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Supporting Technology with Regulation

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Sridhar S Sundaram, Vice President, Head of Global Product Line – Grinding and Gears, FLSmidth explains the role of technology in enhancing cement manufacturing processes to enable bigger and faster strides towards net zero targets.

Productivity growth through automation in the cement industry has grown from use of technology in the old physiological days to Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered softwares today. Cement plants operate in an automated way but there are still manual interventions that happen in an operating plant. These variations are also controlled now with AI powered softwares. This is helping customers have minimum manual intervention in the operation of the cement plants and increase production up to 5 per cent. However, when productivity increases, the energy consumption also decreases since the systems are automated to use only the optimum amount of energy. FLSmidth has an optimisation software called Process Expert Controller (PXC), which does the trick for cement manufactures and helps them enhance their production and productivity levels.
Data is meant to enable better decision making. There is a control system, optimisation software and apart from these systems, there is also an application called Site Connect. Data from the control system is available at the head office in a monitor, tablet and mobile phone that enables better decision making and managerial interventions, which in due course of time better production and profits. This kind of digitalisation is at a nascent stage. The aim is to get as many plants connected as possible. Data from this software goes to the cloud, then back to the stakeholders i.e., FLSmidth headquarters, customer headquarters, and to all those who need the data to make better decisions.
Work is also in progress on the backend algorithms for data collection. Based on these algorithms, there can be alarms, flags etc., enabling predictive interventions of plant maintenance.

No Alternative to Safety
There are quite a few experts who have spoken about how to reduce CO2. OxyRich fuel and Green Hydrogen are the next generation topics as we exhaust the existing alternative fuel options. When we go from the present 15 per cent use of alternative fuels to 50 to 60 per cent use of alternative fuels, that itself will take care of the sustainability aspect of the cement industry. Beyond this, when CO2 capture is thought of then OxyRich and Green Hydrogen come into play. This technology is evolving and will eventually benefit all industries that have a high emission rate.
The industry must use alternative fuels. Agriculture wastes can contribute up to 10 per cent of alternative fuels. Now, the industry is targeting 30 to 50 per cent use of alternative fuels, which comes out as waste derived fuels. Feedback that has come from the cement plants states that the odour and other problems associated with these fuels could be hazardous to the health. While it is encouraged for cement plants to use alternative fuels, the challenge is to safeguard every employee at the plant and surroundings with the other harmful effects of the waste derived fuels. The approach towards the use of waste derived fuels should be in a manner that all aspects of its use and safety should be taken care of before its implementation.

Technology at its best
The industry has an intention to reduce its carbon footprint and make cement production friendly for the environment. However, without governance and regulation, the implementation will be a challenge and there will be no standard practice. If you go back 30 years when stacks in cement plants had a lot of dust, it was the government that made the norms and kept making them stricter, which has led to a highly reduced dust emission from cement plants. Similarly, usage of technology for reduction of carbon footprint will require intervention and regulation for cement players.
In Europe, there is a penalty known as carbon tax while the talk of Indian industry is Sustainability Incentive. Either way, there needs to be an intervention to bring down emission levels in any industry.

Future Collaborations
FLSmidth is always with its customers. And the company has a mission zero roadmap, too. The strategy and aim are to design a plant with zero emission by 2030. There are steps involved to this.
The first step is to modernise old plants, which will have a huge impact on reducing carbon emission and energy consumption. Second step would be to collaborate with new technologies and make them available in the market in an accelerated manner. For this, a deal has been signed with Dalmia Cement that both companies will collaborate in pushing the sustainability agenda at a much larger scale than before. With Dalmia Cement as a partner, FLSmidth can immediately test its new technologies. Once that is successful, it can be taken to the market faster than before.
The company is looking at partnerships with leading players to help bring better technology to the industry. Their role, too, is key in bringing a change and FLSmidth is looking forward to collaborating with all players of the Indian cement industry.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Sridhar S Sundaram, VP & Head of Global Product Lines – Grinding and Gears, holds managerial expertise with varied and international experience in Technical, Sales and O&M functions.

Concrete

Organisations valuing gender diversity achieve higher profitability

Aparna Reddy, Executive Director, Aparna Enterprises talks about company plans.

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The building materials industry is projected to grow by 8-12 per cent over the next five years. How is Aparna Enterprises positioning itself to leverage this momentum and solidify its market presence?
The Indian construction and building materials industry is projected to witness significant expansion, with estimates suggesting an 8-12 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next five years. This growth is fuelled by rapid urbanisation, increased infrastructure investments and sustainability-focused policies. With India’s real-estate market expected to reach $ 1 trillion by 2030, the demand for high-quality building materials is at an all-time high.
The Government of India’s flagship programmes, such as PM Gati Shakti, the Smart Cities Mission and the Housing for All (PMAY-Urban) initiative, are key drivers of this surge. The infrastructure sector alone is expected to receive a budgetary push of over Rs 11 trillion in FY25, with enhanced capital expenditure allocation.
At Aparna Enterprises, we are proactively aligning with this momentum through capacity expansion, product diversification, and cutting-edge technological integration. 

Our key strategic priorities include:
  • Expanding operations in high-growth regions across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, ensuring access to quality building materials nationwide
  • Investing in automation, AI-driven quality control systems and digital integration, enhancing efficiency and precision in manufacturing
  • Scaling up production capabilities in our RMC, tiles, uPVC and other divisions to meet the anticipated surge in demand.

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Concrete

Global Start-Up Challenge Launched to Drive Net Zero Concrete Solutions

Innovandi Open Challenge aims to connect start-ups with GCCA members to develop innovations

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Start-ups worldwide are invited to contribute to the global cement and concrete industry’s efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and combat climate change. The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and its members are calling for applicants for the Innovandi Open Challenge 2025.

Now in its fourth year, the Innovandi Open Challenge aims to connect start-ups with GCCA members to develop innovations that help decarbonise the cement and concrete industry.

The challenge is seeking start-ups working on next-generation materials for net-zero concrete, such as low-carbon admixtures, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), activators, or binders. Innovations in these areas could help reduce the carbon-intensive element of cement, clinker, and integrate cutting-edge materials to lower CO2 emissions.

Thomas Guillot, GCCA’s Chief Executive, stated, “Advanced production methods are already decarbonising cement and concrete worldwide. Through the Innovandi Open Challenge, we aim to accelerate our industry’s progress towards net-zero concrete.”

Concrete is the second most widely used material on Earth, and its decarbonisation is critical to achieving net-zero emissions across the global construction sector.

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Concrete

StarBigBloc Acquires Land for AAC Blocks Greenfield Facility in Indore

The company introduced NXTGRIP Tile Adhesives alongside its trusted NXTFIX and NXTPLAST brands.

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StarBigBloc Building Material, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BigBloc Construction, one of the largest manufacturers of Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC) Blocks, Bricks and ALC Panels in India has acquired land for setting up a green field facility for AAC Blocks in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Company has purchased approx. 57,500 sq. mts. land at Khasra No. 382, 387, 389/2, Gram Nimrani, Tehsil Kasrawad, District – Khargone, Madhya Pradesh for the purpose of AAC Blocks business expansion in central India. The total consideration for the land deal is Rs 60 million and Stamp duty.

StarBigBloc Building Material Ltd currently operates one plant at Kheda near Ahmedabad with an installed capacity of 250,000 cubic meters per annum, serving most part of Gujarat, upto Udaipur in Rajasthan, and till Indore in Madhya Pradesh. The capacity utilisation at Starbigbloc Building Material Ltd for the third quarter was 75 per cent. The planned expansion will enable the company to establish a stronger presence in Madhya Pradesh and surrounding regions. Reaffirming its commitment to the Green Initiative, it has also installed a 800 KW solar rooftop power project — a significant step toward sustainability and lowering its carbon footprint.

Narayan Saboo, Chairman, Bigbloc Construction said “The AAC block industry is set to play a pivotal role in India’s construction sector, and our company is ready for a significant leap forward. The proposed expansion in Indore, Madhya Pradesh aligns with our growth strategy, focusing on geographic expansion, R&D investments, product diversification, and strategic branding and marketing initiatives to enhance visibility, increase market share, and strengthen stakeholder trust.”

Bigbloc Construction has recently expanded into construction chemicals with Block Jointing Mortar, Ready Mix Plaster, and Tile Adhesives, tapping into high-demand segments. The company introduced NXTGRIP Tile Adhesives alongside its trusted NXTFIX and NXTPLAST brands, ensuring superior bonding, strength, and performance.

In May 2024, the board of directors approved fund-raising through SME IPO or Preferential issue to support expansion plans of Starbigboc Building Material subject to requisite approvals and market conditions, Starbigboc Building Material aims to expand its production capacity from current 250,000 cubic meters per annum to over 1.2 million cubic meters per annum in the next 4-5 years. Company is targeting revenues of Rs 4.28 billion by FY27-28, with an expected EBITDA of Rs 1.25 billion and net profit of Rs 800 million. In FY23-24, the company reported revenues of Rs 940.18 million, achieving a revenue CAGR of over 21 per cent in the last four years.

Incorporated in 2015, BigBloc Construction is one of the largest and only listed AAC block manufacturer in India, with a 1.3 million cbm annual capacity across plants in Gujarat (Kheda, Umargaon, Kapadvanj) and Maharashtra (Wada). The company, which markets its products under the ‘NXTBLOC’ brand, is one of the few in the AAC industry to generate carbon credits. With over 2,000 completed projects and 1,500+ in the pipeline, The company’s clients include Lodha, Adani Realty, IndiaBulls Real Estate, DB Realty, Prestige, Piramal, Oberoi Realty, Tata Projects, Shirke Group, Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Raheja, PSP Projects, L&T, Sunteck, Dosti Group, Purvankara Ltd, DY Patil, Taj Hotels, Godrej Properties, Torrent Pharma, GAIL among others.

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