Concrete

We are committed to improving the energy efficiency of our products

Published

3 years ago

July 17, 2023

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Krishnaraj Sreedharan, Head of Customer Service, Flender India, talks about latest innovations and modernisation of their product lines to help improve cement processes.

Tell us about the role of geared drives in cement plant machinery.
The manufacturing of cement involves an elaborate process, starting from the mining of necessary mineral resources to the processing of these minerals to obtain the final products with desired physical and chemical properties. In this process, rotary geared drive systems
play a crucial role in powering heavy-duty critical equipment that operates under harsh conditions and heavy loads. These systems are utilised for various applications such as crushing, grinding, melting, mixing and conveying.

Tell us about the portfolio of drive products that you offer to the cement industry.
Flender provides a wide range of mechanical power transmission products that are extensively used to drive various types of rotary equipment in the cement industry. Our product portfolio is primarily divided into gear units, couplings and drive systems. This comprehensive range includes standard catalog series products, application-specific standardised products and highly engineered products tailored to meet the specific requirements of individual projects.

As machinery in cement plants is advancing with time, how do you accommodate the change in drive components for the betterment of functionality in cement plants?
Over the years, as the cement manufacturing process and equipment have advanced, Flender has continuously invested in innovative product designs and the modernisation of existing product lines. We are committed to improving the energy efficiency and environmental friendliness of our products and manufacturing processes, while adhering to the highest quality standards and global sustainability goals.

How can Flender products and services help cement manufacturers achieve better productivity and energy efficiency?
The outstanding feature of Flender products has always been their high operational reliability, which ensures maximum equipment availability and delivers optimal output. With over a century of experience serving the industry and leveraging our extensive application knowledge pool, we have optimised our drive solutions to minimise transmission losses. Our wide range of products and sizes allows us to closely match the technical requirements of various applications, eliminating the risk of drive underutilisation. Our customer service team excels in providing comprehensive support, including reengineering, multi-brand retrofit, and repair services. We recognise the significance of optimising output and extending the operational life of equipment for our valued customers.

Which machinery of the cement plant is the most challenging and how do you overcome the challenge?
One of the most crucial and demanding drive applications in cement manufacturing is the pre and post clinkerisation grinding process, which involves high energy consumption and heavy impact loads. When it comes to grinding mill applications like Vertical Roller Mills, Tube Mills or High-Pressure Grinding Roll Mills, Flender drive solutions guarantee optimal equipment availability. Our proactive preventive maintenance measures, along with offline and online condition monitoring systems (CMS), effectively prevent unscheduled equipment downtime and facilitate utilisation of residual life of the drive components. These systems also provide plant operators with real-time information about the operational condition of the drive, enabling them to plan maintenance activities well in advance.

How often do you service and audit your installations at the cement plant?
Flender drive solutions for critical applications are equipped with factory-fitted CMS or can be easily adapted to accommodate monitoring equipment available at the installation site. At our Chennai plant location, we have established a remote condition monitoring hub that is connected to a significant number of our mill drive installations. Our dedicated team of experts provides real-time monitoring support, collects and analyses drive condition data and offers valuable insights and consultation to site maintenance teams. By leveraging proactive information, we assist in maximising equipment uptime and utilisation. Through our standard and customised maintenance programmes, we offer our customers a wide range of service solutions tailored to their specific operational needs. This enables us to effectively assist our customers in maintaining the largest global installed base of our products in the cement industry.

Tell us about the upcoming innovations from Flender that would be beneficial for cement plants?
Flender’s latest innovation introduces a product line of standard gear units that showcases a completely new design, surpassing the limitations of conventional gear engineering and manufacturing. This breakthrough is accompanied by a state-of-the-art advanced monitoring system, which is far superior to other solutions currently available in the industry.

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Concrete

JSW Cement Commissions 1 MTPA Unit in Rajasthan

Rajasthan grinding capacity rises to 3.50 MTPA after commissioning

Published

15 minutes ago

October 9, 2026

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JSW Cement has commissioned an additional 1 MTPA cement grinding unit in Nagaur, Rajasthan, taking the company’s total cement grinding capacity to 25.1 MTPA. The commissioning was announced on Tuesday, October 6.

The company said the new unit had increased the total cement grinding capacity at its Rajasthan plant to 3.50 MTPA. The expansion adds to JSW Cement’s production infrastructure as it continues to build capacity across its operating network.

The company’s total clinker manufacturing capacity, including capacity at its joint venture JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA. Clinker is an intermediate material used in cement production, and its availability supports the company’s grinding operations.

JSW Cement is also pursuing a proposed merger of its listed subsidiary Shiva Cement with the company. The scheme, approved by the boards of the respective companies, involves issuing five fully paid-up JSW Cement equity shares for every 41 shares held by Shiva Cement shareholders other than JSW Cement.

The arrangement remains subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. JSW Cement currently holds 66.23 per cent of Shiva Cement’s paid-up equity share capital, and the shares held by JSW Cement in the subsidiary will be cancelled under the proposal without any issue of JSW Cement shares against that holding.

The scheme has an appointed date of April 1, 2026, and the company has indicated that completion could take 12 to 14 months, depending on the receipt of approvals. These include clearances from stock exchanges, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the National Company Law Tribunal and other applicable authorities, along with approvals from shareholders and creditors where required. JSW Cement shares closed at Rs. 113.15 on the BSE, up Rs. 2.05, or 1.85 per cent.

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

8 hours ago

October 9, 2026

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit in Rajasthan

The Nagaur expansion takes JSW Cement’s total grinding capacity to 25.10 MTPA.

Published

1 day ago

October 8, 2026

admin

JSW Cement has commissioned an additional 1 million tonne per annum (MTPA) cement grinding unit at its Nagaur Integrated Plant in Rajasthan. The commissioning takes the company’s total cement grinding capacity to 25.10 MTPA.

JSW Cement’s total clinker manufacturing capacity, including its joint venture JSW Cement FZC, now stands at 9.74 MTPA.

The company began operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and a 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the latest expansion, the plant’s total grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA.

The additional capacity will cater to cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a combination of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended September 30, 2026, JSW Cement also commissioned an Alternate Fuel Handling System and a Waste Heat Recovery System (WHRS) at the Nagaur plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said the additional grinding capacity was a strategic priority for the company’s expansion in North India. He added that the Alternate Fuel Handling System and WHRS were expected to reduce production costs.