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Ambuja Cements and ACC invests in 4.0 for ‘Plants of Tomorrow’ programme

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Ambuja Cements and ACC have invested in Industry 4.0 under its ??lants of Tomorrow??programme. These initiative aims to make cement manufacturing more efficient through better plant optimisation, higher plant availability and a safer working environment. The Plants of Tomorrow??programme is part of parent company Holcim?? Strategy 2022 ????uilding for Growth?? which was launched globally in July 2019.

It?? a four-year programme that aims to create a global network of over 270 integrated cement plants and grinding stations in more than 50 countries by applying automation technologies and robotics, artificial intelligence, predictive maintenance and digital twin technologies to the entire production processes.

The ??lants of Tomorrow??initiative is simultaneously implemented in other key markets for Holcim in Switzerland, France, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Russia.

Neeraj Akhoury, CEO India Holcim and Managing Director and CEO of Ambuja Cements Limited said, ??s an industry leader we are looking at ??lants of Tomorrow??as a big opportunity and responsibility to place India on the map of global cement manufacturing. This path-breaking project will lead to transformative outcomes not just in terms of operational and financial gains but also make cement manufacturing in the country environmentally sustainable and create a safe work environment for our colleagues across all our plants.??/p>

As compared to a conventional cement plant, the ??lants of Tomorrow??certified operation promises 15 to 20 % more operational efficiency, the company said.

Furthermore, the company also has initiated another Plants of Tomorrow initiative, called as PACT – the Performance and Collaboration Tool ??which effectively focuses operational decisions based on data about weekly operations, monthly performances, projects and actions.

Both companies have already implemented tools such as Distributed Control System (DCS), Tool Location System (TLS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) to increase plant efficiency and uptime. The companies have also introduced Internet of Things (IoT) across the manufacturing value chain by leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning through the project EDGE to facilitate rapid deployment of predictive models and seamless connectivity with plant data sources.

The company stated that the ??lants of Tomorrow??programme also encompasses several initiatives that lead to predictive quality (cement fineness, cement quality) and predictive maintenance (VRM failure, refractory life) and also help optimise energy consumption per ton of cement and enable cost savings.

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Concrete

BMC Cement Concretisation Cuts Pothole Repairs By 70 Per Cent

Project worth Rs 170 billion (Rs 170 bn) aims to concretise 1,900 km by 2027

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s cement concretisation project, valued at Rs 170 billion (Rs 170 bn), has reduced expenditure on pothole repairs by 70 per cent over three years. Spending on repairs fell from Rs 2.02 billion in 2023–24 to Rs 1.56 billion in 2024–25 and then to Rs 890 million (Rs 890 mn) in 2025–26. The current tender is expected to be about Rs 440 million, representing a further 50 per cent reduction.

The project is being executed in two phases, with Phase I covering 307 km from October 2023 and Phase II covering 370 km from October 2024. The Indian Institute of Technology is auditing Phase II and will now also audit Phase I to ensure quality and accountability. Mumbai’s total road network spans approximately 2,050 km, of which about 1,200 km had been converted to cement concrete before 2022.

Since 2022 an additional 677 km were taken up for concretisation and nearly 71 per cent of that work, amounting to 481 km, has been completed. Municipal officials indicated that 10–15 per cent of the remaining work is expected to be completed by May 2026 and another 10 per cent by December 2026. The entire programme is scheduled for completion by May 2027, by which time nearly 1,900 km of Mumbai’s roads are expected to be fully concretised.

The administration has also developed a real time dashboard that displays detailed information about contracts, contractors and progress and citizens can access the latest updates online. The dashboard includes contact details for the civic officials and contractors responsible for particular roads to enhance transparency and accountability. The commissioner directed that ongoing works be completed by 31 May ahead of the monsoon to safeguard completion targets and minimise disruption.

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Concrete

Shree Cement Approves Rs 1,800 Crore Meghalaya Plant

Integrated unit to be completed by quarter ending March 2028

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Shree Cement has approved the establishment of an integrated cement plant in Meghalaya, signalling a targeted capacity expansion to serve regional demand. The board cleared a unit at Village Daistong in East Jaintia Hills District with a clinker capacity of zero point nine five million tonnes per annum (mn t) and a cement capacity of zero point nine nine million tonnes per annum (mn t). The project was approved on April four, 2026 and is designed as a new addition to the company’s production network where it currently has no existing plant.

The company has earmarked an estimated investment of Rs 1,800 crore (Rs 18 billion (bn)) for the project, which will be financed through a mix of internal accruals and debt. Management has indicated a balanced financing strategy to preserve cash flows while supporting long-term growth and operational investment. The financing approach is intended to avoid over reliance on external borrowing and to maintain financial discipline during the build out.

The plant is expected to improve logistics efficiency and compress distribution distances to emerging demand centres in the north-east, potentially lowering transportation costs and lead times. By locating production closer to demand the company aims to strengthen market access and respond more effectively to regional construction activity. The project forms part of a broader strategy to diversify the production base across geographies and reduce concentration risk.

Execution is planned over a multi-year window with completion targeted by the quarter ending March 2028 and the company will proceed with construction and requisite regulatory clearances. The integrated design is intended to enhance operational control and production efficiency once operational. The decision follows a regulatory filing dated April four, 2026 and the disclosed details have not been independently verified.

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WCA Welcomes SiloConnect as associate corporate member

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The World Cement Association (WCA) has announced SiloConnect as its newest associate corporate member, expanding its network of technology providers supporting digitalisation in the cement industry. SiloConnect offers smart sensor technology that provides real-time visibility of cement inventory levels at customer silos, enabling producers to monitor stock remotely and plan deliveries more efficiently. The solution helps companies move from reactive to proactive logistics, improving delivery planning, operational efficiency and safety by reducing manual inspections. The technology is already used by major cement producers such as Holcim, Cemex and Heidelberg Materials and is deployed across more than 30 countries worldwide.

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