Concrete

Duztec offers efficient spray technology solution

Published

5 years ago

October 19, 2021

admin

Past few years cement companies have been aggressively targeting at reducing energy consumption. How do you look at this trend? Please explain which cooling technique is energy efficient and why?
The resistivity of cement dust reduces with lower gas temperature. There is always a debate between air dilution and gas cooling with water. Dilution with air entails bigger size downstream equipment like a fan, motor, bag house size, etc. The efficiency of gas cooling with water is fifteen times more efficient than cooling with dilution air. Hence, air dilution is a drain on energy consumption and proper water spray technological solution is required and available, for reducing the gas temperature and thereby its volume.

Most industries today use gas filtration techniques to reduce dust from cement, lime, steel, and other plants. Kindly throw some light on the latest gas filtration techniques for the cement industry.
India has done quite well in addressing the process of dust emissions from the industries, as mandated by the legislature. However, the fugitive dust levels are alarmingly high. The PM2.5 and PM 10 levels are quite high compared to the legislative values, which are affecting human health and well-being. Our technology of producing the required droplet size to encapsulate the dust particle and making it heavy to settle down is our main know-how.

Gas conditioning towers (GCT) are being used in the cement plants to cool down hot gases from kilns. But due to less space in plants, do you see it as a challenge? I
n most modern plants, the GCT is getting phased out due to space constraints. However, the required gas cooling is being done in the Preheater downcomer duct or top cyclone. We have excellent water spray technology for PH downcomer and for TOP cyclone of cement plants.

What are the trends in the cement industry when it comes to selecting the best gas cooling product. Cost is one of the biggest factors. What are the other factors?
Gas cooling by an efficient water spray system is the most efficient cooling method by the laws of physics. Lesser the gas temperature, the gas volumes to be handled are lower, thereby lowering the size of downstream equipment, energy requirements, and the cost of production. Hence, wherever air dilution is taking place in a cement plant, we should look at installing efficient water spray systems. Nowadays, we have spray technology that can handle rejecting water/waste water from cement processes for gas cooling.

How was the demand in the year 2020? Was your business affected too? What were your strategies to survive and compete in the market?
Air Pollution has no holiday. So, our products were in demand and we did manage to grow a bit in 2020. The pandemic made it difficult to offer our services at the customer?? place, which has been our SOP.

Our strategy is to offer tailor-made solutions to our customers??requirements. We have a fluid mechanics laboratory in which the dust characteristics are studied, before the selection of our technology for the best and sustainable results.

How do you foresee business in the year 2021-22? Do you have any strategies for the third wave, if it may hit us soon?
It is the set direction of our sails, which determines the way we want to go. The wind direction does not determine our destination. The pandemic situation may come and go, but we believe in our long term strategy to innovate, focus on customer?? requirements, be agile, adapt to new business norms and be profitable. We have handled the last two waves successfully and are confident about the future business prospects.

Which of your products do you see will be the most popular selling products for the cement market? Why?
Our entire product line for gas cooling, fugitive dust control, odour control, cooling and humidification, mill injection systems. Our product lines are for specific applications which will improve the quality and productivity of our customers??processes.

Cement players are adopting the latest technologies to achieve plant efficiency and cost reduction. Kindly share your views.
Yes, the Indian cement industry is technologically superior compared to many other developed countries. Most of our plants are of capacities over 3000 TPD dry kiln process with 6 stage preheater towers. The latest plant capacities are in the region of 10,000 TPD with 7 stage preheater towers. The energy efficiency is comparable to the best in the business. The specific electrical consumption is also very low compared to the world average.

Kindly share your future roadmap/investments.
We are upbeat about our future plans. We will be expanding our product portfolio as soon as the pandemic is coming to an end. We are also looking to increase our production capacities mainly for export to European countries. We have a goal to double our sales by 2025.

Concrete

Aditya Birla Group Launches Ultravolt Wires And Cables Business

UltraTech extends building solutions into electrical wiring

Published

6 hours ago

September 9, 2026

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Aditya Birla Group has entered the wires and cables market through Ultravolt, extending UltraTech’s move from building materials into building solutions. The shift builds on UltraTech Building Solutions, a multi-category platform that already addresses customers across different stages of construction and extends beyond cement into ready-mix concrete, waterproofing, tile-fixing solutions and mortars.

The company intends to enter with scale, seeking presence across 100,000 retailers in more than 500 districts and availability through 5,000 plus UltraTech Building Solutions (UBS) outlets. The portfolio spans house wires, light-duty cables, communication cables, solar cables and low-tension and industrial cables to meet changing electrical requirements driven by solar installations, communications infrastructure and industrial automation.

An upstream advantage begins in the Group’s metals ecosystem, with conductor quality central to product performance. Ultravolt wires will use TruePure Copper, defined as 99.97 per cent pure electrolytic-grade annealed copper sourced from Hindalco, providing greater control over raw material quality and provenance and supporting electrical performance, safety and durability.

The business also targets the electrician community as a decisive influence on product choice and installation quality. The Wires and Cables Business has launched a Skill India Electrician Training Programme in partnership with the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India that aims to train and certify more than 40,000 electricians across India over the next year, focusing on safe wiring practices, correct installation and advanced wire technologies and offering Skill India-aligned certification and identification credentials.

The move combines market opportunity, UltraTech’s construction ecosystem, manufacturing capability and Group-level resources. A large Gujarat facility, advanced machinery and in-house testing and research and development underpin the product strategy, which is designed for both traditional and emerging applications. The ambition is to build a scaled national brand and become one of the top two players within five years, making the Group an integral participant in modern building infrastructure.

Concrete

Ramco Cements Mine Restoration Gets Global Biodiversity Certification

Pandalgudi mine restoration receives Advanced Certification from TGBS

Published

6 hours ago

September 9, 2026

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The ecological restoration of Ramco Cements’ limestone mine at Pandalgudi in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, has received international recognition with the site being awarded Advanced Certification by The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS). The recognition makes Pandalgudi the first site in Peninsular India to receive the certification and places it among globally recognised biodiversity restoration projects.

TGBS, recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), assesses biodiversity restoration projects based on scientific evaluation and their contribution to ecosystem recovery and local communities. The certification is supported by more than 250 scientists and academics worldwide.

Spread across over 500 acres of worked-out mine areas, the restoration project includes a certified 234-acre site. Initiated in 2018 with technical support from Auroville Botanical Gardens, the project began plantation activities in 2019 and is expected to be completed by 2027. More than 430,000 native trees and shrubs belonging to 150 ecologically significant species have been planted at the site.

The restored mine, which was once a barren landscape with limited biodiversity, has recorded over 72 bird species and 53 butterfly species. The project has also captured an estimated 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the past seven years, supporting broader sustainability and carbon reduction goals.

Opened officially in 2022, the site has attracted more than 13,000 visitors through educational programmes for schools, colleges and training institutions. The restoration initiative has also contributed to the development of the Rajapalayam Masterplan and supported Tamil Nadu’s carbon neutrality ambitions.

Commenting on the achievement, Mr P. R. Venketrama Raja, Chairman, Ramco Group, said the company aims for the Pandalgudi restoration project to serve as an inspiration and blueprint for the mining industry in India. Dr David Bartholomew, CEO, The Global Biodiversity Standard, highlighted the project’s long-term commitment to biodiversity recovery and independent assessment of ecological outcomes.

The certification reinforces Ramco Cements’ focus on sustainable mining practices and ecological restoration as part of its commitment towards a carbon-neutral future.

Concrete

Central Technical Team To Survey Sites For Bhadradri Kothagudem Airport

Delegation to assess feasibility and ground conditions

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2026

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A central technical team will visit possible sites identified for the Bhadradri Kothagudem airport in Telangana to assess their suitability for airport development. The team will conduct on-site inspections to evaluate terrain, accessibility and existing infrastructure and will examine factors relevant to safe operations and construction feasibility. The exercise is being carried out in coordination with the state government and local administration to ensure alignment with regional planning objectives.

Members will survey topography, drainage patterns, soil conditions and potential approach paths and will note proximity to habitations and transport corridors. The inspection team will interact with revenue officials, the public works department and representatives of the civil aviation authority to collect technical inputs and records. Satellite imagery and prior site reports will be reviewed alongside ground observations to develop a comprehensive assessment.

Environmental considerations will form a central part of the review, with attention to forest patches, water bodies and biodiversity corridors in and around shortlisted locations. The team will examine regulatory clearances required and will flag areas where detailed environmental impact assessment and mitigation planning are necessary. Land acquisition records and options for minimising displacement will be evaluated in consultation with district authorities.

Findings will be compiled into a technical report for submission to state and central agencies to inform subsequent decision making. The assessment is intended to support careful site selection and to identify infrastructure and connectivity requirements that would need to be addressed during project planning. Stakeholder consultations with local communities and businesses will be part of the follow up process to capture ground level concerns and logistical inputs. The state government will consider the technical report before taking further steps towards detailed design and approvals.