Concrete

Bringing About a Green Change

Published

3 years ago

April 12, 2023

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VN Balasubramanian, Director – Head BU Polysius India, thyssenkrupp Industries India (tkII), discusses the various factors challenging Indian cement sector’s fight against carbon emissions and the role technology partners play in the larger scheme of things.

BU Polysius has been in existence for over 150 years and has grown from a family-owned brand to a conglomerate. The philosophy of the Polysius group has always centred on quality, reliability and performance. India is a very price sensitive market, but as a group, thyssenkrupp Polysius is driven by the quality and ruggedness of German machinery. Their products may not be the cheapest in terms of price, but are amongst the best in quality. They do not believe in slashing their prices and compromising quality.
Major cement players from the Indian cement industry have relied on thyssenkrupp Polysius and have added multiple lines over the years. In addition, several new customers have also placed orders on Polysius in the recent past. Between 2010 and 2020, tkII Polysius have built 22 Pyro lines, which is a testimony to the reliability, quality of the equipment and service focus for the customer.

Reducing Carbon Footprint
Carbon footprint reduction in the Indian cement industry is not yet a mandatory norm like in the west but the mandates are round the corner. The Indian cement industry has strict guidelines on noise and dust emissions, which they have admirably complied with. There are guidelines on SOx and NOx emissions but no penalties yet for carbon emissions. But the awareness has surely increased. Outside India, BU Polysius have come up with a lot of green technology initiatives for reduction in use of fossil fuels, utilisation of activated clay etc. There are plants in Europe operating on 100 per cent alternative fuel and raw materials (AFR) with equipment supplied by BU Polysius. This has twin advantages of reduction of carbon emissions as well as operational cost advantages to the customers. Polysius offers a complete solution for AFR handling from the collection point to feeding in the calciner with assurance of total substitution rate (TSR) and throughput. The solution is field proven, with several operating references and highly beneficial to the customer and of course, the environment in the larger scheme of things.
In India, the AFR usage is around 15-25 per cent and is very fragmented. The main hurdle in achieving higher TSR rates is the supply chain to ensure continued availability of the waste of the right quality. Secondly, many plants are not AFR ready. However, this trend is changing for the better now with customers insisting on designing AFR-ready plants.
Apart from the standard ISO specifications that they adhere to and following the DIN standards for designs that are based out of Germany, all their equipment are initially designed in Germany and horizontally deployed in India. Hence, the thyssenkrupp India team does not copy, only improvise/ modify to match Indian conditions, get their approvals for BU Polysius and move forward. The vetting is a mandatory process for maintaining standards and reason for higher costs of their products. Every big and small equipment is DIN standard specified and over a period they are vetted. tkII workshops are approved by BU Polysius Germany Quality experts, who also carry out periodic inspections to ensure quality standards.
Customer Complaints at tKII are accorded top priority and resolution within a fixed period is an absolute must. They have a standard four-eyed principle for offer and design submission, vetted by a minimum of two people to avoid any errors.
thyssenkrupp BU Polysius India Global Engineering Centre is one of the two centres in the world, catering to plant design for BU Polysius Germany for their global projects. It comprises handpicked designers trained by Polysius Germany to deliver top class quality on rigid timelines. To maintain the high standards, German experts constantly evaluate and upgrade the skills of the team.

Role of Automation and Technology
Operating costs are constantly on the rise. The goal is to reduce the production cost to the best possible extent for the customers. In the former days, there used to be about 800 people working in a cement plant and today it has been reduced to less than 250 in India. Similar plants overseas operate with less than 100 personnel. This has been possible largely due to digitalisation and automation. The trend is gradually gaining pace in the Indian cement industry as well. Manual intervention in inspection and operation not only increases the cost but also the probability of errors. Today automation is not just a buzzword but the need of the day.
For example, their R&D Centre in Germany can evaluate the real time performance of a Polysius plant in India or any corner in the world without physically visiting. It, of course, comes at a price but with proper planning in the early stages of the project, the cost is negligible. It is possible even in operating plants of any make. The cost incurred vis-à-vis advantages of an automated solution is a no brainer.
Developing a digitalised solution for improving operational efficiency is a challenge, and there are many players in the market but with thyssenkrupp Polysius, the added advantage is the knowledge
of process technology that comes along. Thus, the output from their automation solutions are more precise and accurate, which are accompanied by precise recommendations.
Regarding polab® laboratory automation, Polab stands for POLYSIUS Laboratory. It is one of the most automated and reliable products in the market today. It is a step towards the future where it cuts out personal and human intervention. With the POLAB, samples are collected automatically from every stage of the production line, transported to the lab and results delivered within a few minutes and correction is carried out online.
Earlier cement plant laboratories used to have 6-8 people in a shift and at least 10-12 in the lab for the physical and chemical testing. Now, the POLAB carries out the tests automatically with a robot that does all the testing, and usually operates with just one person per shift to oversee the operation. The total design and supply of crucial components are from Germany. Another USP is the assembly and trial of the entire system in our R&D centre in Germany before being shipped out to the plant location. thyssenkrupp BU Polysius specialises in this kind of automation.
In India, Wonder Cement has four pyro processing lines from BU Polysius through tkII. The association started with the first line and with each new Pyro line, modules added subsequently. The entire system is fully integrated and operational. The key components in all lines are manufactured and assembled in Germany. The quality control at every stage is excellent and very precise. It contributes to the image of Wonder cement. The return on investment is high in this scenario. There are other players also in the market but very few bring with them the technology that is akin to BU Polysius.
polab® is yet another equipment that the company is proud of. They are thinking of steps to further indigenise some components to optimise costs and work on the lines of ‘Make in India’ initiative so that over a period of time, it becomes more affordable for all cement players in India, without any compromise on quality. For the past two years, India has been one of the most fiercely expanding economies and top of the order in terms of capex investments in the cement sector.
A few years ago, thyssenkrupp India used to execute 2-3 pyro lines in a financial year. But in the past couple of years, they are executing on at least five pyro lines with 10-12 raw grinding units simultaneously without any big-time increase in headcount. This has been possible due to the proactive support from the parent organisation in Germany and excellent work of the young and exuberant team in the BU Polysius India. It would not have been possible without them.
With the tremendous thrust on infrastructure in the recent budgets, the Government of India has opened floodgates of opportunity for the cement sector. Hence, the bullish trend should continue for a few more years but will continue to be severely price competitive. Hence, the key lies in optimising design and cost without compromising quality. Indian cement plants are amongst the most efficient worldwide in terms of fuel and power consumption but we are not yet there in terms of emissions and cost competitiveness.
The Government of India and the cement industry are putting efforts in that direction. But, given the size of India and its diversities, the task is daunting. They are optimistic that change will happen soon and tkII BU Polysius with the technology back up is prepared to partner the cement makers to bring this green change to cement manufacturing, which will not only help the current generation but also the future generations.

–Kanika Mathur

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Cement Prices To Hold Steady Amid Monsoon Slump

Centrum report says demand weakness will limit hikes

Published

9 minutes ago

July 6, 2026

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Centrum, a financial services firm, has reported that cement prices are likely to remain largely unchanged in July as weak demand during the monsoon season constrains pricing power. The report noted that construction activity remained subdued in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 owing to labour shortages and slower execution of government projects. While June showed some volume recovery driven by delayed monsoons and quarter end sales, dealers are cautious about sustaining any price increases.

The analysis suggested that seasonal slowdown related to monsoon will prolong demand and pricing challenges through the second quarter. Dealers saw most recent attempts at price hikes as protective measures rather than genuine shifts in market fundamentals. They signalled that pockets of demand in select regions could prompt isolated adjustments but that broad based increases were unlikely while construction activity remained weak. Market participants therefore expected a cautious stance on pricing.

The report highlighted that despite intermittent recovery in shipments during June, the underlying demand trajectory remained muted as monsoon hampered site level activity and logistics. Commercial builders and retail dealers both reported constrained order books and slower payment cycles, which in turn reduced room for margin expansion among manufacturers. Analysts noted that unless government project execution accelerates markedly, demand improvement would be gradual. Price setters were thus likely to focus on protecting market shares rather than pursuing aggressive increases.

Market watchers said the near term outlook would be shaped by monsoon progress and fiscal spending patterns, with any acceleration in public works offering the most tangible support. Traders expected that regional variations would persist and that trade flows between surplus and deficit centres would determine local price movements. The report concluded that stakeholders should prepare for a period of subdued pricing until demand signals strengthen.

Concrete

Cement Prices Set To Stay Under Pressure In July

Monsoon and weak demand keep prices under strain

Published

9 minutes ago

July 6, 2026

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A report by Centrum said cement prices are expected to remain largely flat in July as the monsoon and weak demand weigh on the sector. The report said demand during the first quarter of FY27 remained range-bound and below expectations, with dealers across markets pointing to subdued construction activity, labour shortages, elections, heatwaves and slower execution of government projects as key reasons. It noted that some recovery was witnessed in June due to delayed onset of the monsoon and quarter-end volume push.\n\nDealers across most markets do not expect any meaningful price increases in July, the report said, adding that attempts to raise prices in some markets are aimed at defending existing levels rather than achieving significant gains. The sharp correction following the rollback of April hikes has largely played out across most regions, limiting scope for further immediate increases. Seasonal slowdown in construction activity during the monsoon is expected to continue affecting demand and pricing in the coming months.\n\nCentrum indicated that pricing pressure is likely to persist through the second quarter of FY27 as monsoon-related softness continues. Dealers remain cautious about sustainability of any price rise attempts and do not rule out further weakness during the peak monsoon period. The combination of subdued demand and seasonal factors is likely to constrain the industry’s ability to raise prices in the near term. While June saw some improvement in volumes because of delayed rains and quarter-end sales efforts, the broader demand environment remains challenging.\n\nCement companies are therefore expected to focus on maintaining current price levels rather than pursuing aggressive increases as the sector navigates weak demand and seasonal headwinds. The report suggested that unless demand conditions improve significantly, limited scope will exist for meaningful price recovery. Market participants remain watchful for any shifts in execution of infrastructure projects or construction activity that could alter the outlook.

Concrete

TARIL Secures Ultra Mega Transformer Order From PGCIL

Order for manufacturing transformers to be delivered in 30 months

Published

9 minutes ago

July 6, 2026

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Transformers and Rectifiers (India) Limited has received Notifications of Awards from Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) for multiple contracts to manufacture transformers and undertake associated works. The company submitted the disclosure to BSE and the National Stock Exchange under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Regulations. The submission cited security code 532928 and trading symbol TARIL, and the filings cite the award reference and confirm execution in accordance with the terms and conditions stipulated in the notifications.

The contracts are described as an Ultra Mega Order under the company classification, indicating a value at or above Rs 10 billion (bn) on conversion. The filing identifies the contracts as domestic orders and specifies a scheduled delivery period of 30 months. The scope covers manufacturing of transformers of various ratings together with all associated work. The order size places it in the highest project classification defined in the company’s disclosure.

The disclosure states that the promoter group and group companies have no interest in the awarding entity and that the contracts do not constitute related party transactions. The company noted that the awards will be executed in the normal course of business and not fall within related party transactions. The document reiterates that the company is committed to delivering high quality products and services and has established itself as a leading manufacturer of transformers in the country over time.

Chief Financial Officer Mehul Shah authorised the filing and requested the exchanges to take the information on record, with the company providing the requisite filing reference in its submission. The company indicated that the orders will be executed as per the notifications of awards and the applicable regulatory framework. The original filing is available on the stock exchange portal at the provided link.