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A Common Control Platform

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Combining the old and new production lines on a common FLSmidth ECS/ControlCenter™ Platform at Arghakhanchi Cement, Nepal.

Having experienced the benefits of the latest FLSmidth ECS/ControlCenter™ control software on its newest production line, Arghakhanchi Cement was convinced of the need to upgrade the obsolete and fault-prone software on its existing line 1. With both lines now controlled from a common platform, productivity has increased and knowledge sharing between operators has improved.

AN OBSOLETE CONTROL SYSTEM CAUSES PROBLEMS
Production line 1 at Arghakhanchi Cement in Nepal was experiencing an increasing amount of unplanned downtime, caused by an obsolete control system. It was resulting in a loss of production. But the issue came to a head when production line 2 was commissioned with the latest FLSmidth ECS/ControlCenter™ process control software. process control software. This really highlighted the benefits of a modern state-of-the-art control for achieving reliable productivity.
“When production line 2 was commissioned with ECS/ControlCenter v8, the benefits were evident. With easier fault tracing, advanced trending and reporting features, it is much easier to achieve stable operation, as operators can easily understand and fix potential issues,” explained Krishna Pandey, General Manager – Plant, Arghakhanchi Cement.
The old system was engineered without any standardisation, which meant only specific engineers knew how to troubleshoot and maintain the system.
“A great advantage of ECS/ControlCenter v8 is that everything is based on a standard system, so learning how to operate the system and extract information is simple and intuitive. This applies to everything from troubleshooting to configuring process analytics using trend and reporting tools, and even back-up and restore functions,”said Pandey.
“As a result, operators began to ask for a similar control system to replace the old system on production line 1,” he concluded.

INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING
To upgrade the obsolete control system in as cost-efficient a way as possible, much of the existing hardware, with complete I/Os and panels was retained and re-used. This not only made lasting use of the customer’s previous investment; it also has a sustainability advantage. The amount of waste generated and new
materials used is reduced – a key pillar of the circular economy.
PLCs and communication cards had to be replaced, as did the entire PLC programming code. To do so, FLSmidth employed several proven engineering and processing tools to ensure consistent and uniform structure in the PLC programmes.
For commissioning, FLSmidth ECS/ControlCenter v8 includes a device simulation mode that allows the operation of the entire plant to be simulated and tested as per process requirements. This helps to ensure smooth and quick commissioning, allowing any problems to be identified and solved, without impacting the real-world operations of the plant.

NEW AND OLD LINES: A COMMON FLSMIDTH CONTROL PLATFORM
As one example of the benefits of the new system, “all interlocks can be seen and bypassed by every authorised user, directly from the faceplate, most often from the engineering system,” explained Pandey. “It means the new system is very easy to operate and – most importantly – we avoid the plant tripping, as operators can take action very quickly. Before, it was very difficult to know the interlocks and impossible to bypass them from the faceplate, as each bypass required reprogramming of the PLC system,” he added.
The upgrade of production line 1 is another example of the benefits gained by customers using FLSmidth ECS/ControlCenter v8. It is also a demonstration of FLSmidth skills and expertise to suggest the optimum upgrade strategy, even for obsolete and third-party supplied PLC hardware.
“From a control and logistics point of view, we wanted to have one central control room for both lines,” said Pandey. “The new system from FLSmidth gives us more flexibility with process control, more powerful control capabilities over both lines and excellent reporting capabilities.”

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Concrete

30-Day Traffic Diversion In Place For CC Road Works In Madhapur

Diversions in place from May 16 for cement concrete road works

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The Cyberabad Traffic Police issued a traffic advisory as road works begin for the laying of a cement concrete (CC) road from Jaya Shankar Statue to RRR Restaurant at Parvathnagar in Madhapur limits. The advisory indicated that traffic diversions will be in place for 30 days from May 16 to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles and to minimise congestion on the affected stretch. The measure aims to balance uninterrupted construction activity with the movement needs of commuters.

Traffic moving from Toddy Compound towards Parvathnagar village will be diverted at Parvathnagar junction towards Sunnam Cheruvu and the 100 feet road. Local motorists and public transport operators have been advised to follow the diversionary route as directed by traffic personnel on duty. Alternate routes and signage have been planned to mitigate delays and to manage peak hour congestion.

Police officials said the diversion had been planned to facilitate uninterrupted road works while maintaining traffic movement in the area. Commuters were urged to plan their travel accordingly and to cooperate with traffic staff managing the stretch. Authorities indicated that enforcement of diversions would be active and that violations could attract penalties.

The 30 day schedule is intended to allow contractors to complete the laying and curing phases with minimal interruption to vehicular flow. Residents and businesses in adjacent localities have been advised to factor the diversion into deliveries and travel plans. The traffic police promised continuous monitoring of the works and the operational diversions and emphasised that temporary inconvenience was necessary for longer term improvement of the road network. Traffic personnel will be stationed at key junctions and additional signage and temporary markings will be displayed to guide motorists and pedestrians through the revised alignments while public transport services will follow the diversion where feasible and operators have been asked to adjust timetables to minimise disruption.

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HeidelbergCement India Receives Consent For Khandwa Grinding Unit

Consent granted by Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board

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HeidelbergCement India (HeidelbergCement India) has received regulatory consent to establish a cement blending and grinding unit at Village Dongaliya, Tehsil Punasa, District Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh. The consent was granted by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and is dated 17 May 2026. The company disclosed the development in a filing made under Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.

The project plan envisages procurement of long term availability of fly ash and the allotment of land on lease for setting up the unit. The proposed facility is described as a blending and grinding installation which will process cementitious materials sourced from nearby operations and suppliers. Company filings state the measures required to secure raw material logistics and statutory compliance before commencing construction.

The addition of a grinding unit in Khandwa is intended to strengthen regional supply and improve logistical efficiency by reducing haulage distances for finished product. The unit is expected to complement existing capacities in central India and to offer flexibility in product mix through blending operations. The reliance on fly ash as a supplementary cementitious material will necessitate long term supply agreements with thermal power producers and coordination with waste utilisation policies.

The disclosure to the regulator and to the stock exchanges follows standard corporate governance practice and aims to keep investors apprised of capital expenditure initiatives. The company indicated that subsequent permits and clearances would be sought in accordance with applicable environmental and land use rules. The project is presented as part of HeidelbergCement India’s broader strategy to optimise capacity distribution and to respond to regional demand dynamics.

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PROMECON introduces infrared-based tertiary air measurement system for cement kilns

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The new solution promisescontinuous, real-time tertiary air flow measurement in cement plant operations.

PROMECON GmbH has launched the McON IR Compact, an infrared-based measuring system designed to deliver continuous, real-time tertiary air flow measurement in cement plant operations. The system addresses the longstanding process control challenge of accurate tertiary air monitoring under extreme kiln conditions. It uses patented infrared time-of-flight measurement technology that operates without calibration or maintenance intervention.

Precise tertiary air measurement is a critical requirement for stable rotary kiln operation. The McON IR Compact is engineered to function reliably at temperatures up to 1,200°C and in the presence of abrasive clinker dust. Its vector-based digital measurement architecture ensures that readings remain unaffected by swirl, dust deposits or drift. Due to these conditions conventional measurement systems in pyroprocess environments are often compromised.

The system is fully non-intrusive and requires no K-factors, recalibration or periodic readjustment, enabling years of uninterrupted operation. This design directly supports plant availability and reduces the maintenance overhead typically associated with process instrumentation in high-temperature zones.

PROMECON has deployed the McON IR Compact at multiple cement facilities, including Warta Cement in Poland. Plant operators report that the system has aided in identifying blockages, optimising purging cycles for gas burners, and supplying accurate flow data for AI-based process optimisation programmes. The practical outcomes include more stable kiln operation, improved process control, and earlier detection of process disturbances.

On the energy side, real-time tertiary air data enables reduction in induced draft fan load and helps flatten process oscillations across the pyroprocess. This translates to lower fuel and energy consumption, fewer unplanned shutdowns, and a measurable reduction in NOx peaks. This directly reflects on the downstream cost implications for plants operating SCR or SNCR systems for emissions compliance.

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