Economy & Market

The Indian growth story got a temporary jolt but it is bottoming out

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2021

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Bidyut Bhattacharya, Chief Technical Director, Sinoma International Engg Co India Positive about the potential of the country, Bidyut Bhattacharya, Chief Technical Director, Sinoma International Engg Co India explains that though the Indian industry saw a bad patch on the road to economic growth, the way forward is still exciting. The mature cement industry can definitely make use of some policy changes that will put the industry back on track in 2014. Excerpts from the interview.

Has the economic slowdown impacted production capacity augmentation or the setting up of new cement plants?
There is no denying the fact that there was a serious economic slowdown in India, over the last couple of years, resulting in a dismal GDP growth rate. Consequently, cement consumption has suffered and created a large overcapacity situation. So it is natural that new cement capacity augmentation has not been too encouraging.

Are we in the state of cement production overcapacity?
Yes, we are in a state of overcapacity of cement for the time being. In the backdrop of sub five percent growth rate, rough estimates project a figure of as high as 80 to 100 million tonnes of overcapacity in the country. The situation is even more precarious in the southern belt.

What policy changes can help the cement industry regain momentum from the year 2014 onwards?
The first and foremost requirement would be to boost investor sentiment. Enabling polices and a stable vision for the future is equally mandatory. The low-capacity utilisation of already installed production lines is troubling. To improve cement consumption, the economic growth rate is vital. In this respect, we strongly feel that government spending and regulatory clearances of large infrastructure projects will play an important role to revive not only the cement industry but the overall economy as well. Housing sector is also vital for cement consumption.

One of the major reasons/excuses for the present day reduced level of capex spending on new projects lies in regulatory hurdles and inordinate delays in clearances. This needs to be taken care of.

Higher cost of borrowing is another impediment to new investments in this sector. For a supportive interest rate regime, food inflation specifically, needs to be controlled with particular focus on supply side bottlenecks.

Energy sourcing is another bottleneck for the cement sector. Cement plants are highly energy- intensive and require both thermal energy in form of coal (in the case of India) and electrical power. Quality/quantity and the cost of both these energies seem to be bothering the Indian cement industry. The issue of lower quality coal need to be addressed by blending imported high grade coal. Supply of more washed coal from CIL would help. For power, co-generation (through WHR technology) would give a big relief and should be made mandatory as it is in China. Usage of alternate fuels is also vital.

Which new design trends are we likely to see in cement plants and the supporting systems?
The Indian cement industry, over the years, has employed the best available technology for production. Thanks to a high degree of blended cement utilisation, Indian cement producers are at the forefront of fuel and electrical energy consumption on a per- tonne- of- product basis. An additional benefit in terms of sustainability is lower per tonne CO2 emission. Stricter regulatory requirements are leading increasingly towards greener technologies; and they, in turn, lead to further energy efficiency.

Utilising a Vertical Roller Mill (VRM) or roll press circuit in finish grinding mode for raw material grinding is the industry norm today, and it provides a significant energy cost reduction over the traditional closed circuit ball mill system. Likewise, for coal grinding also, a vertical mill is used. For the energy-intensive finish grinding process, the ball mill plus roll press system is widely popular. In specific cases where slag grinding is involved with high per cent moisture, VRM technology for finish grinding is used. Only in extreme cases today, do we get request for close circuit ball mill for grinding; it is inherently less energy efficient. High efficiency separators are standard today for all milling systems.As regards the pyro-processing area, Indian cement producers continuously strive to achieve the lowest specific fuel consumption along with high power saving. High efficiency fourth generation grate coolers are being utilised widely since they provide high recuperation efficiency along with lower maintenance interventions. As the total cooling air requirement reduces from the earlier 2.2Nm3/kg clinker to say, 1.8Nm3/kg clinker, there is a lot of savings through reduced exhaust air and fans power consumption. To achieve lower fuel consumption, six stage pre-heater systems is the popular choice along with in-line calciners. Advanced low NOx technologies are utilised in many cement plants. For process fans, a static efficiency = 82 per cent and use of variable speed drives reduces power consumption.

Do you see the demand for WHR systems growing in the future?
Waste Heat Recovery is slowly catching up in India. It is imperative to make WHR a mandatory requirement for any new cement plant, as is already the case in some countries. A significant portion of the energy requirement can be sourced through utilisation of waste heat from the pre-heater and cooler. In this context, Indian cement producers/consultants need to do a more specific, case to case basis, cost -benefit analysis for the six-stage vs. Five-stage pre-heater system, specifically when raw material moisture is high or when civil design parameters like wind speed/seismic conditions are not favourable. There is also the need to account for additional time taken for six- stage construction.

What is the scope for alternative fuels in cement plants?
Considering the dwindling quality/supply of domestic coal and logistic issues of imported supply, a variety of alternate fuels are being utilised cost-effectively. Not only Pet coke but a host of other materials from tyres to rice husk, plastic, sawdust are all being used. Utilisation of municipal wastes/sludge is still in its infancy in India primarily due to supply-side bottlenecks. It is worthwhile to mention here that cement pyro-processing systems are highly suitable for burning waste material, apart from contributing to the calorific value, due to the very high incineration temperature, close to 1,800 to 2,000deg C at the flame zone, higher residence time like five to six sec in calciners, assimilation of heavy metals in the clinker, negligible dust emission through kiln bag filters and dry dust curtains with high surface area in the pre-heater, etc.

What are your suggestions for improving energy efficiency in cement plants?
In terms of overall energy efficiency, we at Sinoma strongly recommend Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) from both the kiln and grate cooler. For the coolers themselves, we recommend fourth generation walking floor type or moving bar/S-type grate coolers. High efficiency, high momentum burner pipes are a must. Modern design low pressure drop high efficiency pre-heater cyclones also plays an important part. For grinding, we recommend the roll press and vertical mills depending upon the process and materials.

As an EPC service provider and supplier of critical plant and machinery what was 2013 like for you?
In the backdrop of poor growth rate and not much positive investor sentiment, 2013 was not a very encouraging year for the industry overall.

However, we are rather bullish on the India story. India cannot and shall not remain a sub 5 per cent growth rate country for long. The Indian growth story got a temporary jolt but is bottoming out. Already green shoots are visible. If we consider the stock markets reflect, at least to some extent, investor sentiment, clearly the sentiment is positive with indices hovering around all- time highs. Even events like the start of QE tapering made virtually no dent. The Indian currency stabilised rather quickly. Smart moves by the RBI in tackling the CAD issues have fortified confidence further. The expectation of a strong and stable government coming to power in May/June 2014, is boosting the overall outlook. Clearance of some high profile infrastructure projects through the Cabinet Committee is a big positive. With a favourable monsoon and the start of the harvesting season, easing of inflation expectations is widely anticipated.

Considering all this, we anticipate a much more exciting time from the second half of 2014 onwards.

Economy & Market

Leonard Unveils Dual-Head Robotic Arm for Hazardous Industrial Demolition

Published

7 days ago

October 30, 2026

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Leonard unveils Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve industrial safety and reduce shutdown time by up to 50 per cent.

Industrial robotics and refractory services specialist Leonard has launched Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve safety, accelerate maintenance and reduce shutdown times in hazardous industrial environments. The system made its debut at Lisahally Power Station in Northern Ireland, removing 25 tonnes of slag material within hours.

Developed for the cement, metals, waste-to-energy and petrochemical industries, Descender Duo enables remote-controlled refractory demolition, anchor cutting and welding, and refractory spraying inside boilers, calciners and silos. Its vertical-access design eliminates the need for personnel to enter confined, high-risk spaces during these operations.

Weighing less than two tonnes, the pre-assembled system requires an access opening of just 1.2 m². Supported by an external overhead hoist, it uses electrically operated hydraulic stabilising legs to secure itself inside vessels. The robotic arm offers 360-degree rotation and is suited to vessels approximately 9 m in diameter, with its operating reach extendable through strategically positioned access points.

Equipped with two independently controlled robotic heads, Descender Duo can perform identical or different tasks simultaneously, including refractory demolition, anchor cutting and spraying. Its remote-control system incorporates live camera feeds, allowing operators to monitor operations without entering hazardous environments.

According to Leonard, the technology can deliver time savings of up to 50 per cent compared with manual methods. Its ability to operate at temperatures exceeding 100°C allows maintenance to begin as early as 24 hours after burner shutdown. An all-electric power supply further supports cleaner and more cost-efficient operations.

First Deployment Demonstrates Shutdown Efficiency

The system was first deployed at Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor’s (BWSC) Lisahally Power Station in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The facility generates electricity from grade C waste wood, supplying approximately 40,000 homes and businesses.

Leonard and BWSC collaborated to develop a customised solution for the plant’s 26-metre furnace, where extensive external pipework created significant access challenges.

Mark Leonard, Managing Director, Leonard, said, “It required new thinking and rather than step away from the problem we were committed to solving it for the customer, with the customer. We’re relentless in our approach to tackling complex challenges, head-on. We took our years of cement plant experience, coupled with our working knowledge of the BWSC plant, and designed, engineered and tested a completely new vertical solution within just seven weeks from that initial conversation with the customer. That solution was the Descender Duo as we know it today.”

Traditionally, the furnace required a cooling period of up to 36 hours before preparatory work could begin, followed by manual slag removal using rope-access personnel. With Descender Duo, work commenced just 24 hours after shutdown, reducing downtime by up to one day.

The deployment removed 25 tonnes of slag within hours, eliminated the need for at least six workers to enter the hazardous furnace interior and saved 26 hours in the shutdown programme.

“The effectiveness exceeded expectation,” said Martin Doran, Plant Manager at Lisahally Power Station.

“When the Descender Duo concept was first discussed, we had to spend some time with the team from Leonard looking at how it was going to be moved into the furnace. Every site is different and that presented its own challenges, but nothing that the team couldn’t overcome. Once it was installed we were hugely impressed by its efficiency.”

Expanding Industrial Robotics Applications

Descender Duo joins Leonard’s existing portfolio of robotic maintenance solutions, including the Axis horizontal-access arm, Nano confined-space access arm, Charger cement mill media recharging system and Calibre cement mill media grading system.

Headquartered in Northern Ireland, Leonard provides robotic refractory demolition, installation, inspection and industrial maintenance services across the cement, metals, energy, biomass, glass and civil engineering sectors.

Formerly known as G Leonard, the company has more than 35 years of industry experience and operates across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

The latest innovation reinforces Leonard’s focus on replacing hazardous manual processes with robotic systems that improve workforce safety, enhance operational efficiency and minimise industrial downtime.

Concrete

Martin Engineering Appoints Ashwini Khunte as India General Manager

Published

1 week ago

October 30, 2026

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Martin Engineering names Ashwini Khunte India General Manager to strengthen operations and drive growth across key bulk material handling sectors.

Pune

Martin Engineering, a global provider of bulk material handling solutions, has appointed Ashwini Khunte as General Manager of its India business, strengthening its leadership as the company expands its presence across the country’s cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure sectors.

Khunte brings more than a decade of experience with Martin Engineering, having joined its Indian operations in 2013 as a Design Engineer, shortly after the company established its presence in the country in 2012.

A mechanical engineer by qualification, she spent her initial five years developing bulk material handling solutions in collaboration with the company’s operations team. During this period, she gained extensive experience addressing operational challenges in the steel, cement and coal industries. She subsequently moved into project engineering, managing major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) projects from initial enquiry to commissioning. Her responsibilities later expanded to overseeing Martin Engineering’s conveyor product portfolio in India, involving customer engagement, technical presentations and site visits across heavy industries.

In 2024, Khunte was promoted to Head of Sales & Marketing for the company’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) region. The position broadened her international market exposure and strengthened her strategic and commercial leadership capabilities.

Commenting on her appointment, Ashwini Khunte, General Manager, Martin Engineering India, said: “India represents a tremendous opportunity for Martin Engineering. The country’s continued investment in cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure is creating increasing demand for safer, cleaner and more productive bulk material handling, and that’s exactly what we do. My priority will be to build on the strong foundations already established in India, while continuing to develop our people, strengthen customer relationships and bring practical solutions to the challenges faced by our industry.”

Robert Whetstone, Area Vice President – EMEAI, Martin Engineering, highlighted Khunte’s technical expertise, market understanding and leadership experience.

“Ashwini brings an exceptional combination of technical understanding, customer knowledge and commercial leadership. She has grown as Martin Engineering has grown, and has consistently demonstrated outstanding capability to transform her expertise into practical solutions. Her knowledge of the Indian market, together with her international experience, makes her ideally suited to lead our India business through its next stage of growth for years to come.”

Since establishing its Indian business in 2012, Martin Engineering has expanded its local workforce, manufacturing capabilities and dealership network. The company supplies conveyor products, transfer point solutions, material flow aids, training and technical support to bulk material handling industries. Khunte’s appointment positions the company to further strengthen customer relationships and expand its solutions portfolio in India’s growing industrial and infrastructure markets.

Concrete

Fornnax Wins AIRIA’s Special Export Award for Rubber Machinery in 2025-26

Published

3 weeks ago

October 19, 2026

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Fornnax Technology Pvt. Ltd. has been honoured with the Special Export Award – Rubber Machinery for 2025–26 by the All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), in recognition of its highest exports of tyre recycling plants to the European region.

With more than a decade of experience in India’s tyre recycling industry, Fornnax has contributed to the development of advanced recycling technologies and infrastructure. The company currently holds a 90% market share in India’s domestic tyre recycling sector, while exports account for 30% of its business, spanning markets such as Europe, Australia and the GCC.

The award marks another milestone for Fornnax, whose tyre recycling lines and advanced shredding technologies are supporting the growth of the circular economy in India and international markets.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Founder and Director of Fornnax, said:

“This honour from AIRIA is a reflection of an incredible journey we have undertaken over the years. When we started Fornnax, there was no established recycling industry in India to follow. We chose to build for the future instead. Today, when you see India’s tyre recycling sector, it has already transformed into a dynamic, high-growth industry and we are extremely proud to have played our part in building it.”

Unlike standalone equipment suppliers, Fornnax focuses on developing complete, high-capacity recycling infrastructure. Its integrated systems combine multiple stages of shredding and size reduction to enable efficient, continuous operations. This system-level engineering approach helps recycling operators improve throughput, equipment reliability and operational consistency.

The recognition reinforces Fornnax’s commitment to developing engineering technologies that contribute to a more efficient and circular recycling ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its international presence while continuing to develop advanced shredding and recycling solutions to address the growing volumes and evolving requirements of the global recycling industry.

For more information, visit: www.fornnax.com