Economy & Market

Cement Industry – Moving towards sustainable growth

Published

4 years ago

October 14, 2021

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The cement industry in India has been steady on the path of sustainable growth, after it became a "free commodity" in 1989. The industry made phenomenal progress in terms of production volume, technology and product upgradation. The challenge now is to continue this growth in a sustainable manner. Dr J D Bapat has a few insights to share on this.

India today boasts of modern state-of-the-art large capacity cement plants, and the quality of Indian cement is at par with the best produced anywhere in the world. Moreover, India is expected to overtake developed countries like USA, UK and Canada in terms of per capita cement consumption by 2025.

In the Indian cement sector, there are 70 companies with 183 large and 360 mini cement plants; the majority (94 per cent) of the production comes from the large cement plants. The cement sector shares 1.3 per cent of the national GDP and employs about 140,000 persons. In terms of production capacity, at present, the Indian cement industry is positioned at second rank, globally. The cement production units are located near the limestone reserves, for the requirement of consistent supply of raw materials and the economy. Hence, clusters of cement plants are built near the limestone reserves; 13 such clusters account for nearly 75 per cent of the capacity. The production units away from limestone reserves are established on the split-grinding concept. Since cement is a high-bulk-low-value commodity, the competition is localised, as the cost of transportation to longer distances often makes the product uncompetitive in distant markets. The cement consumption is linked to the cycles of economy and the climate, reaching its annual peak in the month of March and bottom in the months of August-September.

Growing energy demand
The energy consumption per unit mass of production, both thermal and electrical, has been brought down considerably through modernisation and productivity enhancement efforts. The thermal and electrical energy consumption achieved in the modern Indian cement plant is comparable with the best obtained globally. The decomposition of the raw material, limestone, creates most (about 60 per cent) of the cement industry’s direct CO2 emissions; the rest comes from coal burning and power generation. Whereas the cement installed capacity has increased from 168×106 t/a in 2006 to nearly 350×106 t/a in 2013, the CO2 emissions have also increased correspondingly though the rate of increase is lower.

Reduced emissions
In fact, a study conducted by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) indicates that the net CO2 emissions per tonne of cementitious, globally, have reduced by 17 per cent. This has been achieved mainly by partial substitution of clinker with the Pozzolanic and cementitious materials, such as fly ash and blast furnace slag. The proportion of blended cement produced the country is currently about 67 per cent and is likely to touch 80 per cent of the total, in the coming years. It could be said that the cement industry in India has achieved a significant partial decoupling of economic growth, represented by the cement production and absolute CO2 emissions.

Some Indian cement majors have signed a co-operation pact to support low-carbon investments in India. The pact was signed in Geneva with the member companies of WBCSD Cement Sustainability Initiative and International Finance Corporation (IFC). There are some negative factors that need to be tackled, some through technology upgradation and some through improved policy framework.

The electricity supply is unreliable in many areas of the country, hence cement producers have installed their own captive power plants with high efficiency boilers and, more recently, waste heat recovery installations. Although the specific power consumption has been substantially reduced through modernization and productivity enhancement measures, there are certain barriers to bring it down further, namely high investment costs required for major retrofits, stringent emission limits require more power for dust separation and demand for high performance requires substantially high grinding energy for fine grinding of cement.

Alternative fuel
The fuel used in cement manufacture is mineral coal. In view of the poor railway transport linkage and the low quality and high cost of coal in the open market, many cement companies import coal, which is expensive. The alternate fuels in the kiln reduce dependence on coal. Some plants have substituted mineral coal with petcoke (solid carbonaceous residue produced by thermal decomposition of heavy petroleum fractions or cracked stocks, or both), partially or fully, for kiln burning. The alternative fuels currently used by the cement industry include domestic and industrial wastes (mainly solid).

The cement kiln is particularly well-suited for such fuels for good reasons: the organic constituents (even toxic) are completely destroyed due to high temperature, long residence time and oxidising condition in the kiln, the acidic gases get neutralised coming in contact with alkaline materials in the kiln, the energy component substitutes for fossil fuels and the inorganic components i.e., ashes, get integrated into the clinker product. These are effective substitutes with lower CO2 emissions than traditional solid fuels. The typical alternative fuels used by the cement industry are pre-treated industrial and municipal solid wastes (domestic waste), discarded tires, waste oil and solvents, plastics, textiles and paper residues, biomass: animal meal, logs, wood chips and residues, recycled wood and paper, agricultural residues like rice husk, sawdust, sewage sludge, biomass crops. These wastes may otherwise be burnt in incinerators, land filled or improperly destroyed. The substitution of alternate fuels for cement production is about 10 per cent, globally; in India it is much less. In some European countries, the average substitution rate is over 50 per cent for the cement industry.

Cement capacities
The report prepared by the Tariff Commission, Government of India, indicates reduction in the cement capacity utilisation from 93per cent in 2006-07 to 74 per cent in 2010-11, and the situation has not much changed since then. However the requirement of the installed capacity to the tune of 1035×106 t by 2027, almost three times the current installed capacity, has also been projected. The cement demand will be mainly driven by the infrastructure and housing sectors, in the coming years. More than improving the capacity utilisation, it is likely to create problem in the availability of limestone reserves. The forecast says, with the current level of capacity utilisation, the limestone reserves may last for only the next 35-41 years. That is an area of concern.

The following measures may be considered, if the march of Indian cement industry towards sustainable growth is to be continued.

Petcoke burning: Besides the cost savings, the use of petcoke enables use of low or marginal grade limestone as raw material. This single factor leads to the extension of mine life, natural resource conservation and reduction in CO2 emissions.

Alternate fuels: Technically, it is possible to increase the substitution rate of alternate fuels for the kiln. Some Indian cement majors have already taken an initiative in that direction. The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Basel Convention (March 1989) discussed and devised the "Technical guidelines on the environmentally sound co-processing of hazardous wastes in cement kilns." These guidelines were adopted by the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, in October 2011; India has ratified these guidelines. An appropriate amendment to the Hazardous Waste Management (HWM) Rules is required so that pre- and co-processing can be efficiently undertaken by the cement industry, in gainfully utilising the wastes.

Limestone utilisation: Ensure gainful utilisation of low and marginal grade limestone through application of appropriate technology.

Blended cement: The application of blended cement improves strength and durability of concrete. The use of Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) and Portland slag cement (PSC) should be encouraged in all public works. It appears, some government departments still have reservations about the use blended cement or the application of mineral admixtures in concrete, which could be sorted out through discussion. The relevant Indian Standard Specifications should be modified, in line with ASTM C5952, to allow greater utilisation of mineral admixtures in cement and concrete. The high volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC) and blending of limestone powder with cement are some examples. Huge quantity of ash is dumped in lagoons near the thermal power stations. Efforts are required to use it in construction, without or with processing. Rice husk ash (RHA) is a promising mineral admixture, for Indian conditions. The government may consider starting a ‘RHA Mission’for its proper utilisation.

Infrastructure and manpower: The growth in cement production will lead to an increase in the demand of various resources required for producing and distributing cement. The transport infrastructure and availability of skilled manpower may become major bottlenecks, unless proactive steps are taken.

References

"Mineral Admixtures in Cement and Concrete", Jayant D. Bapat, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2012.
Parlikar Ulhas, "From Grey to Green: Waste Co-processing in Cement Kilns", Cement Business & Industry (CBI) India & South Asia 2013, 9-10 October 2013, Mumbai, India.
"Review of Performance of Cement Industry for the Year 2010-11", Tariff Commission, Government of India.
"Cement Technology Roadmap 2009", World Business council for Sustainable Development.
"The Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI)", World Business council for Sustainable Development, Joe Phelan, October 2013.
Bapat J D, "Petcoke as Fuel for Cement Production: Benefits and Challenges", Cement Business & Industry (CBI) India & South Asia 2013, 9-10 October 2013, Mumbai, India. http://www.slideshare.net/jdbapat/petcoke-fuel-forcementdrbapat
Sarda Rajesh, "Indian Cement Sector Outlook", Cement Business & Industry (CBI) India & South Asia 2013, 9-10 October 2013, Mumbai, India.

Dr JD BAPAT

Jayant D. Bapat works as an independent consultant for cement manufacturing, concrete, He is a TUV certified CDM Expert in Energy and Environment for Cement Sector.
Earlier (1994-2011) he was a faculty, Director and Principal at the engineering colleges affiliated to the University of Pune (India). He also worked at senior positions at the National Council for Cement and Building materials (NCB) (1975-1991), New Delhi and Walchandnagar Industries Ltd. (WIL) (1991-1994), Walchandnagar. WIL is a leading cement machinery manufacturer. He has 38 years long standing experience in cement manufacturing, testing durability of concrete and utilisation of industrial and agricultural wastes in building materials. He has gained hands-on experience in preparing technical specifications for modern cement plants and equipment costing.
His book, "Mineral Admixtures in Cement and Concrete" has been published by CRC Press, USA, in August 2012. You can know more about him and his work at www.drjdbapat.com.

Indian Standard Specifications should be modified, in line with ASTM C5952 to allow greater utilisation of mineral admixtures in cement.

Economy & Market

RAHSTA Roundtable Sets Agenda for Smarter, Safer Highways

Published

19 hours ago

March 16, 2026

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Roundtable discussions focus on innovation for safer highways.

Held on 12 March 2026 at Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai, alongside the Infrastructure Today Airport Conclave, the RAHSTA Roundtable brought together stakeholders from across the highways and infrastructure ecosystem to shape the agenda for the 16th RAHSTA 2026, scheduled for 8–9 July 2026 at the Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai. The session focused on key industry themes including road construction, technology, safety and long-term sustainability.

Opening the discussion, Pratap Padode, Founder, FIRST Construction Council, said the roundtable marked the beginning of a broader consultative process leading up to the July event. The aim, he noted, is to bring together industry stakeholders to refine the agenda for discussions on the future of roads, bridges, tunnels and allied infrastructure.

Padode noted that while central road project awards have slowed in recent years, states are increasingly driving the next phase of infrastructure growth. Maharashtra, with its long-term road development plans and agencies such as MSRDC and MSIDC, is expected to play a significant role in this expansion.

RAHSTA Expo 2026 as a specialised platform dedicated to road infrastructure, covering highways, tunnels, bridges and flyovers along with construction technologies, safety systems and maintenance solutions. He also highlighted the growing importance of rural connectivity and said the organisers are engaging with government bodies to highlight rural road development initiatives.

Tanveer Padode, CIO, ASAPP Info Group, presented insights from IMPACCT, the group’s infrastructure intelligence platform. He pointed to a strong project pipeline despite slower highway awards earlier in the year, noting that states such as Maharashtra, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh are emerging as key drivers of new projects. The data also revealed that only a small group of contractors participates in large-value infrastructure bids.

Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhary, former Director General, Border Roads Organisation and Chairman of the RAHSTA Expo Committee, emphasised the need for stronger collaboration across the ecosystem, including policymakers, contractors, technology providers and financiers. He also called for addressing systemic issues within the sector and encouraged greater participation of women in infrastructure leadership.

The discussion also explored the evolving economics of road development. Phani Prasad Mandalaparthy, Associate Director, CRISIL Intelligence, noted that the slowdown in project awards reflects a shift towards higher-value logistics corridors rather than simple road widening projects. However, private participation through BOT and TOT models remains limited.

From the contractors’ perspective, Sudhir Hoshing, Whole-Time Director, Ceigall, said companies are becoming more selective in bidding, favouring projects with clearer payment mechanisms and efficient processes. While NHAI continues to offer greater operational clarity, states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were cited as relatively supportive environments for project execution.

Durability and sustainability also emerged as key themes. Himanshu Agarwal, COO – Road & Infrastructure, Zydex Group India, highlighted the need to prioritise lifecycle performance and resilient pavements, while participants discussed the potential of alternative materials such as plastic waste, steel slag and industrial by-products in road construction.

Dr LR Manjunatha, Vice President, JSW Cement, emphasised that India has abundant fly ash, slag and other industrial materials that can improve durability and sustainability if integrated into specifications and policy frameworks.

Technology and equipment challenges were also discussed. Dr Lakshmana Rao Mantri, Dy General Manager, Afcons Infrastructure, highlighted the shortage of tunnel boring machines (TBMs), which is delaying several underground infrastructure projects. Participants agreed that developing domestic TBM manufacturing capabilities will be critical for future infrastructure expansion.

The future of concrete pavements was another area of discussion. Dr V Ramachandra, President, Indian Concrete Institute, stressed that the debate should focus on lifecycle performance rather than material choice alone, noting that evolving design standards are improving the feasibility of concrete roads.

Prof Dharamveer Singh of IIT Bombay added that while India has made significant progress in infrastructure development, stronger capacity building and better execution practices are essential to ensure consistent road quality.

The discussion also touched upon technology adoption in the sector. Rushabh Mamania, Partner & CBO, Roadvision, highlighted the growing role of AI in road infrastructure, noting that AI-driven monitoring systems are already being deployed across large stretches of national highways.

Overall, the roundtable underscored that the future of highway infrastructure will depend not only on the pace of construction but also on durability, safety, technology integration and sustainable materials. The discussions offered valuable insights that will help shape the agenda for RAHSTA 2026 and guide future collaboration within the industry.

Economy & Market

CTS Roundtable Charts Tech-Led Roadmap for Construction

Published

19 hours ago

March 16, 2026

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CTS Roundtable Maps Technology Roadmap for Construction

Ahead of the Construction Technology Show (Con Tech Show) 2026, industry leaders, technology innovators and academia came together in Mumbai to deliberate on how digitalisation, automation and industrialised construction can reshape the sector. The discussion made one thing clear: construction can no longer afford to treat technology as optional.

Held on 12 March 2026 at Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai, alongside the Infrastructure Today Airport Conclave, the CTS Roundtable served as a precursor to the Construction Technology Show 2026, scheduled for 19–20 August 2026 at NESCO, Mumbai.

A platform to move from discussion to deployment

Opening the session, Pratap Padode, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, ASAPP Info Global Group, said construction technology has long remained close to his heart, especially given the sector’s traditionally slow pace of technology adoption. He noted that over the years, the Construction Technology Summit had steadily built interest, and the next step was now to expand it into a larger, more meaningful platform that could bring together technology providers, users, startups and innovators under one roof.

Padode said the vision for CTS is not limited to software alone. The platform aims to embrace all forms of technology that can improve construction efficiency, quality and execution—from digital tools and project management systems to lean construction, off-site fabrication and startup-led innovation. He also highlighted plans to deepen startup participation and create space for young companies to showcase emerging construction solutions.

Industry at a turning point

Moderating the roundtable, Naushad Panjwani, Chairman, Mandarus Partners, set the context by pointing out that the global construction industry, despite being a multi-trillion-dollar sector, continues to lag in productivity. He noted that while manufacturing has consistently improved efficiency, construction has remained slow to modernise.

Referring to both global and Indian trends, Panjwani underlined that the industry is now at a decisive moment. India, he said, is entering a major build cycle, and delivering the next phase of infrastructure and real estate growth through traditional methods alone is no longer viable. The goal of the roundtable, therefore, was not to debate technology in isolation, but to identify the most critical conversations that would bridge the gap between innovation and implementation.

His central message was clear: CTS 2026 must be shaped around themes that make CEOs, CIOs and CTOs feel they cannot afford to miss the event.

From BIM to AI, data to governance

A major theme that emerged through the discussion was the need for better data, better visibility and better decision-making. Dr Venkata Santosh Kumar of IIT Bombay echoed this, saying that the underlying data infrastructure itself needs attention. Construction projects, particularly remote ones, often face issues around connectivity, data collection and data use. Without this foundation, more advanced technologies cannot deliver their full value.

Chandra Vasireddy, CEO & Co-founder, Inncircles, expanded the discussion to governance, arguing that technology must help connect the many moving parts of a construction business. For him, the real value of digital transformation lies in creating better governance, clearer visibility and stronger business outcomes.

Tejas Vara of Inncircles stressed the importance of timely site data for leadership teams, especially in large and remote projects where decisions on materials, machinery and manpower often get delayed because information does not reach headquarters in time.

The role of AI also featured prominently. Rushabh Mamania, Partner and CBO, Roadvision said that while AI and machine learning are now common terms, vision intelligence and language intelligence have still not deeply penetrated the construction sector. He emphasised that startups in India are building relevant AI-led solutions and are already attracting international interest, showing that innovation need not be imported—it can be built locally and scaled globally.

Industrialised construction gains ground

The roundtable also placed strong emphasis on industrialised construction methods. Kalyan Vaidyanathan, CTO – Construction & R&D, Tvasta, called for greater focus on off-site fabrication and the broader industrialisation of construction. Bhargav Jog, General Manager, Dextra, highlighted precast technology and alternative sustainable materials as areas with immediate relevance.

Several participants agreed that modular, precast and pre-engineered approaches are no longer niche ideas. They are increasingly becoming practical responses to the sector’s challenges around labour shortage, timelines, quality control and predictability.

Anup Mathew, Sr VP & Business Head, Godrej, argued that the industry needs a fully integrated approach—from design and procurement to execution and asset management. Unless these are connected, technology adoption will remain fragmented and sub-optimal. He pointed to pre-engineered and modular systems as examples of how industrial thinking can compress timelines, improve quality and reduce dependence on difficult on-site conditions.

Adoption remains the biggest hurdle

While there was broad agreement on the promise of technology, the discussion repeatedly returned to one fundamental challenge: adoption.

Abhishek Kumar, COO, LivSYT, observed that the market is crowded with solutions, but many buyers still struggle to evaluate which technology suits which use case. According to him, the industry needs clearer frameworks to help users select, compare and adopt solutions, rather than expecting a single platform to solve every problem.

Dr Tenepalli JaiSai, Associate Professor, School of Construction(SoC), NICMAR University, noted that isolated technologies will not solve the productivity problem by themselves. What is required is an integrated Construction 4.0 approach, where digital, physical and cyber-physical systems work together rather than in silos.

That concern around silos was reinforced by Subodh Dixit, former Director, Shapoorji Pallonji, who said the issue is not just that technologies are disconnected, but that stakeholders are as well. Clients, consultants, contractors and partners often operate with different priorities. Unless these silos are broken, technology will struggle to percolate across the full project value chain.

Harleen Oberoi, Project Management, Tata Realty shared a practical perspective from the client side, saying that successful BIM implementation requires investment across the ecosystem, not just within one organisation. Trade partners, vendors and other stakeholders must also be trained and aligned if the technology is to deliver its intended results.

Beyond buzzwords

A notable takeaway from the session was that the industry is moving past the phase of treating technology as a buzzword. Participants repeatedly stressed that the real question is not whether technology should be used, but where it creates measurable value and how that value can be scaled.

The conversation also expanded beyond mainstream themes to include repairs and rehabilitation, construction and demolition waste, sustainability, circular economy, green sourcing, carbon measurement, design interoperability, generative design, robotics, and the role of horticulture and greener built environments.

Setting the agenda for CTS 2026

By the close of the session, the roundtable had surfaced a strong set of themes for the upcoming show: BIM and digital twins, AI and data platforms, industrialised construction, startup innovation, governance-led technology adoption, robotics, sustainable materials, and integrated project delivery.

More importantly, the session established CTS 2026 as more than an exhibition. It is shaping up to be a serious industry platform where users, technology providers, researchers and policymakers can collectively define the future of construction.

As Padode noted in his closing remarks, the conversation will continue through further consultations and possibly webinars in the run-up to the show. If the roundtable is any indication, CTS 2026 will aim not merely to showcase technology, but to push the industry towards meaningful adoption at scale.

Economy & Market

Smart Pumping for Rock Blasting

Published

2 weeks ago

March 2, 2026

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SEEPEX introduces BN pumps with Smart Joint Access (SJA) to improve efficiency, reliability, and inspection speed in demanding rock blasting operations.
Designed for abrasive and chemical media, the solution supports precise dosing, reduced downtime, and enhanced operational safety.

SEEPEX has introduced BN pumps with Smart Joint Access (SJA), engineered for the reliable and precise transfer of abrasive, corrosive, and chemical media in mining and construction. Designed for rock blasting, the pump features a large inspection opening for quick joint checks, a compact footprint for mobile or skid-mounted installations, and flexible drive and material options for consistent performance and uptime.

“Operators can inspect joints quickly and rely on precise pumping of shear-sensitive and abrasive emulsions,” said Magalie Levray, Global Business Development Manager Mining at SEEPEX. “This is particularly critical in rock blasting, where every borehole counts for productivity.” Industry Context

Rock blasting is essential for extracting hard rock and shaping safe excavation profiles in mining and construction. Accurate and consistent loading of explosive emulsions ensures controlled fragmentation, protects personnel, and maximizes productivity. Even minor deviations in pumping can cause delays or reduce product quality. BN pumps with SJA support routine maintenance and pre-operation checks by allowing fast verification of joint integrity, enabling more efficient operations.

Always Inspection Ready

Smart Joint Access is designed for inspection-friendly operations. The large inspection opening in the suction housing provides direct access to both joints, enabling rapid pre-operation checks while maintaining high operational reliability. Technicians can assess joint condition quickly, supporting continuous, reliable operation.

Key Features

Compact Footprint: Fits truck-mounted mobile units, skid-mounted systems, and factory installations.
Flexible Drive Options: Compact hydraulic drive or electric drive configurations.
Hydraulic Efficiency: Low-displacement design reduces oil requirements and supports low total cost of ownership.
Equal Wall Stator Design: Ensures high-pressure performance in a compact footprint.
Material Flexibility: Stainless steel or steel housings, chrome-plated rotors, and stators in NBR, EPDM, or FKM.

Operators benefit from shorter inspection cycles, reliable dosing, seamless integration, and fast delivery through framework agreements, helping to maintain uptime in critical rock blasting processes.

Applications – Optimized for Rock Blasting

BN pumps with SJA are designed for mining, tunneling, quarrying, civil works, dam construction, and other sectors requiring precise handling of abrasive or chemical media. They provide robust performance while enabling fast, reliable inspection and maintenance.With SJA, operators can quickly access both joints without disassembly, ensuring emulsions are transferred accurately and consistently. This reduces downtime, preserves product integrity, and supports uniform dosing across multiple bore holes.

With the Smart Joint Access inspection opening, operators can quickly access and assess the condition of both joints without disassembly, enabling immediate verification of pump readiness prior to blast hole loading. This allows operators to confirm that emulsions are transferred accurately and consistently, protecting personnel, minimizing product degradation, and maintaining uniform dosing across multiple bore holes.

The combination of equal wall stator design, compact integration, flexible drives, and progressive cavity pump technology ensures continuous, reliable operation even in space-limited, high-pressure environments.

From Inspection to Operation

A leading explosives provider implemented BN pumps with SJA in open pit and underground operations. By replacing legacy pumps, inspection cycles were significantly shortened, allowing crews to complete pre-operation checks and return mobile units to productive work faster. Direct joint access through SJA enabled immediate verification, consistent emulsion dosing, and reduced downtime caused by joint-related deviations.

“The inspection opening gives immediate confidence that each joint is secure before proceeding to bore holes,” said a site technician. “It allows us to act quickly, keeping blasting schedules on track.”

Framework agreements ensured rapid pump supply and minimal downtime, supporting multi-site operations across continents