Cement companies are investing in new age technologies
Arvind Kakru, Director Sales, Rockwell Automation, talks about the difference digitisation can make in the cement manufacturing and distribution processes, its long term impact and its contribution to the sustainability efforts of the industry as a whole.
Arvind Kakru, Director Sales, Rockwell Automation, talks about the difference digitisation can make in the cement manufacturing and distribution processes, its long term impact and its contribution to the sustainability efforts of the industry as a whole.
How important is digital transformation in cement plants? How can it impact the business positively?
The cement plant of the future will have to focus on lower operating costs and higher asset values, which would mean higher energy efficiency, yield and throughput. The big levers for the cement plants would be carbon emission, yield and energy throughput, process utilisations, automations, and more.
The objective or the ultimate gains that people are looking at are demand driven production, streamline quality and compliance, data and knowledge driven efficiency, risk management and secure operation of the plant. A lot of it has to go from the smart manufacturing point of view, that would not only result in increasing the safety and automating the decision making but also improve reliability, increased efficiencies, improved process controls, reducing power consumption of their energy efficiency which is a big thing for cement plants. Also, looking at real time monitoring, reducing the carbon footprint and improving the operational flexibility. And there are some things that we potentially opt for as solutions around the smart manufacturing space would be smart yield optimisation, asset life cycle management, creative quality, intelligent machine manufacturing, productive asset reliability and much more. Such things possibly give access to technology led innovations, also go on a little deeper in meeting the regulatory compliance, which could be statuary in nature, related to quality, compliance or even manufacturing standards of the cement industry in general. Since we all know that cement is a big contributor to the carbon dioxide emission, and these solutions are not the solutions just from the operations point of view but sustainability point of view which is impactful.
What is the expected monetary investment by cement organisations to make their plants adapt to new digitalisation?
This would vary from plant to plants or manufacturer to manufacturer. Also, depending upon what stage of digital journey they are on right. , some people would be much more evolved and they already would have an investment, or seen business cases explained and executed. So, these are the people who possibly would spend much more.
People like us might be a little early in the cycle in that space. If I had to modify something, we would start from rupees forty to fifty lakhs, also which is around analytics and that could be used as a pilot case to be used to determine if there is a serious business case and that kind of investment would really pay off. Because the time for the execution would not be more than a few months and at the same point of time, the investment is not very much high. And they would possibly feel much more comfortable after evolving and evaluating that process and accordingly make the investments. This is a very little investment and such investments are coherent which means that can be evolved and still be connected with other sections of the plant that could be integrated at the later stage, they are scalable, and ultimately going plant wide or the enterprise wide. According to a McKinsey and Company study, estimates are that cement companies have seen about 6 to 12 per cent better optimisation from advanced analytics.
Other areas of benefit where small investments could result in big transformation could be processed digitalisation and process automation overall where 10 per cent to 15 per cent is the estimated gain on the productivity. So, Rs 40-50 lakh of investment could result in a much higher return of investment and possibly in less than a year. It could vary from a very small amount to ultimately a larger amount of capital expenditure which would be a few crore rupees but that could be distributed over a period of time. And if you go enterprise wide execution on the digital expansion or the digital roll outs for the programs looking at the multiple areas of the plant, process machinery, etc. it could go into a few years of capex and opex (recurring charges on the software that you possibly potentially upfront).
Multiple players in the industry are moving towards making cement production sustainable. How can your technology help in achieving those targets?
If you look at the labour for cement producers, they have increased in energy efficiency and use of alternate materials like fuel, raw materials, etc. The conventional measures to reduce carbon dioxide emission from cement manufacturing for further improvement in thermal energy efficiency and other innovative technologies that people keep on pursuing. This means all very significant in terms of transformation for the cement industry.
Talking about the commitment, by 2030 the cement industry contributes to possibly around 0.3 per cent annually, reducing the carbon emissions. So, process control becomes very critical to set your old machines to be very efficient, also making the plant connected which is a lot of technologies kept connected together because then you pull in individual resources and then get on to them at the corporate or an enterprise level which helps you look at everything like a dashboard or one consolidated level and that helps you to mind data through quality, production, process parameters and allowing operator to understand the energy consumption. Another big thing would be productive control, machine learning, etc. are some of the technologies that would be really helpful which possibly would help in productive maintenance forecasts. So when the failures occur, machine learning understands the forecasting orders and runs algorithms, which predict failures, categorises them, observe the pattern and notify the people who need to know the insights. They also reduce the down time to reduce the maintenance cost related to that.
AR, VR could be useful in space when you are looking at those downtimes, reducing them, and giving quality expert advice from remote rather than somebody physically travelling. This in turn results in quicker recovery or a turn-around time. Then there are things related to anomaly detection, which again comes from productive control or the machine learning part of cement operations such as grinding, blending, cooling, pre-heating. It detects failure or poor performance in the process and they also improve overtime making it easier for the cement plants to implement one or more solutions for persistent operative decision making. These are some of the areas, which really help in energy performance, lowering the operating cost, improving the quality like reduction of raw materials, fuels, and also emission related to greenhouse gas and reduction contribution, because of all these process improvements in digital programs.
Tell us about the technology supporting the ‘Connected Cement Plant’.
You look at multiple levels in a particular program, one of the things is the devices operating on the shop floor or the manufacturing site. They have to be intelligent otherwise how will you get the data? So, we have to ensure that all of the data on the field level are intelligent devices, as in they have control over the process, they have sensors in place and have software connectivity which throws off the data on the larger enterprise level. Next is that when you connect these IoT gateways, you ensure connectivity with process control with power equipment along the field which is actually controlling your machine and equipment in a particular manufacturing environment. And from there on you take it to the next level where you are controlling and after the monitoring, observing and taking a lot of data over there. Which is helping in supply chain simulations, process optimisation, conditioning monitoring equipment and then throwing up to the next level, which is connecting all the third-party enterprises. And then look at process optimisation and then you connect them to a particular platform, which can be a scale up platform, control platform or an IoT platform related to visual analytics, remote monitoring, productive analytics and ultimately connecting to the enterprise and the business applications. You are connecting the suppliers of the market to the consumers. If you have that end-to-end visibility, it?s a great thing in terms of controlling the manufacturing operations, getting most out of your assets and design building, upgrading with confidence so as to take necessary decisions. We could see big things in the last two years during the Covid times and that is a helpful outcome of the digital process in a connected cement plant.
Cement plants often face challenges in understanding the fluctuating demand of the market. How can automation come to aid this challenge?
Cement countries are further exploring and investing in new age technologies, which includes artificial intelligence, machine learning, business analytics, and digital control towers to control and enhance supply chain and logistics visibility. Demand forecast helps in managing the demand and supply of the products – let?s say ready mix cement and complete supply and consolidated network of checkpoints, milestones, needs to be monitored for a very organised transaction. PwC (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) study says that digitised supply chains are the major revenue booster for cement manufacturing companies. An outgrown supply chain performs complex tasks from inventory, procurement to distribution of finished goods. Also, streamlines demand and inventory sourcing and distribution to the channel partners in the value chain overall. So, other than the inventory management, on the transportation side, how much fuel is consumed by the truckers is also monitored. We could optimise the transportation and make real time decisions on how demand is ramping up at some places or scaling down. If you also carry multiple operations, the states and geographies have varied rates of cement. So, one has to consider whether it is possible to transport from one manufacturing location to another region which is a more efficient manufacturing location and also profitable or not? It can even expand from the supply chain side of it all the fluctuating demand rate actually connecting with the operation and the top line and bottom line of the company.
How does The PlantPAx® distributed control system (DCS) help achieve efficiency in design and feature? How can the impact be quantified?
If you typically look at the DCS system of the cement plant, it has a behavioural pattern where the process automation includes instrumentation, power and control. So, there are electronics in the automation package which goes into the additional arenas as well also include control and instrumental package. We offer an open standard DCS distributed control system that has a flexible platform to address all ranges of plant sizes. It has a very high availability and redundancy to take care of running operation of the plant. There is no down time or failure. It has integrated diagnostics through which we are able to really look at what is happening right or wrong at your plant and accordingly take corrective actions. It has powerful and seamless connectivity with the field instrumentation and devices. The more connected you are the more ability you have in terms of looking at what is happening in a particular plant. And from there you can build up all the data which is at the heart of the system, then you have an embedded model equipped control with that you have premium integration with smart water control. So overall if you look at it there is simplified design, an improved operation, there is a safety and security part of it and its future ready enabled with the latest in the technology which can easily be connected with other intelligent devices across the manufacturing plant or any other place. It helps in manufacturing at the down time and is scalable. We have this feature in PlantPAx 5.0 onwards which reduces footprints and consistent delivery streamlining of workload, cyber security, and analytics enabled. It also results in empowering the operators and reducing the training cost for them. It also results in improved maintenance in all critical areas and helps in maintaining the availability. It enables decisions at a system level and also is very cyber secured and complied to ISA 99, ISA 62, which helps us to put in difference in depth solutions and help in making the process compliant, safe, secure and scalable.
Tell us more about the convergence of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) tools by Rockwell Automation. What is the return on investment a cement company expects on this technology investment?
Rockwell Automation is the company best known for its focus on Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT), we say we are the possibly the best company that has expertise in both areas. When we say convergence of IT and OT, the convergence of software and machinery in the production environment is assuring a new era of connected operations for a lot of industries and or cement also.
It offers enhanced levels of efficiency and opportunity for better decision making across all aspects of manufacturing and production. Connecting the process control measurement and safety system at a production site with IT infrastructure and application enables more connectivity for highly valuable time data and remote support. On the other hand, they want to minimise the risk of the outcome which can be managed in a very safe, secured and compliant way. There are multiple ways to integrate the process and ensure the information can flow freely across IT and OT systems, which would be to identify and align critical data facts to consider the entire supply value chain, fill in the security gap, set up for the third-party integration and enable capabilities.
If I look at securely converging IT and OT system which means potential, intentional network design and security at Rockwell Enterprises we address the cyber risk, connecting all asset converge plants via internet communications protocol, create an environment of real time resolution, and also look at the right execution standards and strategies, and maintain business continuity through implementation. It helps us to deliver the benefit to secure operation, reduce vulnerability and also achieve a lot of those benefits. In our own environment we tested in our factories, the annual production improvement included about 5 per cent apex, avoidance about 30 per cent inventory, in one particular case we reduced for 120-82 days and delivery went really good, also, the lead time was reduced by 50 per cent. It’s really important for people to make those decisions and gains are really big.
Data plays a huge role in bringing operational and productivity efficiency by connecting assets, people and information. How does your organisation make that happen through digital automation?
We start with smart devices, smart machines at some place, which enables the data to be thrown up at the enterprise level. Then the process automation and the package power overall which results in overall operation efficiency and modern technologies here improve the performance of process, equipment and people. A smart device we have a smart device and manufacturing overall connecting all the individual cells in a particular manufacturing environment and then taking it to larger manufacturing. Then looking at third party integration, market visibility which is from mining to market right where our consumers are and connected workforce. At the same point of time, you throw up on the enterprise level a lot of data with the proper technologies you go into knowledge operation which means you offer solutions and enable better decision making. It’s like an end to end process from a basic manufacturing level to going right up to the enterprise level offering solutions that help you look at your past historical data, real time data (the current data). Also, in some cases you can have the data of the future which shows predictions.
What kind of innovative technological solutions for the cement plants can be expected in the future from your organisation?
We have been looking at some of the solutions already with some of the other industries where we have taken a lead. Cement did not used to be organised before and now that we see a lot of things coming in from the market point of view, regulatory point of view, sustainability point of view, helping people or cement manufacturers or the decision makers who focus aggressively on some of these things.
Talking about advanced process control, which can be used to stabilise and optimise the key cement processes with the help of production increase in kilns and mills implications; and controlling of energy usage, which reduces in or helping in the reduction of process and quality variability. So, another thing was model productivity control, which optimises material blending, optimises thermal and commercial control for kilns. We would offer data analytics and IOT environment, advanced algorithms that help in improving yield, through good quality, energy, efficiency, etc. which also helps in Automated tracking of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (AOEE). Typically, it?s in a machine or a discrete manufacturing environment that is very critical. And also, advanced analytic enabled software to make strategies to improve quality or equipment reliability. Looking at operations if they are running as per plans, natural disasters and planning which have been helpful in the past for certain manufacturers, they offer new opportunities for digital collaboration, assistance for trouble shooting in some cases over a video, etc. can improve training needs, enhancing the safety of the workers to a large extent. It’s very important to have a cyber security programme in place, which goes from identification to detection, to protection and finally helping in response and recovery quickly. Some of these strategies would help in ensuring that there is no cyber attack in the first place because your equipment, network is secured. Also model predictive control machine learning which really helps in utilising the mathematical models where MPCs used for responding changes to the process and variable. So, they help in reducing downtime and making the equipment much more efficient and making the process much more reliable.
Indian Cement Review (ICR) and Fuller Technologies brought industry, policy and technology leaders together to discuss how cement innovation can drive green construction at scale, writes Rakesh Rao.
India is building at a pace few countries can match. Highways, airports, housing, logistics parks, industrial corridors and urban infrastructure are reshaping the country’s economic geography. But beneath this growth story lies a difficult question: can India continue to build at scale without locking itself into a high-carbon future?
That question formed the core of an online panel discussion titled “Driving Green Construction Through Cement Innovation”, organised by Indian Cement Review (ICR) in association with Fuller Technologies as the Presenting Partner on June 25, 2026. The webinar brought together experts from cement technology, R&D, global industry platforms, building performance policy and international development cooperation to examine how low-carbon cement and material innovation can accelerate India’s green construction transition.
The discussion came at a crucial time. India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and reducing the carbon intensity of its economy by 45 per cent by 2030. At the same time, the country’s construction sector is expanding rapidly, driven by urbanisation, infrastructure development, housing demand and industrial growth. Cement, as one of the most widely used construction materials, sits at the heart of this transition. It is indispensable to development, but also central to the challenge of reducing embodied carbon in buildings and infrastructure.
Moderated by Nitika Krishan, Senior Urban Infrastructure and Sustainable Policy Consultant, the panel featured:
Dr Hemantkumar Aiyer, VP and Head R&D, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd;
Devika Wattal, Innovation Lead, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA);
Dr Sunita Purushottam, MD, GBPN India (Global Buildings Performance Network); and
Vaibhav Rathi, Senior Technical Advisor, GIZ (the German Agency for International Cooperation)
Setting the tone for the discussion, Nitika Krishan underlined the scale of the challenge before the sector. “The question before us is no longer whether we build, but how we build sustainably,” she said. She pointed out that construction accounts for nearly 40 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions when both operational and embodied carbon are considered. Cement production, she added, remains one of the hardest industrial processes to decarbonise.
For India, this is not merely an environmental issue. It is a development issue, a competitiveness issue and increasingly, a market issue. As one of the world’s largest cement producers and among the fastest-growing construction markets, India’s material choices will influence the carbon trajectory of its built environment for decades. As Krishan observed, sustainability solutions in economies such as India must not remain limited to laboratory success. They must be scalable, commercially viable and practical at national level.
The innovation gap: From technology to market
Experts believe that there is a need to bridge the innovation gaps for making decarbonisation in cement and concrete scalable. Devika Wattal of GCCA, explained, “The starting point must be the core cement manufacturing process itself. The first and foremost is the heart of our process, the heart of cement manufacturing. How do we reduce clinker? That is always a topic where industry is working very intrinsically.”
Clinker reduction remains one of the most important pathways for lowering emissions in cement. Since clinker production is energy-intensive and chemically emits carbon dioxide, reducing the clinker factor through supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), blended cements and new chemistries can have a significant impact. Wattal also noted that carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) will have a role, though it may not be the first lever for all markets.
However, she stressed that innovation cannot stop at technology development. A solution that works in the lab must also be adaptable to industry, scalable in production and acceptable in construction practice. “It is important for that innovation to be adaptable, to be scalable, and so that it can be executed in real time,” she said.
Wattal also called for stronger enabling systems around innovation. These include performance-based standards, product-level embodied carbon databases and clearer frameworks for evaluating green materials. Without these, low-carbon cement products may struggle to compete with conventional materials in procurement and design.
R&D must balance carbon, cost and performance
Bringing in the R&D perspective into the discussion, Dr Hemantkumar Aiyer of Nuvoco Vistas emphasised that low-carbon cement development cannot be treated as a single-variable exercise. Cement must perform in real construction conditions. It must deliver strength, durability, consistency and cost competitiveness, while also reducing carbon.
“The root of understanding and balancing all these aspects lies in materials, and knowing the materials,” he said.
According to Dr Aiyer, R&D teams must understand the variability of raw materials such as fly ash, slag and clinker. Different sources produce different material behaviours. This makes mix optimisation, material characterisation and processing-property relationships critical. When performance is affected, cement manufacturers must understand how strength enhancers, admixtures and other performance chemicals interact with the material system.
He also linked material science with process efficiency. Clinkerisation takes place at extremely high temperatures, around 1,400 to 1,450 degrees Celsius. Any improvement in raw mix design, process control or energy optimisation can, therefore, help reduce emissions and cost. Dr Aiyer pointed to artificial intelligence-based optimisation, Cement 4.0 tools and advanced software as important enablers for real-time process and material control.
“The more you understand the materials, the more you can control it,” he said.
LC3: The promise is proven, the sequencing is not
Limestone calcined clay cement, commonly referred to as LC3, has attracted global attention because it can reduce clinker content significantly by using calcined clay and limestone while maintaining performance in many applications. Kiranmai Sanagavarapu of Fuller Technologies said the technology itself has already moved beyond proof of concept. Fuller Technologies has worked with calcined clay technology for nearly two decades and has seen plants running in France and Ghana. These plants, she said, are meeting local and national specifications, while the economics are beginning to make sense.
“The calciner is performing, the economics is stacking up, it is making business sense to produce,” she said.
But if the technology is viable, why has adoption not scaled faster? For Sanagavarapu, the answer lies in project sequencing. Too often, clay characterisation happens after equipment is specified. This, she warned, is a backward approach because calciner design depends on clay mineralogy, kaolinite content, iron levels, reactivity, moisture and other variables.
“If you don’t know what your deposit looks like before you commit for the equipment, you are, in a way, going blind into designing,” she said.
She also identified permitting and plant integration as major bottlenecks. Environmental clearances, mining permissions and local regulatory approvals must begin early. Similarly, calcined clay must be integrated into existing grinding, blending and logistics systems from the design stage, not treated as an afterthought during commissioning.
India already has IS 18189:2023 standard for LC3, but Sanagavarapu pointed out that the standard is not yet visible enough in procurement documents. “The gap between what is technically being permitted and what the procurement is asking is the single biggest bottleneck,” she said.
In her view, successful scale-up depends on getting the sequence right: clay characterisation first, permitting in parallel, standards aligned with construction, and integration built into plant design.
India’s LC3 journey: Progress, but demand remains thin
Providing details of India’s LC3 commercialisation experience, Vaibhav Rathi of GIZ noted that JK Cement carried out the first commercial production of LC3 at its Rajasthan plant, followed by JK Lakshmi Cement three months later. These initiatives were supported by the International Climate Initiative of the Government of Germany, with IIT Delhi contributing deep institutional knowledge on LC3 research and BIS certification.
Rathi said India’s early experience has produced clear lessons. One of the biggest was the need to build capacity among regulators. While BIS certification existed, State Pollution Control Boards were unfamiliar with the technology and unsure about the approval pathway.
“The capacity building is not just needed amongst the producer and the users of the cement, but also the regulators who are working with this technology for the first time,” he said.
He also highlighted the need for better information on China clay deposits. Since China clay is currently classified as a minor mineral, centralised data on availability, quality and location is limited. If cement manufacturers are to adopt LC3 at scale, stronger mineral intelligence will be important.
The third issue is demand. LC3 has already been used in projects such as Palava City in Mumbai and Noida International Airport, but these remain limited examples. “It is in a chicken and egg situation,” Rathi said. “Cement companies are saying we need more demand, and users are saying there is not enough cement available.”
Public procurement, he suggested, could help break this cycle. If agencies such as CPWD and other public bodies begin testing, accepting and specifying LC3, it could create the market confidence needed for cement companies to invest in production and storage.
Building codes must catch up with innovation
Dr Sunita Purushottam of GBPN India argued that material choices will determine built environment emissions over the long term, but India’s current policy signals remain fragmented. Although LC3 has received BIS recognition, she pointed out that building codes, municipal bylaws, schedules of rates and sustainability codes do not yet provide uniform guidance on low-carbon cement.
“The current cement regulations are largely prescriptive and favouring traditional materials,” she said. This limits the ability of alternative materials to compete on performance, durability and emissions.
Dr Purushottam also raised the issue of taxation. Cement, including LC3, currently falls under the same GST bracket as conventional cement. A differentiated tax structure, she argued, could help accelerate market adoption. “In order for the market to demand LC3, that differentiation in the GST could go a long way,” she said.
She noted that green building certifications such as IGBC and GRIHA are already creating demand for low-carbon materials by assigning points for embodied carbon and sustainable material use. However, she said large-scale adoption will require regulatory mandates, particularly through building codes and state-level notifications.
She also cautioned that low-carbon cement alone does not solve the entire building performance problem. A material may reduce embodied carbon, but the operational carbon of a building depends on thermal performance, design, insulation and energy use. “The energy part has two elements,” she said. “One is the embodied carbon of the material itself, and the other is the operational carbon.”
Collaboration is the bridge between invention and impact
Wattal said GCCA sees innovation as a strategic priority and works through platforms that connect industry with academia and start-ups. “There is no way we will decarbonise our sector without innovation,” she said.
However, she stressed that research must be connected to actual industry challenges. Innovations developed in isolation may fail when they encounter real-world barriers such as raw material variability, plant integration, cost, standards and finance. Start-ups, too, need industry mentorship and scale-up pathways.
Wattal also flagged the importance of finance. Even strong technologies may struggle to attract investment if there is no common understanding of bankability. “We have always put projects into, is this a bankable project? But the definition of a bankable project has never been defined,” she said.
For India, she saw strong potential in its academic and start-up ecosystem, but said the challenge lies in alignment and prioritisation. The country has the research base, industrial capacity and market size. What it now needs is a coordinated route from innovation to deployment.
There is a practical concern for cement manufacturers: how can existing plants be adapted for lower emissions without compromising reliability or commercial viability?
Kiranmai Sanagavarapu addressed, “The reliability risk in calcined clay retrofit is definitely real, but it is almost always self-inflicted. The risk arises when a new process is added to an existing circuit without properly redesigning grinding and blending configurations.”
Existing cement plants, she explained, can take two broad routes. The first is external sourcing of calcined clay combined with mill optimisation. This requires lower capital investment and can potentially move in 12 to 18 months if other conditions are in place. It may reduce emissions by around 20 to 30 per cent. The second route is integrated calcination on site, which requires higher capital expenditure and longer lead times, but provides greater control over quality, supply and emissions reduction potential.
For Sanagavarapu, the principle is simple: low-carbon retrofits must be designed with intent. “Design it with an intent properly from the start. Start in the market conditions where the economics are already working,” she said.
Circularity: The overlooked advantage
According to Vaibhav Rathi, fly ash and slag are already well established in cement and construction (C&D), but construction and demolition waste remains underutilised. “C&D waste is a growing business opportunity which not many have taken up,” he said. India’s continuous construction and demolition activity creates huge volumes of waste, much of which contributes to air pollution, land degradation and material inefficiency. With the right processing and standards, this waste can be converted into useful construction products.
Rathi also pointed out that LC3 has a circular economy dimension that is often overlooked. It can use low-grade kaolin-rich clay left behind after high-grade clay is extracted for other applications. “LC3 is not only a low-carbon solution, but also a circular economy solution,” he said.
At the same time, he cautioned that LC3 in India is not yet cheap because it has not reached scale. Site-specific techno-commercial feasibility studies, supported jointly by development agencies and industry, could help companies assess whether LC3 production makes technical and financial sense at a given location.
Dr Purushottam added that India must address both low-carbon cement and construction waste together. “Both low-carbon cement and C&D waste go hand in hand. India does not have an option but to work on both,” she said.
Dr Aiyer called for policy shifts from both government and industry, including preferential purchasing of sustainable materials, minimum supplementary cementitious material requirements in public and public-private projects, and faster regulatory implementation. “If we can fast-track the regulatory standards and their implementation on the ground, that is the way to go,” he said.
From green ambition to green construction
Cement innovation is no longer only about chemistry. It is about systems. Low-carbon cement will scale only when technology, standards, procurement, finance, regulation, education and construction practice move together.
LC3 and other low-carbon technologies have shown promise. India has early commercial examples, strong research capability and growing market interest. But mainstream adoption will depend on whether demand can be created, regulators can be capacitated, standards can be embedded in procurement, and manufacturers can see a clear business case.
For a country building at India’s scale, the opportunity is enormous. Cement will continue to be central to infrastructure and urban development. The challenge now is to ensure that the cement used in India’s growth story carries a lower carbon burden.
Rakesh Rao
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JK Cement gained after being declared preferred bidder for the Gilund Limestone Block in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, a lease area of 370.96 hectares. The firm saw its shares trade at Rs. 5550.05, up by 28.45 points or 0.52 per cent from the previous close of Rs. 5521.60 on the BSE. The scrip opened at Rs. 5569.15 and touched a high of Rs. 5625.00 and a low of Rs. 5531.00.
The stock recorded turnover of 1742 shares on the counter and the BSE group A stock with face value Rs. 10 has a 52 week high of Rs. 7565.00 on 20-Aug-2025 and a 52 week low of Rs. 4670.05 on 12-Jun-2026. Last one week high and low stood at Rs. 5625.00 and Rs. 5329.00 respectively. The promoters holding in the company stood at 45.66 per cent, while institutions and non-institutions held 40.61 per cent and 13.73 per cent respectively.
The e-auction conducted by the Government of Rajasthan resulted in the company being declared preferred bidder for the mining lease, and the allocation will enable the company to plan phased development of the deposit, subject to regulatory approvals. The Gilund block spans 370.96 hectares and its allocation is intended to support raw material security for the company’s cement operations in the region. The designation follows the government auction process and will allow the company to plan development and integration of the deposit into its supply chain.
The current market capitalisation stands at Rs. 430.38 billion (bn), reflecting market response to the mining news and prevailing valuation levels for the sector. Investors and analysts will watch for formal allotment and related disclosures that can clarify timelines, capital expenditure and expected production profiles. The report is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice, and market participants are advised to consult advisers before making decisions.
Star Cement has been declared the preferred bidder for the mining lease for Boro Lakhindong West Block following e-auctions conducted by the Government of Assam. The block is located in Boro Lakhindong Village, Umrangso Tehsil, Dima Hasao District, Assam, and extends over an area of 123 hectares. The estimated limestone resource is 207.822 million (mn) tonnes (t), a quantity that will supply raw material for cement production and support the company’s manufacturing operations in the region.
The company is engaged in the manufacturing and selling of cement clinker and cement and distributes products across the north-eastern and eastern states of India. Star Cement operates plants and logistics networks that procure and process limestone to produce clinker for cement, and the addition of Boro Lakhindong is presented as a strategic enhancement of feedstock availability. The preferred bidder status secures rights to the specified lease area under the terms of the auction process.
Financial results for the company in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026 showed a consolidated net profit rise of 20.24 per cent to Rs 1,481.0 mn on an 11.54 per cent increase in revenue to Rs 11,735.5 mn compared with the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Those results reflected higher sales volumes and revenue growth in the company’s primary markets and are cited in company disclosures accompanying the lease announcement. The reported performance provides context to the company’s ability to pursue and finance new mining lease opportunities.
Market reaction to the declaration was modest, with the scrip rising zero point thirty six per cent to trade at Rs 212 on the BSE. The award of the Boro Lakhindong lease concludes the e-auction process for the west block and assigns operational rights to Star Cement as the preferred bidder, subject to completion of statutory and contractual formalities.
