Concrete

Paving the way for a carbon-negative cement industry

Published

5 years ago

March 21, 2022

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Sanjay Wali, National Sales, Marketing & Logistics Head, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd, discusses the in-roads the company has made in making production processes more sustainable and in making cement a greener product.

For 80 years, we followed a growth path that mirrored India’s promise and growth opportunities. Our philosophy of ‘Clean and Green is Profitable and Sustainable’ has helped us deliver on the expectations of our stakeholders, create sustained value for the larger ecosystem and show the way for responsible growth to others. Our focused product strategy has been a critical factor propelling us to the leadership position in the manufacturing of green cement.

Leading the sector’s green movement

Sustainability led growth has always been our top priority. We are committed to becoming carbon negative by 2040, and for this very purpose, we created a roadmap to bring down our carbon footprint. Our carbon footprint at 492 kg CO₂/ tonne of cement (specific net CO₂) is one of the lowest group averages in the global cement sector. We installed 9.90 MW of solar and 21.70 MW of Waste Heat Recovery based power generation systems and plan to significantly increase solar and Waste Heat Recovery power generation to run our operations with more fossil-free electricity by the end of FY23. Through our continuous efforts and by proposing to use 100 per cent renewable energy by FY30, we are well on our way to leading the green movement within the sectors we operate in.

Responsible production and consumption

We understand that with leadership, comes responsibility. Therefore, as a leading proponent of ‘Green Cement’, we consume the waste produced by other industries and ensure that the waste produced at our facilities, both hazardous and non-hazardous is disposed-off as per legal requirements and in a responsible manner. In FY21 we utilised 7.83 million tonnes of alternative cementitious material and 0.2 MnT alternative fuels, which includes industrial wastes, for the pyro process. Both these waste categories were sourced from other companies. In comparison to this, the waste generated and disposed of by us stands at a mere 10,245 tonnes.

Encouraging stakeholder partnership towards a net-zero pathway

We recognise the importance of reducing carbon emission causing global warming and are committed to climate protection to become a carbon negative cement group by 2040. We are one of the first few cement companies to commit to the Mission Possible Partnership setting science-based targets, and join the First Mover’s Coalition as founding members. Our defined ambition is to become carbon negative by 2040, beyond net-zero and well before the cement sector roadmap’s 2050 targets. We are proud to declare that as of FY21, we are already well below the current global Net Zero pathway target for the cement sector.

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Related Topics:Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd Sanjay Wali

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Hard Worker Wins Three Honours at Kyoorius Design Awards

Ramco Cements’ brand secures Grand Prix and two Blue Elephant honours.

Published

2 days ago

September 21, 2026

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The Ramco Cements Limited’s construction chemicals brand, Hard Worker, has won three honours at the Kyoorius Design Awards 2026, including the Grand Prix – Grey Elephant in the Design in Action category.

The brand also secured two Blue Elephant honours, one for Design in Action and another for Packaging, recognising the design approach behind its brand identity and packaging.

Launched in 2025, Hard Worker entered the construction chemicals segment with the brand promise, “Hard-working products for hardworking people.” Its visual identity uses animals and birds to represent product benefits. The camel represents the water-retention capability of Hard Worker Eco Plaster, while the cheetah represents the speed and performance of Hard Worker Block Fix.

The visual language has been extended across packaging, retail, communication, literature, digital platforms and other brand touchpoints. Hard Worker uses bold colours, distinctive animal illustrations and simple visual storytelling to communicate product benefits across markets and audiences, including construction workers and applicators.

“For Hard Worker, design was never an afterthought. It was fundamental to how we wanted to build the brand. In a category that is largely functional, we wanted to create a brand that people could recognise, understand and remember instantly. The Kyoorius recognition is a wonderful validation of this design-led approach,” said Mr. AV Dharmakrishnan, CEO, The Ramco Cements Limited.

Mr. Balaji K. Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, Ramco Cements said “In a category where communication has traditionally been product-led and functional, we wanted Hard Worker to stand apart by making design an integral part of the brand experience. From the distinctive animal-led packaging to our communication across consumer and trade touchpoints, every element was designed to make the brand more memorable and the product benefits easier to understand.”

Within its first 12 months, Hard Worker crossed Rs 3.5 bn in sales. The latest recognition follows six honours secured by the brand’s campaign at the Kyoorius Creative Awards earlier in 2026, including the Grey Elephant Grand Prix for its Eco Plaster film.

The Kyoorius Design Awards recognise outstanding design work in India’s visual communications sector across multiple categories and platforms. The 2026 awards were announced on 12 September in Goa.

The Ramco Cements Limited is part of the Ramco Group and operates across cement and allied building-material solutions. Hard Worker is its construction chemicals brand, offering solutions across key construction applications.

Concrete

Cement Firms to Invest Rs. 130 bn in Green Energy by FY28

Cement companies plan to expand clean energy capacity to 6 GW by FY28

Published

6 days ago

September 17, 2026

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India’s major cement companies are set to raise their clean energy capacity to 6 GW by March 2028 from around 4 GW at the end of March 2026, according to ratings agency ICRA. The planned expansion is expected to involve investments of Rs. 130 bn over the next two years.

The additional capacity could generate annual savings of Rs. 62 bn to Rs. 67 bn, resulting in an estimated payback period of 1.8 to 2.2 years. Cement is an emission-intensive industry, and leading producers have established net-zero roadmaps covering the next 15 to 20 years.

The calcination process accounts for 57 to 60 per cent of the sector’s total emissions, while fuel combustion contributes 27 to 30 per cent and electricity consumption accounts for 10 to 13 per cent. ICRA said the figures highlighted the need for a broad decarbonisation strategy involving green power, blended cement, alternative fuels and improvements in clinker efficiency.

Green energy is considered one of the most commercially attractive decarbonisation options because it can reduce emissions while lowering operating costs. Every 5 per cent increase in green power replacement can reduce power and fuel costs by Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per tonne. A 25 per cent replacement level could therefore save Rs. 75 to Rs. 80 per tonne and expand operating margins by 140 to 160 basis points.

Cement producers are also assessing carbon capture, utilisation and storage, although high implementation costs, energy requirements and limited transport and storage infrastructure are expected to slow commercial adoption. The government has proposed Rs. 200 bn over five years to support deployment across key sectors. Meanwhile, companies are targeting thermal substitution rates of 10 to 15 per cent over the next three to five years, compared with the current industry level of around 6 per cent.