service offices in cities like Pune, Chennai, Jamshedpur, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, New Delhi, Vadodara and in Raipur. All regional offices are complete with sales and marketing teams, application and design engineering experts, quality assurance and as well project management personal.

How important the role of a consultant especially for MHE in the cement industry?

In my view, most of the cement companies are highly dependent on consultants in overall designing of the plant and defining equipment specifications. But in last couple of years it has been noticed that few big industrial groups have formed their own specialised project engineering groups that are taking control of entire projects from concept to commissioning. However, overall the role of consultants is very crucial and to the best of my knowledge their role in material handling industry is not being undervalued.

Tell us about your company and your operations?

Bevcon is a leading provider of high-quality, technologically advanced integrated bulk material handling and processing solutions. We have large market share in turnkey execution of material handling applications in raw material handling systems for steel plants, cement plants, fuel (coal/coke/lignite) handling systems, for coal and biomass based power plants, in-plant material handling systems, ferro alloy plants, sugar, fertilizer, agri, lime coke handling systems etc.

We have three state-of-the-art manufacturing set-ups in Hyderabad equipped with latest technologies such as latest plasma cutting machine etc. Our 3rd state-of-art fully automised idler and pulley manufacturing plant will be start running at full scale by next financial year at Hyderabad. Recently we have started our 4th full-fledged manufacturing plant at Raipur.

We have plans to expand our manufacturing base by putting up 5th manufacturing unit in Hyderabad to manufacture stackers and reclaimers, sandwich conveyors and material handling components. We have adopted world’s best processes like SAP, ISO and kaizen 5s systems at our facilities.

We have executed around 2700 projects with repeated customer base of 62 per cent by providing innovative and cost effective processes solutions backed by in-house research development and as well as through external collaborations. Our product range covers almost all equipments and turnkey project solutions pertaining to material handling applications. Bevcon is profit making debt free company from the inception and last year our sales turnover was 185 crores and has been growing at a CAGR of 20 per cent.

All of us are committed towards the core value of the organization – iTREAT that stands for innovation, trust, reliability, empowerment, attitude and transparency. We appreciate the aspirations of our employees and the efforts they make towards achieving excellence.

Could you brief us on your CSR initiatives?

As a corporate, we are aware of our social responsibility and feel grateful towards the society and intend to give back to it. Our aim is to usher an all inclusive growth. Time and again, we have taken initiatives to support education for poor, extending education towards the specially abled children, making knowledge available for the visually challenged ones, holding health camps and to provide free medicine for children and to make safe drinking water available for all. All this CSR activities are carried out under an initiative called i2i – imagination 2 impact, a Bevcon CSR initiative.

Landmark Projects

  • High capacity coke handling at TATA Jamshedpur through side wall belt conveyors, which will be the largest ever conveying application in India.
  • First of a kind 500 tph metal recovery plant for JSW Ispat through Harsco.
  • World’s 1st coal gas based DRI plant for ever highest 2400tph raw material handling system for Jindal at Angul.
  • Setting up state-of-the-art 800tph radial coal stacker of 270 degree rotation to handle 50,000 tonnes storage stockpile capacity with ground track hopper system for unloading coal from wagons and along with conventional reclaiming system at IMFA.

Concrete

Charting the Green Path

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The Indian cement industry has reached a critical juncture in its sustainability journey. In a landmark move, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has, for the first time, announced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity reduction targets for 282 entities, including 186 cement plants, under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023. These targets, to be enforced starting FY2025-26, are aligned with India’s overarching ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2070.
Cement manufacturing is intrinsically carbon-intensive, contributing to around 7 per cent of global GHG emissions, or approximately 3.8 billion tonnes annually. In India, the sector is responsible for 6 per cent of total emissions, underscoring its critical role in national climate mitigation strategies. This regulatory push, though long overdue, marks a significant shift towards accountability and structured decarbonisation.
However, the path to a greener cement sector is fraught with challenges—economic viability, regulatory ambiguity, and technical limitations continue to hinder the widespread adoption of sustainable alternatives. A major gap lies in the lack of a clear, India-specific definition for ‘green cement’, which is essential to establish standards and drive industry-wide transformation.
Despite these hurdles, the industry holds immense potential to emerge as a climate champion. Studies estimate that through targeted decarbonisation strategies—ranging from clinker substitution and alternative fuels to carbon capture and innovative product development—the sector could reduce emissions by 400 to 500 million metric tonnes by 2030.
Collaborations between key stakeholders and industry-wide awareness initiatives (such as Earth Day) are already fostering momentum. The responsibility now lies with producers, regulators and technology providers to fast-track innovation and investment.
The time to act is now. A sustainable cement industry is not only possible—it is imperative.

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Concrete

It is equally important to build resilient building structures

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Manoj Rustagi, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW Cement, discusses how the adoption of ‘green’ practices in cement manufacturing could reshape the future of sustainable construction worldwide.

Cement is one of the most carbon-intensive materials in construction — but innovation is changing that. As sustainability becomes central to infrastructure, green cement is emerging as a viable low-carbon alternative. In this detailed interview with Manoj Rustagi, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW Cement, we explore what makes cement ‘green’, its performance, and its future. From durability to cutting-edge technologies, here’s a look at the cement industry’s greener path forward.

What exactly is green cement, and how does it differ from traditional cement?
At this point in time, there is no standard for defining green cement. A very simple way to understand ‘Green Cement’ or ‘Low Carbon Cement’ is the one which emits much lower greenhouse gasses (GHG) compared to conventional cement (Ordinary Portland Cement – OPC) during its manufacturing process.
In India, there are many existing BIS Standards for different types of cement products. The most common are OPC; Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC); Portland Slag Cement (PSC) and Composite Cement (CC). While OPC emits maximum GHG during its manufacturing (approx 800-850 kg CO2/MT of OPC), PSC emits least GHG (approx 300-350 kg CO2/MT of PSC). As PSC is having close to 60 per cent lower CO2 emission compared to OPC, it is the greenest cement available in the Indian market.
There is already work happening at the central government level to define green cement, like it has been recently done for green steel, and hopefully in the next one year or so the standard definition would be available.

What are the key environmental benefits of using green cement?
The primary environmental benefits of green or low-carbon cement are:

  • Reduced CO2 emissions
  • Lower energy and power consumption
  • Conservation of limestone and fossil fuels
  • Utilisation of industrial by-products
  • (slag/fly ash)

Can green cement match the durability and strength of conventional cement?
PSC is much more durable than any other type of cement product. It has lower heat of hydration; the strength keeps on improving with time; and it has much higher resistance to chloride and sulphate attacks. Most of the concrete failures are because of chloride and sulphate attacks, which corrode the steel reinforcements and that is how cracks get initiated and propagated resulting in eventual concrete failures. For coastal applications, marine structures, seaports, and mass concreting, PSC is most suitable. Due to the intrinsic durability characteristics of PSC; it is a green and resilient cement product.
Usually everyone talks about lower GHG emissions, but it is equally important to build resilient building structures that can withstand natural calamities and have much longer lifespans. PSC is one cement type that is not only lowest in CO2 emissions but at the same time offers durability characteristics and properties (RCPT, RCMT, Mercury Intrusion, long term strength and flexural strength), which are unmatched.

What innovative technologies are being used to produce green cement?
To further reduce the CO2 emissions in the manufacturing process; some of the innovative technologies which are commercially viable are:

  • Alternative raw materials: Use of steel slag, red mud and other industrial by-products to substitute limestone
  • Alternative fuels: Use of RDF/MSW, pharmaceutical wastes like biomass etc., to substitute coal/pet-coke
  • Waste Heat Recovery (WHR): Power plants to generate electricity from waste heat
  • Renewable energy: Solar and wind energy instead of state grid

How cost-effective is green cement compared to traditional options?
All of the above innovative technologies do not increase the cost of manufacturing. There are some future technologies like Carbon Capture, Utilisation and/or Storage (CCUS), which are not commercially viable and would increase the cost of cement. As such, the options available today for low-carbon cement (like PSC) are not expensive.
The Government of India has recently notified Indian Carbon Market (ICM), which also includes the cement sector. Hopefully, this would help progressive companies to further reduce their carbon footprint.

What challenges does the industry face in adopting green cement on a large scale?
There is absolutely no incentive/motivation for builders/contractors to use green cement products and therefore there is practically no demand. While the industry has taken many steps. In fact the Indian cement industry is believed to be most energy efficient globally and has approximately 10 per cent lower GHG emissions compared to global average. But due to lack of awareness and lack of performance based standards; the demand for low carbon cement or green cement has not picked up in India.

Are governments and regulators supporting the shift to green cement?
In India, in the last couple of years, there have been many policy interventions which have been initiated. One of them, namely the carbon market is under notification; others like Green Public Procurement, Green Cement taxonomy and National CCUS Mission are in the advanced stages and are expected to be implemented in the next couple
of years.

How do you see the future of green cement in global construction?
Globally the built environment accounts for 40 per cent CO2 emissions; and the maximum embodied emissions come from cement and concrete. There is a lot of innovation happening in cement, concrete and construction. Basically, how we build and what material we use. And this is to do with both carbon mitigation as well as adaptation as the built environment is so important for sustainable living. Precast and pre-engineered buildings/structures, 3D concrete printing, ultra high performance concrete, digital and AI/ML interventions in construction, admixtures/improved concrete packing; and circularity in cement manufacturing are some examples. Low-carbon cement or green cement eventually will lead to ‘Net Zero CO2 emission’ cement, which would enable a ‘Net-Zero’ built environment that is needed for long term sustainability.

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Concrete

Solid Steps to Sustainability

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Milind Khangan, Marketing Manager, Vertex Market Research, looks at how India’s cement industry is powering a climate-conscious transformation with green cement at its core, aligning environmental urgency with economic opportunity.

The cement industry produces around eight per cent of the world’s total CO2 emissions. Process emissions, largely due to limestone calcination, contribute 50 to 60 per cent of these emissions and produce nearly one ton of CO2 per ton of cement produced.
India is a leading cement producer with an installed capacity of around 550 million tons (MMT) as of 2024. As the Government of India advances toward its 2070 net-zero target, green cement is becoming a major driver of this shift toward a low-carbon economy. It offers environmental sustainability as well as long-term operating efficiencies at scale. With the fast-paced urbanisation and infrastructure development across the nation, the use of green cement goes beyond environmental imperatives; it is also a strong strategic business opportunity. Indian cement players are some of the most sustainable and environmentally conscious players in the world, and indigenous cement demand in India is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 10 per cent until 2030.

Innovating sustainably
Green cement is an umbrella term that includes multiple advanced technologies and processes aimed at minimising the environmental footprint, and CO2 emissions of conventional cement manufacturing. This shift from traditional practices targets minimising the carbon footprint throughout the whole cement manufacturing process.

  • Clinker substitution: Substitution of high-carbon clinker with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in order to considerably lower emissions.
  • Alternative binders: Developing cementitious systems that require minimal or no clinker, reducing reliance on traditional methods.
  • Novel cements: Introducing new types of cement that depend less on limestone/clinker, utilising alternative modified processes and raw materials.
  • Energy efficiency and alternative fuels: Optimising energy utilisation in production and substituting fossil fuel with cleaner alternatives coming from waste or biomass.
  • Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS): Trapping CO2 emissions at cement plants for recycling or geological storage.

Drivers and strategic opportunities
Robust infrastructure development pipeline: The government’s continued and massive investment in infrastructure (roads, railways, housing, smart cities) generates huge demand for cement. Crucially, there is a growing preference and sometimes direct requirement under public tenders for sustainable building materials, including green cement, which is giving a significant market stimulus.
India’s national climate commitments (NDC and Net Zero 2070): India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement (NDCs) and the long-term goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070 have set a clear direction for industrial decarbonisation. This national strategy necessitates action from high-emitting sectors such as cement to adopt green cement technologies and carbon-reducing innovations across the construction value chain. Notably, the Indian cement industry alone is expected to generate nearly 400 million tonnes of GHG emissions by 2030.
Regulatory mandates for fly ash utilisation: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has released a number of binding notifications that promote the use of fly ash from thermal power plants. These guidelines seek to reduce environmental impact by enhancing its extensive application in cement production, particularly in Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC). Fly ash acts as a pozzolanic material, reacting with calcium hydroxide to produce cementitious compounds, hence decreasing clinker consumption, a high-energy component contributing to high CO2 emissions. Through clinker substitution facilitation, such mandates directly enable the production of low-carbon green cement.
Promotion and utilisation of blast furnace slag: Steel plant slag utilisation policies provide a ready SCM for manufacturing Portland Slag Cement (PSC). This is advantageous in terms of the supply of another key raw material for green cement manufacturing.

Increased demand due to green building movement
The larger adoption of green building codes and certification systems such as GRIHA and LEED India by builders and developers promotes the use of materials with reduced carbon content. Cement products with a higher SCM content or produced through cleaner processes are preferred. A step in this direction was achieved in October 2021 when Dalmia Cement achieved the distinction of being the first Indian cement producer to be granted the Green Product Accreditation of GRIHA.
The Indian industry is actively investing in R&D for new binders such as geopolymer cement, alkali-activated materials and limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). Research institutions including IIT Madras are collaborating with industry to scale these technologies. Although Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) is still at a nascent stage in India, it represents a potential frontier for long-term decarbonisation in the cement sector.
The MoEFCC has published draft regulations under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), 2023, in the form of the Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity Target Rules, 2025. The draft notification requires 186 cement units in India to lower their GHG emission intensity from FY 2025-26. Non-compliant manufacturers will have to purchase carbon credit certificates or face penalties, creating a clear regulatory and financial incentive to adopt cleaner technology. The CCTS will promote technology and practice adoption that reduces the carbon intensity of cement manufacturing, potentially resulting in the use of green cement and other low-carbon substitutes for cement.
India’s leading cement companies like UltraTech, Shree Cement, and Dalmia Bharat have made science-based targets and net-zero emissions pledges in line with the GCCA 2050 Cement and Concrete Industry Roadmap. These self-declarations are hastening the shift towards clean cement manufacturing technology and renewable energy procurement.

Challenges and complexities in India’s green cement transition
Economic viability and cost challenges: High production costs associated with low-carbon cement technologies remain a significant hurdle. The absence of strict carbon pricing and poor financial incentives slow down rapid uptake on a large scale. Although green cement is currently costlier than conventional options, greater market adoption and scale-driven efficiencies are expected to progressively narrow this price gap, enhancing commercial viability over time. As these technologies mature, their broader deployment will become more feasible.
Inconsistent supply chain of SCMs: A dependable supply of high-quality Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), such as fly ash and slag, is crucial. But in the course of decarbonisation of India’s power generation and industry sectors, SCMs reliability and availability may become intermittent. Strong, decentralised logistics and material processing units must be developed in order to provide uninterrupted and economical SCM supply chains to cement producers.

Gaps in technical standards and performance benchmarks
Although PPC and PSC are well-supported by existing BIS codes, standards for newer materials such as calcined clay, geopolymer binders and other novel SCMs require timely development and updates. Maintaining steady performance, lasting robustness, and usage dependability in varying climatic and structural applications will be key to instilling market faith in other forms of cement formulation. Market stakeholders are also supporting separate BIS codes for the green cement sub-categories for helping to build and sustain standardisation and trust.

Scaling of emerging technologies
Scaling promising technology, especially CCUS, from pilots to commercial scales within the Indian context involves significant investment of capital, technical manpower, and a facilitating regulatory environment. The creation of infrastructure for transportation and long-term storage of CO2 will be critical. While these facilitative systems are implemented, cement makers will be well-placed to decarbonise their operations and achieve national sustainability goals.

The way ahead
The Indian cement industry is poised to enter a revolutionary era, where decarbonisation and sustainability are at the heart of expansion. Industry players and the government need to join hands in an integrated manner throughout the cement value chain to spearhead this green revolution. Cement companies must embrace new technologies to lower the emissions like the utilisation of alternative fuels like biomass, industrial wastes, and recycled materials and utilisation of waste heat recovery systems to make energy efficient. The electrification of logistics and kilns, investigation of high-heat alternative products, and CCUS technology investments must be made to decarbonise production. Sophisticated additives such as polymers can improve cement performance with reduced environmental footprint.
At the policy level, the government has to introduce support measures such as stable carbon pricing, tax relief, viability gap funding, and initiatives such as the PLI scheme to encourage the use of renewable energy in cement manufacturing. Instruments such as carbon contracts can stabilise carbon credit prices and reduce market risk, encouraging investment in low-carbon technologies. Updating BIS standards for newer green cement formulations and SCMs is also critical for market acceptance and confidence. Green cement mandates in public procurement and long-term offtake contracts have the potential to generate stable demand, and green financing windows can guarantee commercial viability of near-zero carbon technologies. Cement greening is not a choice, it is a necessity for constructing a climate-resilient, sustainable India.

About the author:
Milind Khangan, Marketing Manager, Vertex Market Research, comes with more than five years of experience in market research and lead generation. He is responsible for developing new marketing plans and innovations in lead generation, having expertise in creating a technically strong website that generates leads for startups in market research.

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