Concrete

Making Raw Materials Worthier

Published

3 years ago

April 7, 2023

admin

Detlef Blümke, Managing Director, Loesche India, talks about the evolution and adaptation of grinding mills with the changing face of raw mix and alternative fuels.

Let us start at the beginning, somewhere around 1906, when Loesche India initiated coal fired power plants and mills. Since then, they have been developing new things and have been frontrunners in the vertical mills’ domain. They are inventors of raw mills for raw material grinding, vertical roller mills for raw material grinding and have been ahead of times with other manufacturers following their lead.
Energy and carbon dioxide are the major concerns in the current times. Loesche India is developing and trying to improve its product to accommodate the rising concerns of the environment. Europe, too, is very strict with its regulations as carbon reduction is a huge necessity there as well. This will ultimately imply the reduction of work. The resource is also critical as Loesche India is shutting down its coal fired power plants and looking forward to using nuclear powered or solar powered plants etc., which safeguard and protect the resources of nature. They are the inventors of hundreds of machines, which makes them responsible for cleaning up the world that we live in.
The company has partnered with multiple companies and have been working on processes like pyroprocessing, focussing on aspects like power reduction, process optimisation and carbon reduction. While it is not trying to compete with full line suppliers, it is looking for niche markets and focusing on
each product.

Finetuning the Operations
One of Loesche India’s subsidiaries in India is into transportation and has special transportation machinery that is not available anywhere. This ensures a smooth process because if that is interrupted, then it needs to be restarted and stopped, which leads to waste of energy. The company is working on a wide field of products and is moving ahead with new developments to increase capacities of its mills and to reduce the footprints of the plants.
It has acquired small portions of land in some areas, because it is not just about the investment, it is also about the protection of land. It is also working on replacing limestone in the clinker, which is clinker reduction, which leads to reduction in the consumption of power and carbon. This is the main focus.
Dr Loesche is 67 years old and his sons will be stepping in to take over the business. They are deeply inclined towards environment protection and building sustainability. The organisation has also started publishing its sustainability reports and are looking into it minutely to understand better paths to include sustainability into their machines and everyone’s lives as well.
Speaking of alternative fuels, at the celebration of 111 years of Loesche, it was announced that the company is using 100 per cent alternative fuels without any coal. At this stage, the machines have been optimised for the use of 60 to 70 per cent alternative fuels to 100 per cent alternative fuels. They have optimised the plant process for the same. Newer cements will keep getting developed by the producers, which will be further approved by the concerned authorities. Clay and slag are substitutes, which are alternative or supplementary materials. Loesche India’s raw mills are equipped to adapt to the changing raw materials for cement and will give optimised results for the same.

Role of Automation
They have onboarded subsidiaries and companies that conduct fluid simulations for their processes to understand if the results can be optimised and identify bottlenecks for a seamless flow. This way resistance can be eliminated, thus reducing the usage of power. They also provide their customers with gear boxes for our machines, so that preventive maintenance can be done for any damage that may be waiting to happen. They give a full package with machines, spare parts, documentation and software packages for self-learning for optimised results. They are far away from advanced artificial intelligence.
The acceptance of full automation in India is still not 100 per cent, but they are moving there. As the players are increasing their capacities and competition is rising, the industry will be inclined to automate their processes.
Loesche India has introduced an ambient system, especially for raw material grinding, which can reduce the footprint of grinding, can reduce CAPEX and operational cost as well. This system will be able to reduce at least 2kWH per tonne for the grinding. If the capacity is 600 or 900 tonnes, the savings are enormous. This is the company’s main focus to reduce energy and save the environment. It is no longer looking at capacities anymore, attractive plants are green now.
Loesche India has been in the Indian market for almost 40 years and is well reputed in India. It is constantly working towards keeping up with its innovations and inventions. Of course, the competition is strong, but that is a challenge that the company has happily accepted and is pushing the boundaries to become better, with machines that are more reliable and energy efficient as it continues to be a part of the cement industry in India.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Detlef Blümke, Managing Director, Loesche India Pvt Ltd., has been heading the India operations for the past four years and been with the company for almost 30 years.

Up Next

Value-Adding to Sustainable Efforts

Don't Miss

The Economics of Bulk Transportation

Concrete

Nuvoco commissions Surat grinding unit

Nuvoco posts 20 per cent rise in Q1 PAT

Published

3 hours ago

July 14, 2026

admin

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. has announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, reporting growth in volumes, earnings and profitability while advancing its expansion plans in western India.

The company inaugurated a 2-million-tonnes-per-annum (MTPA) grinding unit at its Limla Cement Plant in Surat on July 11, 2026, ahead of schedule. The facility, part of the Vadraj Cement assets, is expected to strengthen Nuvoco’s presence in western India while freeing up capacity at its Rajasthan plants to cater to demand in northern markets.

Progress at the Kutch project remains on track, with phased commissioning scheduled to begin in the third quarter of FY27. The company has also commenced work on a bulk cement terminal at Viramgam, Sachana, Gujarat, featuring a dedicated railway siding. The terminal is expected to become operational by the second quarter of FY28 and will support distribution across Gujarat. These projects form part of Nuvoco’s capacity expansion programme, which is expected to increase its total cement capacity to 35 MTPA by FY28.

During Q1 FY27, the company recorded cement sales volumes of 5.3 million tonnes, up 5 per cent year-on-year. Consolidated total income rose 9 per cent to Rs 31.29 billion, while EBITDA increased 7 per cent to Rs 5.72 billion, marking the company’s highest-ever first-quarter EBITDA. Profit after tax grew 20 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1.60 billion.

Commenting on the results, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, Nuvoco Vistas Corp., said the company delivered improved business performance despite macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges. He attributed the results to disciplined execution, cost optimisation and operational efficiencies, while highlighting the early commissioning of the Surat grinding unit as a key milestone in the company’s expansion strategy.

He added that the company remains focused on prudent procurement, supply chain efficiency and cost discipline while monitoring geopolitical developments that could affect industry supply chains and input costs.

Concrete

Cement Sector Faces Sluggish Growth in First Half of FY27

April Price Hikes Unlikely To Offset Margin Decline

Published

1 day ago

July 13, 2026

admin

Nuvama Institutional Equities has warned that India’s cement industry is expected to record subdued volume growth in the first half of fiscal year 2026-27 before a recovery in the second half. The brokerage assessed that price increases implemented in April 2026 will be insufficient to offset an overall decline in sector profitability. It attributed the outlook to weak demand and fresh capacity additions scheduled during fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28 that are likely to keep prices under pressure.

The report noted that demand was sluggish in April and May 2026 owing to global uncertainty, labour shortages, heatwaves, constraints in raw materials and unseasonal rainfall. Producers raised prices across regions in April to mitigate rising petcoke costs and higher packaging expenses, but the increases proved short lived. Nuvama reported that standard petcoke prices rose to USD153/t, around USD41/t higher than in the third quarter of fiscal year 2025-26.

Price correction followed weaker demand, limiting the net increase to about Rs 10-12 per bag by the end of the quarter. Imported petcoke prices have since fallen to USD132/t from a recent peak of USD168/t, although they remained roughly USD20/t higher quarter on quarter. The brokerage expected the higher input cost impact to begin reflecting from late quarter one of FY27 and to continue into early quarter two.

Nuvama also estimated that crude linked increases were likely to raise packaging costs by about Rs 120-150/t and to exert upward pressure on freight. It warned that soft demand combined with significant new supply coming on stream in FY27-28 would keep pricing under strain and constrain near term margin recovery. The report concluded that volume growth was likely to be sluggish in the first half of FY27 before recovering in the second half.

Concrete

Nuvoco Vistas launches Limla cement plant, expands Gujarat footprint

Published

1 day ago

July 13, 2026

admin

Nuvoco Vistas opens a 2 MMTPA grinding unit at Limla, entering Gujarat and advancing its target of 35 MMTPA capacity by FY 2028.

Surat (Gujarat)

Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Ltd, a part of Nirma Group and one of India’s leading building materials company, has inaugurated the Limla Cement Plant in Surat (Gujarat), one of Vadraj Cement Limited’s (VCL) principal manufacturing facilities. The commissioning represents a key milestone in Nuvoco’s acquisition and restoration of VCL, while supporting the company’s expansion across the Western Indian cement market.

Vadraj Cement Limited is a subsidiary of Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Limited and has installed cement capacity of 6 MMTPA across its assets. The Limla inauguration therefore represents the first operational step in the acquired platform’s wider revival, while the Kutch facilities provide clinker supply, mineral security and coastal logistics support for the western business.

Nuvoco completed its acquisition of Vadraj Cement Limited, then under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process, after paying a consideration of Rs 1,800 crore in June 2025. VCL’s asset portfolio comprises a clinker unit at Kutch and a grinding unit at Limla in Surat. It also includes high-quality captive limestone reserves and a captive jetty at Kutch, supporting more efficient logistics. Following the takeover, Nuvoco began an extensive programme of restoration, refurbishment and expansion at both locations, leading to the commissioning of the Limla plant.

The Limla Cement Plant is expected to support a phased increase in sales volumes across Gujarat. It will also help Nuvoco supply neighbouring markets in Western Maharashtra and release cement capacity from its northern plants, which can consequently be redirected towards markets in North India. The plant will manufacture a full portfolio comprising Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Slag Cement, Portland Pozzolana Cement and Portland Composite Cement. It will additionally produce the complete Nuvoco Duraguard range, including the premium Nuvoco Duraguard Microfibre product. The acquisition is also expected to generate operational synergies with Nuvoco’s existing plants at Nimbol and Chittorgarh in Rajasthan, improving logistics optimisation and market reach across important regional markets.

The grinding unit at the Limla Cement Plant was completed ahead of schedule, with 2 MMTPA of capacity now inaugurated to expand Nuvoco’s operating scale and customer reach. After Vadraj Cement’s assets become fully operational, plants in North and West India are expected to account for nearly 40 per cent of Nuvoco’s total cement capacity. This will broaden the company’s manufacturing network, strengthen access to high-growth markets and support its plan to increase consolidated cement capacity to 35 MMTPA by FY 2028, reinforcing its longer-term growth strategy.

Commenting on the development, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd, said: “The inauguration of the Limla Grinding Unit in Surat is an important milestone in Nuvoco’s growth journey and demonstrates our commitment to disciplined, value-accretive expansion. Gujarat is strategically significant for Nuvoco, with substantial opportunities arising from infrastructure investment, industrial growth, rapid urbanisation and continuing demand from the housing and construction sectors. The facility strengthens our regional footprint, improves operational flexibility and increases our ability to serve customers across northern and western markets with greater reliability and efficiency.”

He added: “Through the Vadraj acquisition, we have refurbished and restarted a strategically important asset, returning it to operations in record time through strong execution and collaboration between teams. The achievement demonstrates our ability to create value from acquired assets, fulfil our commitments and retain the confidence of stakeholders. It also highlights the strength of our project delivery capabilities and our continued focus on building sustainable, profitable growth over the long term.”

Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Limited is a building materials company whose vision is to build a safer, smarter and more sustainable world. It is among the leading players in East India and has a significant presence across North and West India. Nuvoco began operations in 2014 with a greenfield cement plant at Nimbol, Rajasthan. It later acquired Lafarge India Limited, which had entered India in 1999, followed by Emami Cement Limited in 2020 and Vadraj Cement Limited in April 2025. The company has also announced an expansion in eastern India through a new grinding mill at the Arasmeta Cement Plant, supported by several debottlenecking programmes involving equipment upgrades, process improvements and internal capacity initiatives. These developments place Nuvoco on track to achieve total cement capacity of approximately 35 MMTPA. The company reported total income of Rs 11,362 crore in FY 2025-26, reflecting its continuing growth trajectory.

Nuvoco operates a diversified portfolio across three segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete and Modern Building Materials. Its cement portfolio includes Concreto, Duraguard, Double Bull, PSC, Nirmax and Infracem, covering Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Slag Cement, Portland Pozzolana Cement and Portland Composite Cement. Its pan-India RMX business provides value-added products under Concreto for performance concrete, Artiste for decorative concrete, InstaMix for ready-to-use bagged concrete, X-Con covering M20 to M60 grades, and Ecodure for specialised green concrete. Nuvoco has supplied materials to projects including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train, Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Aquatic Gallery at Science City in Ahmedabad, and metro railway projects in Delhi, Jaipur, Noida and Mumbai.