Concrete

In India, the use of alternative fuel is at a very nascent stage

Published

4 years ago

November 18, 2022

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Ganesh W Jirkuntwar, Senior Executive Director & National Manufacturing Head, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, analyses the effects of raw materials on emission and efforts taken by his company to conserve the environment.

Tell us about the efforts taken by your organisation to better the environment in and around the manufacturing unit.
Our company has taken a number of efforts to better the environment in order to maximise the proportion of blended cement in our product basket, promote the usage of alternative supplementary cementitious materials recommended by IS for cement and increase the usage of alternative fuels.
We have also installed the appropriate systems to co-process wastes judiciously and follow a pre-processing system for alternative fuels. We have implemented a waste heat recovery system and are now able to tap into solar energy.

How does the use of environmentally friendly fuels or raw materials impact the profitability of the organisation?
Dalmia Bharat Limited follows the business philosophy of ‘Clean & Green is Profitable and Sustainable.’ By using environmentally friendly fuel and raw materials, we have managed to create an impact on our triple bottom line: social, environmental as well as financial performance. A proper strategy for selection and adopting environment-friendly initiatives that act as fuel and raw materials is expected to significantly boost the organisation’s profitability.
Large volumes of legacy municipal waste are available at various municipal dump sites, that can be converted to Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and can be used by Indian cement Industries. Cement industries are currently facing a tough time due to the steep rise in fuel prices. The usage of RDF and other alternative fuels will help the cement industry in optimising its fuel cost.

Tell us about the types of blended cement and their composition manufactured by your organisation. How does the strength of blended cement differ from OPC?
At Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, we manufacture PPC, PCC and PSC as blended cements. The composition of blended cements is decided strictly in accordance with BIS norms.
The overall strength of blended cement is comparable with OPC 43 Grade. However, Indian Specification (IS) recommends that blended cement should meet the strength Norms of OPC 33 Grade.

What are the key supplementary materials used to manufacture blended cement?
The key supplementary materials used to manufacture blended cement are pulverised fuel ash, known as flyash, and granulated slag.

Tell us about the impact blended cement creates on the environment.
Blended cement has higher durability and better resistance towards the aggressive environment of chloride and sulphate. Additionally, less clinker is being consumed to produce the same volume of cement, resulting in raw materials savings, energy savings (thermal and electrical), reduced CO2 emission and waste utilisation.

How does the use of alternative fuels impact the productivity and efficiency of the manufacturing process?
The use of alternative fuels leads to a marginal increase in overall heat consumption. In case a preheater fan and other equipment are being used at their full capacity, usage of alternative fuels may result in a marginal reduction of clinker throughput.

What role does technology play in creating blends that help curb emissions and make the environment better?
Technology helps reduce CO2 emission as a result of low clinker consumption in blended cement compared to non-blended cement.

What are the major challenges your organisation is facing to curb the emission rate?
Although cement manufacturing is an energy-intensive process, during clinker manufacturing, the emission of process CO2 is inevitable. The only way to curb the emission significantly as of now helps replace fossil fuels with alternative fuels.
The major challenges in increasing the usage of alternative fuels include adopting RDF which is the only alternative fuel and is available in large volumes. However, the quality of RDF being supplied in India is very poor and inconsistent. Additionally, high ash content and moisture in RDF restrict the higher usage of RDF.
In India, the use of alternative fuel is at a very nascent stage and cement players need to invest in R&D on understanding its impact on cement and corrective actions

How do you foresee the future of emissions created by the cement industry?
The cement industry is putting in unrelenting efforts to reduce the Cement Clinker Ratio (CC Ratio), higher usage of alternative fuels and increased the usage of renewable energy. This will reflect in their carbon footprint figure in the next few years. We expect that, in a few years, newer technological adoption such as carbon capture, green hydrogen usage, rotodynamic heater etc. will also decide the future of emissions by cement industries.

-Kanika Mathur

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Concrete

Shree Cement Targets Above Industry Volume Growth In FY27

Chairman says firm will favour organic expansion and higher dividends

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2026

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Shree Cement expects to outpace the industry in the financial year 2026-27 as it pursues organic expansion and pricing discipline following a recent investor conference. The chairman said the company has completed a pricing realignment and recovered volumes lost during that exercise. Management signalled a clear preference for internal investments rather than acquisitions to support growth.

The company reported that capacity additions and demand growth across core markets are expected to underpin stronger volume performance, with a target of growing volumes at around 1.1 times the industry growth rate. Cash levels are likely to decline as capital expenditure progresses and shareholder distributions increase, the chairman indicated. The board has prioritised higher dividends over a buyback as a means of reducing excess cash.

Shree Cement described a market shift towards value and affordability rather than a race to the lowest price, which links demand expansion more closely with pricing. Historically, prices have risen at around three per cent annually over long periods, the company noted, and while prices may increase faster this year because of cost pressures from geopolitical tensions, a material improvement in industry profitability is not anticipated. In North India, the company expects additional capacity to be absorbed as demand grows, estimating a requirement of roughly 10 million (mn) tonne (t) of incremental demand annually.

The next phase of expansion will focus on the north, west, east and northeast regions, with existing projects and planned capacities viewed as sufficient to meet future demand without pursuing acquisitions. Management said it has already regained lost volumes while sustaining higher prices and will continue to monitor regional opportunities, including a possible investment in West Bengal pending clarity on industrial policy. The company, which has a current market capitalisation of Rs 852,948.9 mn, has seen its shares lose more than 20 per cent over the past year.

Concrete

Ramco Cements’ Hard Worker Campaign Wins Seven Awards

Campaign earns honours for direction, editing and cinematography

Published

2 days ago

June 15, 2026

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The Hard Worker campaign by The Ramco Cements has secured seven honours at the Good Ads Matter Awards 2026, adding to its growing list of accolades and reinforcing its standing among the year’s most recognised advertising campaigns.

The awards were presented during the Good Ads Matter Awards Night 2026 held at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai. The campaign received recognition across multiple categories, highlighting excellence in direction, editing, cinematography and storytelling.

Among the honours, the campaign won Silver in the Campaign of the Year – Direction category, while filmmaker Prakash Varma was named Director of the Year for the films Tortoise & Hare and Eco Plaster. Tortoise & Hare also received Silver awards for Best Editing and Best Colour Grading, along with a Bronze award for Best Cinematography. Eco Plaster earned Bronze awards in the Best Direction – Narrative and Best Direction – Humour categories.

Both films extended their award-winning run, with Eco Plaster being recognised for its narrative centred on water conservation through innovative construction solutions, while Tortoise & Hare was honoured for its storytelling and craft execution.

The Hard Worker campaign was built around the idea that hard work deserves recognition and respect. Through culturally rooted and emotionally engaging stories, the campaign has connected with consumers, engineers, masons and the wider construction community across the country.

Commenting on the achievement, A V Dharmakrishnan, CEO of The Ramco Cements Limited, said that the continued recognition across leading creative platforms reflects the company’s commitment to meaningful and authentic communication rooted in the values of the people it serves.

Balaji K Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, The Ramco Cements Limited, said the awards recognise the craftsmanship behind the storytelling, from direction and cinematography to editing and narrative execution.

Following recognition at both the Kyoorius Creative Awards and the Good Ads Matter Awards, the Hard Worker campaign continues to demonstrate the impact of purpose-driven storytelling combined with strong creative execution and consumer relevance.

Concrete

Cement Makers Reaffirm Commitment to Sustainable Growth

Published

2 weeks ago

June 5, 2026

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World Environment Day spotlight on innovation and circularity

On World Environment Day, the Indian cement industry reiterated its commitment to supporting India’s climate ambitions through sustainable manufacturing, resource efficiency and the adoption of cleaner technologies.

The Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) said the sector remains aligned with the Government of India’s Net Zero commitments and is accelerating efforts to reduce its environmental footprint while supporting the country’s infrastructure and development agenda.

Parth Jindal, President, CMA and Managing Director, JSW Cement, said the industry is increasingly adopting cleaner technologies, improving energy efficiency and expanding the use of alternative fuels and raw materials. He also highlighted the growing importance of circular economy practices, where industrial by-products and waste streams from one sector are utilised as resources in another.

“The Indian Cement Industry is aligned to the Government’s commitments on carbon mitigation and is accelerating the adoption of cleaner technologies, resource efficiency and circular economy practices while actively exploring the potential of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) as a critical pathway for deep decarbonisation,” said Jindal.

He added that coprocessing industrial waste and by-products helps conserve natural resources, reduce disposal requirements and lower the environmental footprint across multiple sectors.

According to Jindal, sustainability is no longer limited to manufacturing processes but is increasingly influencing investment decisions, innovation strategies and long-term growth plans within the industry.

Echoing similar views, Dr Raghavpat Singhania, Vice President, CMA and Managing Director, JK Cement, said sustainable development extends beyond emissions reduction and must also focus on responsible resource utilisation and waste minimisation.

“Sustainability in the built environment cannot be measured by emissions alone. It is equally about how efficiently we use resources, how effectively we minimise waste and how responsibly we create the infrastructure that will serve future generations,” said Singhania.

He noted that the cement industry is advancing its sustainability agenda through greater resource efficiency, increased circularity, technological innovation and continuous improvements in manufacturing practices. As a key contributor to India’s infrastructure development, the sector has a critical role to play in balancing economic growth with environmental responsibility.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, industry leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting India’s climate goals while delivering the materials required for resilient, durable and sustainable infrastructure.