Concrete

Bouncing back

Published

4 years ago

December 21, 2021

admin

The Ready made Concrete segment is in an expansion mode now with the demand spiralling.

The Ready made Concrete segment is in an expansion mode now with the demand spiralling. While technology will redefine the segment, the industry will also look at being greener and more sustainable.

The global pandemic disrupted all segments including infrastructure, cement, and aggregators. It started to rebound in the current year with green shoots from the infrastructure and other construction segments. No doubt that the infrastructure sector is one of the leading growth drivers for the Ready Made Concrete (RMC) segment. Supportive measures from the government and the allocation of $24.27 billion transport infrastructure development in the Union Budget FY2020-2021, is a clear indicator of the sector regaining its lost sheen.

The construction of 440-meter-long tunnel in the Chamba town on the Rishikesh-Dharasu road Highway (NH 94) by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the metro construction in distinct parts of the country, are driving the growth of the ready-mix concrete (RDC) market.

“The global ready-mix concrete market size was valued at $491.6 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach $766.6 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.5% from 2019 to 2026” according to a report published by Allied Market Research. The report stated, “The manufacturers of ready-mix concrete are focusing on business expansion and acquisition as key strategies to increase their market share. For instance, in July 2019, Ambuja Cement, a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim Ltd, a Swiss multinational company acquired the capacities in the ready-mix concrete to increase its customer base in India.”

The RMC market as per the stakeholders has bounced back to the pre -Covid level and is expected to register a double-digit growth in the current year. This is primarily because of the uptake seen in the infrastructure, commercial and the residential segment.

As per Techsci Research report, the Indian RMC market was valued at $ 2378.11 million in FY2020-21 and is predicted to grow at CAGR of 16.21%to reach $3954.26 million by 2026.

The demand started rising from the First/Second quarter of this year FY2020-21. Industry captain pegged estimate the demand to rise by around 15 percent in the coming quarter, to the the pre-covid era growth rate. The infrastructure development has also pricked up momentum with the boost from the government.

Coupled with the demand rise from the commercial and residential sectors—both of which has kept investments on hold because of the lockdown, the segment is loosening up its purse strings in a big way. There is a conversion towards RMC, especially in tier-2 cities where the acceptability has been increased.

“Urban areas residential developers shifted towards RMC a while ago. Percentage wise, we have probably only 10 percent of the overall RMC volume in housing. Retail housing is still not a lucrative segment for ready mix, but the residential large buildings (high-rise) have adopted RMC in big cities,” said a sector expert requesting anonymity.

Simultaneously, as players in the industry were scouting options to reduce operational costs, Covid accelerated the process of adapting technology implementation in an industry which was dependent on manual operations. For instance, RFID replaced the human workforce in the movement of raw materials and the outward movement of finished products; a process earlier managed by 100 percent managed by the human workforce. While some benefits of the tech investments were intangible, what made the industry gurus happy was the use of tech to optimize workforce utilization and ease the process.

Prashant Jha, Chief Ready-Mix Business, Nuvoco Vistas Corp, said, “The recovery of the construction sector and sturdy growth opportunities in residential and infrastructure construction projects are expected to boost the demand for construction materials. Currently, RMC capacity is close to 45 million cm3. With a boost to infrastructure and government initiatives such as Housing for All, we expect a CAGR of 7-10 percent over the next five years.”

The concerns regarding the safety of the employees during the Covid, followed by the government compliance on safety also accelerated the IT process integration. All industries took time to adjust to the new normal: work from home or remote workforce and client and employee meetings over video conferencing apps.

Technologies

The RMC sector saw increased level of automation in the last two years. Many RMC players adapted to digitized processes and automated plants. Beginning from sensors to IoT devices, the journey has just begun.

Anil Banchhor, Managing Director & CEO, RDC Concrete India said, “We have adopted automation to the level that a person sitting at home can do the batching at the factory, or from Nagpur or Hyderabad can operate a plant in Mumbai. The investment is less as compared to the benefits, like a person who can operate two plants instead of one remotely.”

For RMC, the mechanisation process began even before Covid. However, people who were dependent on the manual process of moving concrete from ground to higher floors started using concrete pumps. It was a visible shift, and this could be pegged against a sudden shortage of labour.

Challenges and material crisis

One of the reasons attributed to labour shortage was the GoI’s sudden decision to stop popular movement to prevent the spread of Corona virus. While the move several impacted several industries, the RMC manufacturers too could not supply raw materials to the sites. Even as the industry was inversely impacted, it was also the first to rise and help the government by voluntarily reducing the entry of trucks within city limits. If the move impacted the industry’s overall logistics and optimization process, it did not complain, but urged the government to re-look at the imposed sanctions especially in bigger cities.

The pandemic that hit the globe, also hit the international supply chain segment. The RMC segment faced shortage of raw materials: admixtures and plasticizers. Volatile pricing added to the problems, industry insiders lamented.

According to an industry insider, “While the raw materials are now available, they are being sold at a higher rates; this directly impacts the cost of production. This is one of the reasons why the RMC cost has gone up recently.”

Little wonder than that the RMC industry is looking at alternatives to cut cost.

Alternatives

The segment has been experimenting a lot with alternate materials. Big players in the segment have made concentrated efforts to use industrial by-products in RMC to decrease wastage but also reduce the impact on the environment.

It is a continuous process, and the companies are confident in optimising the use of industrial by-products.

“We are using a couple of alternatives in our RMC plants. One is the ultra-fine, second is M-sand or the engineered sand because of the challenges sourced in river sand,” said Anil of RDC Concrete.

Overall, the industry is seeing a shift towards more sustainable concrete and adapting newer technologies to reduce carbon footprint. As a next step, the industry is to use vertical plants because of the lack of land. Since the vertical plants are cleaner and require less space, they are appropriate for the Indian and the urban settings.

When it comes to recycling of construction material which is a thrust area for the industry, India is right at the beginning as a country. The noticeable change is that there are a lot of recycling units springing up across the country.

Previously, the construction demolition (C&D) materials were dumped outside the cities without any control. But a positive news is that the practise is slowly changing. Most RMC companies have partnered with dedicated vendors to segregate C&D aggregates.

The initiative is buoyed by the Bureau of Indian standards that allows only certain percentage of C&D materials in the RMC segment. Most companies who have begun the compliance process said that it is a work in progress.

The future:

The RMC segment is in an expansion mode. An expert who did not wish to be named, informed, “There will be more RMC plants coming up in distinct parts of the country, even in smaller cities and towns. This means that the industry will require to use a lot more technology to scale up and replicate the processes, and to monitor the quality of raw materials.”

he next phase of automation would involve AI and IoT, the expert informed. “The advanced tech deployments will enable the industry to comply with its commitment to reduce carbon footprint by 2050. A lot of investment is also going towards R&D into alternative materials; more in reduced costs of alternative materials which are touted to improve product performance,” the expert stated.

While technology will redefine the segment, the industry will also look at being greener and more sustainable. From including more C&D material in manufacturing to industry by-products and M-sand as aggregators, the industry at the same time will gear up to be carbon neutral. As a small and a first step, many companies have started adopting e-vehicles for a better future.

Renjini Liza Varghese

Concrete

The primary high-power applications are fans and mills

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2025

admin

Alex Nazareth, Whole-time Director and CEO, Innomotics India, explains how plants can achieve both cost competitiveness and sustainability by lowering emissions, reducing downtime and planning for significant power savings.

As one of the most energy-intensive industries, cement manufacturing faces growing pressure to optimise power consumption, reduce emissions and improve operational reliability. Technology providers like Innomotics India are enabling this transformation by combining advanced motors, AI-driven digital solutions and intelligent monitoring systems that enhance process stability and reduce energy costs. From severe duty motors built for extreme kiln environments to DigiMine AI solutions that optimise pyro and mill operations, Alex Nazareth, Whole-time Director and CEO, Innomotics India, explains how the company is helping cement plants achieve measurable energy savings while moving closer to their sustainability goals.

How does your Energy Performance Contracting model typically reduce power consumption in cement plants—e.g., MWh saved?
Our artificial intelligence-based DigiMine AI Pyro and Mill solutions developed specifically for the cement industry, supports our customers in improving their process stability, productivity and process efficiency. In Pyro, this is achieved by optimising fuel consumption (Coal / AFR), reducing Specific Heat Consumption and reduction in emissions (CO2, SOx and NOx) through continuous monitoring of thermodynamics in pyro and recommending set-points of crucial parameters in advance for maintaining stable operations.
Within the mill, this is achieved by improving throughput, reduce energy / power consumption and maintaining stable operations on a continuous basis. Our ROI-based value proposition captures the project KPIs like reduction of coal usage, increase of AFR, reduction of specific heat consumption (Kcal / Kg), reduction of specific power consumption (KWH / tonne), reduction of emissions, etc., by a specific percentage. This gives clarity to our customers to understand the investment vis-à-vis savings and estimate the recovery time of their investment, which typically is achieved within one year of DigiMine AI Pyro and Mill solutions implementation.

What role do digitalisation and motor monitoring play in overall plant energy optimisation?
Motors are being used extensively in cement production, and their monitoring play crucial role in ensuring continuous operation of applications. The monitoring system can automatically generate alerts for any anomaly / abnormalities in motor parameters, which allows plant team to take corrective actions and avoid any major equipment damage and breakdown. The alerts help maintenance team to plan maintenance schedule and related activity efficiently. Centralised and organised data gives overview to the engineers for day-to-day activities. Cement is amongst the top energy intensive industries in comparison to other industries. Hence, it becomes critically important to optimise efficiency, productivity and up-time of plant equipment. Motor monitoring and digitalisation plays a vital role in it. Monitoring and control of multiple applications and areas
within the plant or multiple plants becomes possible with digitalisation.
Digitalisation adds a layer on top of OT systems, bringing machine and process data onto a single interface. This solves the challenges such as system silo, different communications protocol, databases and most importantly, creates a common definition and measurement to plant KPIs. Relevant stakeholders, such as engineers, head of departments and plant heads, can see accurate information, analyse it and make better decisions with appropriate timing. In doing so, plant teams can take proactive actions before machine breakdown, enable better coordination during maintenance activities while improving operational efficiency and productivity.
Further using latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence can even assist operators in running their plant with minimal requirement of human intervention, which allows operators to utilise their time in focusing on more critical topics like analysing data to identify further improvements in operation.

Which of your high-efficiency IEC low-voltage motors deliver the best energy savings for cement mills or fans?
Innomotics India offers a range of IEC-compliant low-voltage motors engineered to deliver superior performance and energy savings, particularly for applications such as cement mills, large fans, and blowers. Innomotics has the complete range of IE4 motors from 0.37kW to 1000kW to meet the demands of cement industry. The IE5 range is also available for specific requirements.

Can safe area motors operate safely and efficiently in cement kiln environments?
Yes, safe area motors are designed to operate reliably in these environments without the risk of overheating. These motors have ingress protection that prevents dust, moisture ingress and can withstand mechanical stress. These motors are available in IE3 / IE4 efficiency classes thereby ensuring lower energy consumption during continuous operation. These motors comply with relevant Indian as well as international standards.

How do your SD Severe Duty motors contribute to lower emissions and lower cost in heavy duty cement applications?
Severe duty motors enhances energy efficiency and durability in demanding cement applications, directly contributing to lower emissions and operational costs. With high-efficiency ratings (such as IE3 or better), they reduce power consumption, minimising CO2 output from energy use. Their robust design handles extreme heat, dust and vibration—common in cement environments—ensuring reliable performance and fewer energy losses.
These motors also lower the total cost of ownership by reducing downtime, maintenance and replacement frequency. Their extended service life and minimal performance degradation help cement plants meet sustainability targets, comply with emissions regulations and improve overall energy management—all while keeping production consistent and cost-effective.

What pump, fan or compressor drive upgrades have shown approximately 60 per cent energy savings in industrial settings and can be replicated in cement plants?
In the cement industry, the primary high-power applications are fans and mills. Among these, fans have the greatest potential for energy savings. Examples, the pre-heater fan, bag house fan, and cooler fans. When there are variations in airflow or the need to maintain a constant pressure in a process, using a variable speed drive (VSD) system is a more effective option for starting and controlling these fans. This adaptive approach can lead to significant energy savings. For instance, vanes and dampers can remain open while the variable frequency drive and motor system manage airflow regulation efficiently.

Concrete

We conduct regular internal energy audits

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2025

admin

Shaping the future of low-carbon cement production involves integrating renewables, digitalisation and innovative technologies. Uma Suryam, SVP and Head Manufacturing – Northern Region, Nuvoco Vistas, gives us a detailed account of how.

In an industry where energy consumption can account for a significant portion of operating costs, cement manufacturers are under increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices without compromising efficiency. Nuvoco Vistas has taken a decisive step in this direction, leveraging digitalisation, renewable energy and innovative technologies to drive energy efficiency across its operations. In this exclusive conversation, Uma Suryam, SVP and Head Manufacturing – Northern Region, Nuvoco Vistas, shares its approach to energy management, challenges of modernising brownfield plants and its long-term roadmap to align efficiency with India’s net-zero vision.

How has your company improved energy efficiency over the past five years?
Over the past five years, we have prioritised energy conservation by enhancing operational efficiency and scaling up renewable energy adoption. Through strategic fuel mix optimisation, deployment of cleaner technologies, and greater integration of renewables, we have steadily reduced our environmental footprint while meeting energy needs sustainably.
Technological upgrades across our plants have further strengthened efficiency. These include advanced process control systems, enhanced trend analysis, grinding media optimisation and the integration of solar-powered utilities. Importantly, grid integration at our key plants has delivered significant cost savings and streamlined energy management.
A notable milestone has been the expansion of our solar power capacity and Waste Heat Recovery Systems (WHRS). Our solar power capacity has grown from 1.5 MW in FY 2021–22 to 5.5 MW, while our WHRS capacity has increased from 44.7 MW to 49 MW, underscoring our commitment to sustainable energy solutions.

What technologies or practices have shown the highest energy-saving potential in cement production?
One of our most significant achievements in advancing energy efficiency has been the successful commissioning of a 132 KV Grid Integration Project, which unified three of our major manufacturing units under a single power network. This milestone, enabled by a dedicated transmission line and a state-of-the-art Line-In Line-Out (LILO) substation, has transformed our energy management and operational capabilities.
With this integration, we have substantially reduced our contract demand, eliminated power disruptions, and enhanced operational continuity. Supported by an optical fibre network for real-time communication and automation, this project stands as a testament to our innovation-led manufacturing excellence and underscores Nuvoco’s vision of building a safer, smarter, and sustainable world.

What role does digitalisation play in achieving energy efficiency in your operations?
Digitalisation plays a transformative role in driving energy efficiency across our operations. At Nuvoco, we are leveraging cutting-edge technologies and advanced digital tools to enhance productivity, optimise energy consumption and strengthen our commitment to sustainability and employee safety.
We are developing AI-enabled dashboards to optimise WHRS and kiln operations, ensuring maximum efficiency. Additionally, our advanced AI models evaluate multiple operational parameters — including fuel pricing, moisture content and energy output — to identify the most cost-effective fuel combinations in real time. These initiatives are enabling data-driven decision-making, improving operational excellence and reducing our environmental footprint.

What is your long-term strategy for aligning energy efficiency with decarbonisation goals?
As part of India’s climate action agenda, the cement sector has laid out a clear decarbonisation roadmap to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2070. At Nuvoco, we view this as both a responsibility and an opportunity to redefine the future of sustainable construction. Our long-term strategy focuses on aligning energy efficiency with decarbonisation goals by embracing innovative technologies, alternative raw materials and renewable energy solutions.
We are making strategic investments to scale up solar power installations and enhance our renewable energy mix significantly by 2028. These initiatives are a key part of our broader vision to reduce Scope 2 emissions and strengthen our contribution to India’s net-zero journey, while continuing to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers.

How do you measure and benchmark energy performance across different plants?
We adopt a comprehensive approach to measure and benchmark energy performance across our plants. Key metrics include Specific Heat Consumption (kCal/kg of clinker) and Specific Power Consumption (kWh/tonne of cement), which are continuously tracked against Best Available Technology (BAT) benchmarks, industry peers and global standards such as the WBCSD-CSI and CII benchmarks.
To ensure consistency and drive improvements, we conduct regular internal energy audits, leverage real-time dashboards and implement robust KPI tracking systems. These tools enable us to compare performance across plants effectively, identify optimisation opportunities and set actionable targets for energy efficiency and sustainability.

What are the key challenges in adopting energy-efficient equipment in brownfield cement plants?
Adopting energy-efficient technologies in brownfield cement plants presents a unique set of challenges due to the constraints of working within existing infrastructure. Firstly, the high capital expenditure and relatively long payback periods often require careful evaluation before investments are made. Additionally, integrating new technologies with legacy equipment can be complex, requiring significant customisation to ensure seamless compatibility and performance.
Another major challenge is minimising production disruptions during installation. Since brownfield plants are already operational, upgrades must be planned meticulously to avoid affecting output. In many cases, space constraints in older facilities add to the difficulty of accommodating advanced equipment without compromising existing layouts.
At Nuvoco, we address these challenges through a phased implementation approach, detailed project planning and by fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration across our plants. This helps us balance operational continuity with our commitment to driving energy efficiency and sustainability.

Concrete

Enlight Metals Supplies 3,200 Tonne of Steel for Navi Mumbai Airport

The airport is set to become Asia’s largest air connectivity hub.

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2025

admin

Enlight Metals has supplied 3,200 metric tonne of steel for the newly inaugurated Navi Mumbai International Airport, marking a major contribution to one of India’s largest infrastructure projects and reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting national development.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport, developed under a Public-Private Partnership led by the Adani Group, was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The airport is set to become Asia’s largest air connectivity hub, enhancing regional connectivity, boosting economic growth, and expanding trade opportunities. Prime Minister Modi described the project as a “glimpse of Viksit Bharat,” highlighting its transformative impact on infrastructure and development in the region.

“The supply of 3,200 metric tonne of steel for this key project aligns with our focus on supporting critical infrastructure development through reliable and timely metal sourcing. Enlight Metals is committed to enhancing transparency and efficiency in the steel supply chain, contributing to projects integral to India’s growth objectives,” said Vedant Goel, Director, Enlight Metals.

Enlight Metals has implemented technology-driven solutions to strengthen supply chain efficiency, ensuring consistent availability of construction materials for large-scale projects nationwide. Its contribution to the Navi Mumbai International Airport underscores the company’s growing role in supporting India’s infrastructure development initiatives.

This milestone reflects Enlight Metals’ ongoing engagement in delivering quality materials and timely services for major national projects, further cementing its position as a reliable partner in India’s infrastructure sector