Concrete

Jury selects Indian Cement Review award winners; Awards to be presented at Cement EXPO 2023

Published

2 years ago

October 27, 2023

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Unveiling Future Tech Innovations

The Jury selected the winners of Indian Cement Review’s “Person of the Year”, “Lifetime Achievement Award” and “Fastest Growing Cement Companies” awardsICR award winners will be felicitated at the 14th Edition of Cement EXPO, India’s leading exhibition for the entire cement industry ecosystem that will be held from December 14-15, 2023, at Manekshaw Center, New Delhi.

Mumbai
The Jury – comprising head honchos of the infrastructure, construction and cement industries – met recently at Shangri La hotel in New Delhi to deliberate on and select the winners of the 7th Indian Cement Review (ICR) Awards. The awards are given for the fastest growing cement companies and stalwarts (under “Person of the Year” and “Lifetime Achievement” categories) for their contribution in the cement industry. ICR award winners will be felicitated at the 14th Edition of Cement EXPO, India’s leading exhibition for the entire cement industry ecosystem that will be held from December 14-15, 2023, at Manekshaw Center, New Delhi.

FIRST Construction Council (an infrastructure think tank) and Indian Cement Review, India’s leading cement publication that has been serving the industry for the last 38 years, are the organisers of the Cement EXPO and ICR Awards & Conference.

This year’s Jury for selecting ICR awards included prominent personalities like Debobroto Banerjee (Director & CEO, EWAC Alloys Ltd); Sumit Banerjee (Former Vice Chairman, Reliance Infrastructure, & Board of Governor, FIRST Construction Council); Dr LP Singh (Director General, NCCBM); KK Taparia (Advisor at Vadraj Cement); Dr Jayprakash Rao (Group President, International, Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon Pvt Ltd); Nagesh Veeturi (Executive Director – Civil, KEC International Ltd); Rahul Ratnakar Deshmukh (MD, Fives India Engineering & Projects Pvt Ltd); and Pratap Padode (Founder & President, FIRST Construction Council).

ICR’s fastest growing cement companies awards are given in three categories – Large (companies having turnover above Rs 5000 crore), Medium (companies having turnover between Rs 2000 crore to Rs 5000 crore), and Small (companies having turnover below Rs 2000 crore). ICR “Person of the Year Award” recognises the heroes of cement industry who have made remarkable achievements during the year. ICR “Lifetime Achievement Award” is presented to the individual who has provided outstanding service to the cement industry for the sustained period of years and has had a significant impact on a large number of individuals and organisations.

After in-depth analysis and thorough deliberations, the Jury selected the winners of the 7th Indian Cement Review Awards.

While the winners of ICR’s “Fastest growing cement companies”, “Person of the Year” and “Lifetime Achievement Award” were selected by the Jury during the meeting, nominations for other prestigious awards are still open. Companies can still nominate themselves under following categories:Innovation of the yearCSR Company of the yearGreen Factory of the yearProduct of the yearExcellence in Sustainability

To nominate for the above awards and to exhibit & know more about Cement EXPO, click here.

With the theme of “Driving Sustainability Through Technology”, Cement EXPO 2023 will be co-located with the 9th Indian Cement Review Conference (which will address the cement industry’s ambitions to deliver sustainable, low-carbon cement) and the 7th Indian Cement Review Awards (where fastest growing cement companies and industry stalwarts will be awarded). The EXPO is expected to have over 100 exhibitors and attract more than 5,000 quality visitors.

The 14th Cement Expo will witness participation of a diverse range of exhibitors representing different facets of the cement industry, including: Cement Equipment Manufacturers; Cement & Concrete Manufacturers; Raw Material Suppliers; Cement Testing and Quality Control Equipment Provider; Construction Equipment; Automation & IT Solutions Providers; Admixtures and Chemical Suppliers; Concrete Reinforcement and Structural Systems; Logistics and Transportation Service Providers; and Material Handling Solutions, among others.

For more information on Cement EXPO 2023, you can reach out to Mr Sujoy Gomes (on Mob: 86577 95881; and email: sujoy.g@asappinfoglobal.com).

Concrete

India Sets Up First Carbon Capture Testbeds for Cement Industry

Five CCU testbeds launched to decarbonise cement production

Published

2 weeks ago

May 21, 2025

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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.

Concrete

JK Lakshmi Adopts EVs to Cut Emissions in Logistics

Electric vehicles deployed between JK Puram and Kalol units

Published

2 weeks ago

May 21, 2025

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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.

Concrete

Holcim UK drives sustainable construction

Published

3 weeks ago

May 13, 2025

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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