Concrete

Moving Towards Net-Zero

Published

4 years ago

January 16, 2023

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The 17th NCB International Conference on Cement, Concrete and Building Materials focussed on important aspects such as circular economy, sustainability, net zero and enhancing the use of alternative fuels for the Indian cement industry.

“The conference has given an opportunity for the industry to exchange thoughts and learnings through panel discussions and networking,” said Dr BN Mohapatra, DG-NCB.
The 17th International Conference on Cement, Concrete and Building Materials by the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) was held at Manekshaw Centre, Parade Road, New Delhi, from 6th to 9th December, 2022. Around 1,100 delegates attended the conference, which included 48 foreign delegates from 11 countries. During the span of the four-day event, 160 presentations were made in 20 technical sessions; 4 panel discussions were held, covering key topics of concerns for the industry; and speeches were delivered by keynote speakers.
NCB is the apex body in India for research, technology development and transfer, education and industrial services for cement, allied building materials and construction industries. The first NCB International Conference was held in the year 1987 and since then this is the 17th edition of the biennial event. ‘Moving Towards Net Zero Carbon Emissions’ was the theme of this year’s conference.
The conference was inaugurated by Chief Guest Shri Anurag Jain, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, while Shri Anil Agrawal, Additional Secretary, DPIIT, Guest of Honour, delivered the speech on outlook of the Indian cement industry. The programme was initiated by Dr BN Mohapatra, DG-NCB, with a welcome address. KC Jhanwar, Chairman, NCB; President, Cement Manufacturers Association; and MD, UltraTech Cement, deliberated his views on ‘Indian Cement Industry-Future Outlook, Challenges & Opportunities.’ Mahendra Singhi, MD & CEO, Dalmia Cement (Bharat), presented his view on ‘Cement Industry Global Perspective.’
The Scientific Committee, comprising members from Niti Aayog, BIS, cement and construction industry, premier academic and research
institutes, was formed under the chairmanship
of Dr AK Chatterjee, Chairman, Conmat Technologies Pvt Ltd.
Chief Guest Shri Anurag Jain released four
NCB publications during the inaugural session.

These were:

The third edition of Compendium – The Cement Industry – India 2022
Publication on ‘Alternative Fuels – A Green Solution for Indian Cement Industry’
NCB Guide Norms on Cement Plant Operation
NCB Conference Proceedings containing full papers published in the conference

The conference was beneficial for a host of professionals from the industry such as cement and concrete professionals, top management personnel from cement and allied sectors, equipment / machinery manufacturers, designers and consultants, engineers, technologists, scientists, academicians, research scholars, students and economists, and users of cement and building materials as well as construction agencies.
The conference was sponsored by industry leaders such as UltraTech Cement
Dalmia Cement, JSW Cement, IKN India, Shree Cement, Nuvoco Vistas Corp, JK Cement, HeidelbergCement, JK Lakshmi Cement and KHD Humboldt Wedag India amongst others.
Supporting Organisations / Departments included:

Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Govt. of India
Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Govt. of India
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)
Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA)

Its media partners were Industrial Angles, Indian Cement Review, Construction World, International Cement Review, World Cement, ZKG International and Civil Engineering & Construction Review (CE&CR).

Exclusive interaction with Dr Mohapatra

Impact on the Industry
“Our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has undertaken a target of achieving Net Zero by 2070. Cement and steel sectors shall play a prominent role in achieving this target. At the conference, there are multiple technical experts who are addressing the five core levers of decarbonisation i.e., clinker factor, enhancing alternative fuels and raw materials, reduction of thermal and electrical energy consumption, waste heat recovery and carbon storage.
Indian plants are doing well in four of the five levels. NCCBM will be taking the support of Ministry of Environment and Forest, Bureau of Energy Efficiency and DPIIT to collaborate with industries to launch pilot projects and get government help for its implementation. Without carbon storage becoming a strong lever, it would be difficult to achieve carbon the neutrality target.”

Towards Net Zero Target
“The Ministry of Commerce & Industry – DPIIT is taking up numerous roles in helping the cement industry achieve this objective. They have formed Divisional Council for Cement Industry (DCCI), which will monitor and support all five parameters. They will also fast track the implementation of rules and regulations for getting clearances in a single window for the cement business, as well as taking the lead in supply of gypsum. The Gati Shakti is looking into reducing the substantial logistics costs and lot more.
DPIIT is taking bold steps in supporting the Indian cement industry in streamlining all areas where the industry is facing issues. NCCBM is also member of all teams that support sustainability for the cement industry like innovation for decarbonisation, carbon sequencing etc.”
“NCCBM is taking a stewardship role in connecting the Indian cement industry, academia and research institutes on a single platform, to together come up with solutions.”

The Panel Discussions

PANEL 1: Moving towards Net Zero Carbon Emissions in Indian Cement Industry

Panellists:

Shri Jamshed N Cooper, Managing Director, HeidelbergCement India Ltd
Shri Kiran Patil, Managing Director, Wonder Cement Ltd
Shri V S Narang, Director (Technical), My Home Industries Pvt Ltd
Shri Ganesh Jirkuntwar, National Manufacturing Head, Dalmia Cement (B) Ltd
Matthias Mersmann, Chief Technical Officer, KHD Humboldt Wedag International, Germany
Dr B N Mohapatra, Director General, NCB

PANEL 2: Sustainability and Circular Economy in Cement and Construction Sector

Panellists:

Sanjay Pant, DDG (Standardization), BIS,
Neeraj Sinha, Sr Advisor (S&T), NITI Aayog
Prof D N Singh, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Prof Manoranjan Parida, Director, CSIR-CRRI
K J Patel, Director & Unit Head, IFFCO Paradeep
Madhumita Basu, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd.
Dr S K Chaturvedi, Joint Director, NCB

PANEL 3: Enhancing AF & ARM utilisation in Indian Cement Industry

Panellists:

Shri Arun Kumar Shukla, CEO & Director, J K Lakshmi Cement Ltd.
Shri Vivek Agnihotri, CEO & Executive Director, Prism Johnson Ltd.
Shri Pankaj Kejriwal, Whole Time Director & COO, Star Cement Ltd.
Shri Sanjay Joshi, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd.
Shri S K Rathore, Chief Manufacturing Officer, J K Cement Ltd.
Shri G Veera Babu, Chief Manufacturing Officer, JSW Cement Ltd.
Shri Bimal Modi, Head (AFR), UltraTech
Cement Ltd.
Dr B N Mohapatra, DG-NCB

PANEL 4: National Mission on Sustainable Habitat -2030
Panellists:

Dr Shailesh Kr. Agrawal, Executive Director, BMTPC
Dr B Bhattacharjee, Emeritus Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi
Prof K V L Subramaniam, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Hyderabad
Prof Amit Hajela, Director and
Domain Head, Amity School of Architecture and Planning
Yatin Choudhary, Fellow, TERI
P N Ojha, Jt. Director, NCB

The keynote presentations in the technical sessions covered the following topics:

160 papers were presented in 20 technical sessions based on specific themes like:

Low Carbon Cements
Other Binders and Building Materials
Alternate / Waste Fuels and Raw Materials
Net Zero Emissions, Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS)
Cement Plant Machinery and Project Engineering
Productivity Enhancement and Process Optimization
Energy Conservation Systems
Performance and Durability of Concrete
Concrete Deterioration Mechanisms and Advanced Concrete System
Advances in Grinding Systems
Emerging Trends
Total Quality Management
Analytical Methods and Lab Automation
Smart and High Performance Concrete
Environmental Management and Sustainable Development
Distress Investigation, Repair/ Strengthening/ Retrofitting of Concrete Structures
Sustainable Construction Practices and Other Building Material and Binders

The chairman and co-chairman of the technical sessions were chosen from the senior executives of major cement companies. The papers were presented by cement plants personnel, cement plant machinery suppliers/OEMs, NCB scientist & Engineers, students from IITs, NITs, BITS Pilani etc. Based on evaluation done by the respective Chairman and Co-chairman of the technical session, one paper from each technical session has been selected as paper of high merit.

The Exhibition

The 17th NCB International Conference also had a technical exhibition, which was held concurrently at the conference venue. The exhibition gave additional exposure to the latest in available technologies and services for efficient operation of cement plants, making of concrete and construction activities. A cultural programme was also organised on day 2 of the conference, with performances that depicted India’s cultural diversity.
Speaking about the success of the conference, Dr Mohapatra said, “After this 4-day conference, I see a huge potential with the knowledge accumulated amongst the industry experts and an opportunity for cement manufacturers to innovate with low carbon cement products and support a circular economy. This conference has given high mileage to every sector.”
“NCCBM was a great platform for participating, where cement companies, machinery manufacturers and allied service providers shared technical knowledge and commercial aspects. Showcase of technical papers, achievement of various plants in terms of carbon emission, environment protection and good working conditions of various plants gives a feeling that we can feel proud of the Indian cement industry and say, ‘Saare jahan se acha, Hindustan hamara’. We distributed badges and tie sets marked with
‘Proud Indians’ at the conference,” said Pradip Kalra of Stotz Gears.
The Conference was received very well by the cement industry as was evident by the attendance and engagement of the delegates and visitors, who left behind encouraging testimonials, appreciating the successful organisation of the biennial conference by NCB.

The Awards

The concluding session of 17th NCB International Conference was held on 9th December 2022 and attended by Chief Guest Shri Som Parkash, Hon’ble Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India and Guest of Honour Shri Shashank Priya, Special Secretary & Financial Advisor, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India along with Shri Jamshed N Cooper, MD, Heidelberg Cement India Ltd..; Dr B N Mohapatra, Director General-NCB and Dr S K Chaturvedi, Organising Secretary, 17th NCB International Conference. The Chief Guest also distributed the National Awards for Energy Efficiency, Environmental Excellence and Total Quality Excellence in the Indian Cement Industry for years 2019-22.

S.NO. AWARDS Plant Name
I. Awards for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants
1 Best Award for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants RCCPL Pvt. Ltd.,
Maihar, Madhya Pradesh
2 Second Best Award for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Sree Jayajothi Cements Pvt. Ltd., My Home Group Industries, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh
3 Third Best Award for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants JK Cement Works, Muddapur,
Karnataka
4 First Consolation Prize for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement Ltd., Unit: Kotputli Cement Works, Rajasthan
5 Second Consolation Prize for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd., Sirohi, Rajasthan
II. Awards for Environment Excellence in
Integrated Cement Plants
1 Best Award for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., Belagavi Unit, Karnataka
2 Second Best Award for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., Dalmiapuram, Tamil Nadu
3 Third Best Award for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants JK Cement Works, Muddapur,
Karnataka
4 First Consolation Prize for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Shree Beawer Cement Plant,
Ajmer, Rajasthan
5 Second Consolation Prize for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu
III. Awards for Total Quality Excellence
in Integrated Cement Plants
1 Best Award for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Shree Cement Ltd. (RAS), Pali, Rajasthan
2 Second Best Award for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Birla Corporation Ltd.
Unit: Birla Cement Works & Chanderia Cement Works, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan
3 Third Best Award for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement Ltd.,
Unit: Aditya Cement Works, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan
4 First Consolation Prize for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Shree Raipur Cement Plant, Shree Cement Ltd., Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh
5 Second Consolation Prize for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants JK Cement Works, Muddapur, Karnataka

IV. Awards for Achieving Circular Economy in
Integrated Cement Plants
1 Best Award for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement Ltd.,
Unit: Reddipalayam Cement Works, Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu
2 Second Best Award for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants JK Cement Works, Muddapur, Karnataka
3 Third Best Award for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants Shree Beawer Cement Plant, Ajmer, Rajasthan
4 First Consolation Prize for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu
5 Second Consolation Prize for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd., Chittor Cement Plant, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan
V. Awards for Energy Excellence in Grinding Units
1 Best Award for Energy Excellence in Grinding Units UltraTech Cement Ltd., Unit: Jharsuguda Cement Works, Odisha
2 Second Best Award for Energy Excellence in Grinding Units JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd., Kalol, Gujarat
3 Third Best Award for Energy Excellence in Grinding Units JK Cement Works, Jharli, Haryana
4 First Consolation Prize for Energy Excellence in Grinding Units Ambuja Cement Ltd. –Adani Group, Roorkee Grinding Unit, Uttarakhand
5 Second Consolation Prize for Energy Excellence in Grinding Units Calcom Cement India Ltd., Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., Lanka, Assam
I. Awards for Environment Excellence in Grinding Units
1 Best Award for Environment Excellence in Grinding Units My Home Industries Pvt. Ltd., Mulakalapalli, Anakappali, Andhra Pradesh
2 Second Best Award for Environment Excellence in Grinding Units Star Cement Ltd., Guwahati, Assam
3 Third Best Award for Environment Excellence in Grinding Units Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., Bokaro, Jharkhand
4 First Consolation Prize for Environment Excellence in Grinding Units JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd., Kalol, Gujarat
5 Second Consolation Prize for Environment Excellence in Grinding Units JK Cement Works, Jharli, Haryana

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Concrete

JSW Cement Commissions 1 MTPA Unit in Rajasthan

Rajasthan grinding capacity rises to 3.50 MTPA after commissioning

Published

1 hour ago

October 9, 2026

admin

JSW Cement has commissioned an additional 1 MTPA cement grinding unit in Nagaur, Rajasthan, taking the company’s total cement grinding capacity to 25.1 MTPA. The commissioning was announced on Tuesday, October 6.

The company said the new unit had increased the total cement grinding capacity at its Rajasthan plant to 3.50 MTPA. The expansion adds to JSW Cement’s production infrastructure as it continues to build capacity across its operating network.

The company’s total clinker manufacturing capacity, including capacity at its joint venture JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA. Clinker is an intermediate material used in cement production, and its availability supports the company’s grinding operations.

JSW Cement is also pursuing a proposed merger of its listed subsidiary Shiva Cement with the company. The scheme, approved by the boards of the respective companies, involves issuing five fully paid-up JSW Cement equity shares for every 41 shares held by Shiva Cement shareholders other than JSW Cement.

The arrangement remains subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. JSW Cement currently holds 66.23 per cent of Shiva Cement’s paid-up equity share capital, and the shares held by JSW Cement in the subsidiary will be cancelled under the proposal without any issue of JSW Cement shares against that holding.

The scheme has an appointed date of April 1, 2026, and the company has indicated that completion could take 12 to 14 months, depending on the receipt of approvals. These include clearances from stock exchanges, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the National Company Law Tribunal and other applicable authorities, along with approvals from shareholders and creditors where required. JSW Cement shares closed at Rs. 113.15 on the BSE, up Rs. 2.05, or 1.85 per cent.

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

9 hours ago

October 9, 2026

admin

Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit in Rajasthan

The Nagaur expansion takes JSW Cement’s total grinding capacity to 25.10 MTPA.

Published

1 day ago

October 8, 2026

admin

JSW Cement has commissioned an additional 1 million tonne per annum (MTPA) cement grinding unit at its Nagaur Integrated Plant in Rajasthan. The commissioning takes the company’s total cement grinding capacity to 25.10 MTPA.

JSW Cement’s total clinker manufacturing capacity, including its joint venture JSW Cement FZC, now stands at 9.74 MTPA.

The company began operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and a 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the latest expansion, the plant’s total grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA.

The additional capacity will cater to cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a combination of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended September 30, 2026, JSW Cement also commissioned an Alternate Fuel Handling System and a Waste Heat Recovery System (WHRS) at the Nagaur plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said the additional grinding capacity was a strategic priority for the company’s expansion in North India. He added that the Alternate Fuel Handling System and WHRS were expected to reduce production costs.