Connect with us

Concrete

Remote operations are more effective than onsite ones

Published

on

Shares

Manish Chordia, Regional Sales Manager – Cement, South Asia and Africa, ABB, discusses the correlation between digitalisation and efficiency, as the cement sector works towards reduction in carbon emissions.

Tell us about the impact that technology and digitalisation can create on sustainability of cement manufacturing.
The benefits of digitalisation-driven plant operations within the cement industry span not only provides improvement in the process, asset, plant, and enterprise-wide performance but can have an important positive impact on sustainability values. High levels of digitalisation result in higher efficiency gains, reducing energy consumption, while allowing for higher utilisation of alternative fuels and renewable energy sources. Such high levels of digitalisation are best achieved through a unified, cross-functional, and enterprise-wide approach to digital transformation, as those offered by ABB. This approach offers digital process/ asset and enterprise-level optimisation technologies, as well as effective training of plant personnel to be able to use these technologies, to provide targeted business benefits to cement customers.

What are the key pain points in a cement plant that your systems can address and improve?
The cement industry faces a range of challenges in its day-to-day operations around profitability/cost control, quality versus throughput, emissions and environmental sustainability. The cement industry is constantly looking for ways to reduce the cost of operations while maximising yield, improving quality, and reducing emissions all at the same time. ABB systems and solutions help look at old problems with a fresh perspective. It also helps in solving challenges around accuracy and explains the ability of the techniques, so that the machine’s recommendations can be trusted. Data cleansing, anomaly removal, analysing the correlation of parameters and result interpretation are all key elements here.
For instance, ABB’s system anomaly detection app learns your plant and equipment’s ‘normal’ states and uses adaptive setpoints to detect unusual patterns, anomalous behaviours. By triggering alerts, it reduces the effort to identify and rectify energy consumption deviations. Providing no more hassle of setting manual setpoints or alarms or notification overload. The same way the app can learn from your energy usage, production schedules and other factors to deliver accurate forecasts, it can allow for reduced peak demand charges on electricity bills.

How do your systems help achieve energy efficiency in cement plants, thus reducing their energy consumption?
ABB Ability Expert Optimizer is our advanced process control solution for the cement, mining and minerals industries. It takes data from the plant and then uses various technologies – most notably model predictive control – to build a model of whichever part of the plant is the focus. This model allows for the prediction of what is going to happen in the plant or specific areas of the plant based on the real-time data.
This model – effectively a digital twin of the plant or process – can be used to create setpoints that enable the plant to achieve its goals. Initially, this means stabilising the process but will move on to optimising plant performance according to various metrics, such as achieving higher production, lowering energy consumption, or stabilising product quality, depending on what the plant operator has decided and what the initial pain points of the plant are. When the targets have been set, ABB Ability Expert Optimizer is able to take the necessary actions required to meet them without the intervention of the operator.
In the latest releases of ABB Ability Expert Optimizer, ABB has also added the ability to monitor the operation of the plant remotely to ensure that the targets are being met – and to inform the plant whenever there is any variation. It helps to ensure that ABB Ability Expert Optimizer is not switched off by operators and continues to sustain the benefits realised during commissioning.

Tell us about the role of data in achieving optimisation through the manufacturing processes at the plant.
Data analytics has been there in the cement industry for quite some time. The industry is quite standardised with different product lines. The overall process is extremely complex – there are mines, conveyor belts moving raw materials, stockyards, kilns, grinding and so on. Various customers, especially the big players, have had solutions in place to provide data analytics. Now when you move to the next step of AI, we have solutions relating to assets and asset reliability. We collect various data like device temperatures, loading patterns, ambient temperatures and the happenings inside the cabinets to do AI-based analytics. Based on which, we alert the customer to the probability of failure of a particular part or electronic device. These are already implemented, however, a lot more in asset reliability and process are in the pipeline.
Another proven solution for information management systems, ABB Ability Knowledge Manager provides information consistency across multiple business levels. It can also be used to consolidate and centralise information from
multiple sites into one system, bringing into play a new level of regional and corporate performance indicators and allowing performance comparisons between operations.

What are the best practices that Indian cement manufacturers can adopt to achieve better productivity and efficiency in their operations?
Personally, I feel collaborative operations centre services, which were started a couple of years back, would gain a lot more relevance in the current environment. The customers will prefer to do commissioning remotely with minimal onsite workforce. The troubleshooting being remote, which was always one of our targets. Remote operations are more effective than onsite ones, as all experts are in one place. It saves a lot of time in case of disruptions or even a breakdown.

How have you contributed to the Net Zero mission for the Indian cement industry and how do you plan to do so in the future?
Our system can play a vital role in reaching environmental sustainability targets, and not just around reducing emissions, but also energy optimisation and management. This creates
immediate benefits for operating costs and margins, also enabling new business models for high-tech low-CO2 cements.

Concrete

India Sets Up First Carbon Capture Testbeds for Cement Industry

Five CCU testbeds launched to decarbonise cement production

Published

on

By

Shares



The Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently unveiled a pioneering national initiative: five Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in the cement sector, forming a first-of-its-kind research and innovation cluster to combat industrial carbon emissions.
This is a significant step towards India’s Climate Action for fostering National Determined Contributions (NDCs) targets and to achieve net zero decarbonisation pathways for Industry Transition., towards the Government’s goal to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2070.
Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) holds significant importance in hard-to-abate sectors like Cement, Steel, Power, Oil &Natural Gas, Chemicals & Fertilizers in reducing emissions by capturing carbon dioxide from industrial processes and converting it to value add products such as synthetic fuels, Urea, Soda, Ash, chemicals, food grade CO2 or concrete aggregates. CCU provides a feasible pathway for these tough to decarbonise industries to lower their carbon footprint and move towards achieving Net Zero Goals while continuing their operations efficiently. DST has taken major strides in fostering R&D in the CCUS domain.
Concrete is vital for India’s economy and the Cement industry being one of the main hard-to-abate sectors, is committed to align with the national decarbonisation commitments. New technologies to decarbonise emission intensity of the cement sector would play a key role in achieving of national net zero targets.
Recognizing the critical need for decarbonising the Cement sector, the Energy and Sustainable Technology (CEST) Division of Department launched a unique call for mobilising Academia-Industry Consortia proposals for deployment of Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) in Cement Sector. This Special call envisaged to develop and deploy innovative CCU Test bed in Cement Sector with thrust on Developing CO2 capture + CO2 Utilisation integrated unit in an Industrial set up through an innovative Public Private Partnership (PPP) funding model.
As a unique initiative and one of its first kind in India, DST has approved setting up of five CCU testbeds for translational R&D, to be set up in Academia-Industry collaboration under this significant initiative of DST in PPP mode, engaging with premier research laboratories as knowledge partners and top Cement companies as the industry partner.
On the occasion of National Technology Day celebrations, on May 11, 2025 the 5 CCU Cement Test beds were announced and grants had been handed over to the Test bed teams by the Chief Guest, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in the presence of Secretary DST Prof. Abhay Karandikar.
The five testbeds are not just academic experiments — they are collaborative industrial pilot projects bringing together India’s top research institutions and leading cement manufacturers under a unique Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Each testbed addresses a different facet of CCU, from cutting-edge catalysis to vacuum-based gas separation.
The outcomes of this innovative initiative will not only showcase the pathways of decarbonisation towards Net zero goals through CCU route in cement sector, but should also be a critical confidence building measure for potential stakeholders to uptake the deployed CCU technology for further scale up and commercialisation.
It is envisioned that through continuous research and innovation under these test beds in developing innovative catalysts, materials, electrolyser technology, reactors, and electronics, the cost of Green Cement via the deployed CCU technology in Cement Sector may considerably be made more sustainable.
Secretary DBT Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Dr Ajai Choudhary, Co-Founder HCL, Dr. Rajesh Pathak, Secretary, TDB, Dr Anita Gupta Head CEST, DST and Dr Neelima Alam, Associate Head, DST were also present at the programme organized at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

Continue Reading

Concrete

JK Lakshmi Adopts EVs to Cut Emissions in Logistics

Electric vehicles deployed between JK Puram and Kalol units

Published

on

By

Shares



JK Lakshmi Cement, a key player in the Indian cement industry, has announced the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) in its logistics operations. This move, made in partnership with SwitchLabs Automobiles, will see EVs transporting goods between the JK Puram Plant in Sirohi, Rajasthan, and the Kalol Grinding Unit in Gujarat.
The announcement follows a successful pilot project that showcased measurable reductions in carbon emissions while maintaining efficiency. Building on this, the company is scaling up EV integration to enhance sustainability across its supply chain.
“Sustainability is integral to our vision at JK Lakshmi Cement. Our collaboration with SwitchLabs Automobiles reflects our continued focus on driving innovation in our logistics operations while taking responsibility for our environmental footprint. This initiative positions us as a leader in transforming the cement sector’s logistics landscape,” said Arun Shukla, President & Director, JK Lakshmi Cement.
This deployment marks a significant step in aligning with India’s push for greener transport infrastructure. By embracing clean mobility, JK Lakshmi Cement is setting an example for the industry, demonstrating that environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with operational efficiency.
The company continues to embed sustainability into its operations as part of a broader goal to reduce its carbon footprint. This initiative adds to its vision of building a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.
JK Lakshmi Cement, part of the 135-year-old JK Organisation, began operations in 1982 and has grown to become a recognised name in Indian cement. With a presence across Northern, Western, and Eastern India, the company has a cement capacity of 16.5 MTPA, with a target to reach 30 MT by 2030. Its product range includes ready-mix concrete, gypsum plaster, wall putty, and autoclaved aerated fly ash blocks.

Continue Reading

Concrete

Holcim UK drives sustainable construction

Published

on

By

Shares



Holcim UK has released a report titled ‘Making Sustainable Construction a Reality,’ outlining its five-fold commitment to a greener future. The company aims to focus on decarbonisation, circular economy principles, smarter building methods, community engagement, and integrating nature. Based on a survey of 2,000 people, only 41 per cent felt urban spaces in the UK are sustainably built. A significant majority (82 per cent) advocated for more green spaces, 69 per cent called for government leadership in sustainability, and 54 per cent saw businesses as key players. Additionally, 80 per cent of respondents stressed the need for greater transparency from companies regarding their environmental practices.

Image source:holcim

Continue Reading

Trending News

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER

 

Don't miss out on valuable insights and opportunities to connect with like minded professionals.

 


    This will close in 0 seconds