Concrete

Use of SCMs can be optimised with technology

Published

2 years ago

December 4, 2023

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RS Kabra, Executive Vice President – Commercial, Wonder Cement, talks about the impact on profitability of the cement business and quality of the end product.

Tell us about the supplementary cementitious materials used by your organisation in manufacturing of cement.
The major cementitious materials used in India are fly ash and blast furnace slag. Fly ash is generated in huge volumes mainly in coal based thermal power plants and is a major hazard to the environment across the country. Slag is generated in the blast furnace of steel manufacturing plants.
We utilise fly ash as supplementary cementitious material in the manufacturing of Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) at all of our cement plants, as the plants are situated nearby thermal plants. With the use of fly ash as a SCM, besides contributing to environmentally friendly disposal of fly ash, we are also contributing in reduction of CO2 emission by reducing the use of thermal heat and electricity. This also leads to conserving natural mineral resources of limestone.
Blast furnace slag, another important supplementary cementitious material, is a by-product of the steel making process. The use of slag as a supplementary cementitious material is also well established in manufacturing of cement, specially in cement
plants which are located near steel plants. Our cement plants are not located near any steel plant; thus, at present we do not use slag as a supplementary cementitious material.

What are the key benefits of using supplementary cementitious materials?
The most important benefits of using SCMs in manufacturing of cement is environmentally
friendly disposal of these hazardous materials and a significant reduction in CO2 emission by savings in thermal heat, electricity, and conserving natural resources (limestone).
Substituting a cementitious material in the raw mix for cement manufacturing helps us in conserving natural minerals (limestone), thermal heat (coal), and electricity.

How does the use of supplementary materials increase the profitability of the cement manufacturing for your organisation?
Use of supplementary cementitious materials has a direct impact on the profitability of cement manufacturing companies as replacing natural limestone by SCMs results in reduced requirement of thermal heat, electricity etc.

What is the proportion of supplementary cementitious materials in the production of cement by your organisation?
The Bureau of Indian Standards guidelines permits the use of supplementary cementitious materials up to 35 per cent in PPC cement, accordingly at Wonder Cement we use up to 35 per cent fly ash in the manufacturing of Portland Pozzolana Cement.

Tell us about the quality standards and checks implemented for the final product made using supplementary materials.
In terms of quality, the end product, PPC manufactured by Wonder Cement is always substantially higher than the quality standard prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and also higher than most of the other brands of cement available in the market.
This high standard of quality of PPC manufactured by us is possible because of the adoption of the best available technology in the world, including automatic sampling, automatic testing and based on test results, automatic corrective actions, etc. There is absolutely no scope for manual errors or manual dependency in the process of cement manufacturing at WCL.
Tell us about the role of technology in deciding the proportions of SCMs.
Technology plays a very important role in producing quality cement as well as optimum use of SCMs. The processes of automatic sampling, automatic testing and automatic corrective actions play a major role in maintaining the quality of cement as well as optimum use of SCMs.

What are the major challenges you face while using supplementary materials for cement manufacturing?
There is availability of the latest technology, advanced equipment, and continuous use of technology rather than human dependency. Therefore, we do not see any challenge in using supplementary cementitious materials.

How does the use of cement made of supplementary materials impact its carbon footprint?
Fly ash is a supplementary cementitious material and is being used as part replacement of clinker in the raw mix for the production of PPC. Reduction in the use of clinker directly results in the reduction of the use of thermal heat and electricity, required in the manufacturing of clinker. The reduced use of clinker also results in conserving the natural mineral limestone as well as the energy consumed in mining the limestone.

–Kanika Mathur

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Concrete

Steel: Shielded or Strengthened?

CW explores the impact of pro-steel policies on construction and infrastructure and identifies gaps that need to be addressed.

Published

16 hours ago

January 31, 2026

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Going forward, domestic steel mills are targeting capacity expansion
of nearly 40 per cent through till FY31, adding 80-85 mt, translating
into an investment pipeline of $ 45-50 billion. So, Jhunjhunwala points
out that continuing the safeguard duty will be vital to prevent a surge
in imports and protect domestic prices from external shocks. While in
FY26, the industry operating profit per tonne is expected to hold at
around $ 108, similar to last year, the industry’s earnings must
meaningfully improve from hereon to sustain large-scale investments.
Else, domestic mills could experience a significant spike in industry
leverage levels over the medium term, increasing their vulnerability to
external macroeconomic shocks.(~$ 60/tonne) over the past one month,
compressing the import parity discount to ~$ 23-25/tonne from previous
highs of ~$ 70-90/tonne, adds Jhunjhunwala. With this, he says, “the
industry can expect high resistance to further steel price increases.”

Domestic HRC prices have increased by ~Rs 5,000/tonne
“Aggressive
capacity additions (~15 mt commissioned in FY25, with 5 mt more by
FY26) have created a supply overhang, temporarily outpacing demand
growth of ~11-12 mt,” he says…

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Concrete

JK Cement Commissions 3 MTPA Buxar Plant, Crosses 31 MTPA

Company becomes India’s fifth-largest grey cement producer

Published

2 days ago

January 30, 2026

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JK Cement has commissioned its new 3 MTPA grey cement plant in Buxar, Bihar, taking the company’s total installed capacity to 31.26 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and moving it past the 30 MTPA milestone. With this addition, JK Cement now ranks among the top five grey cement manufacturers in India, strengthening its national presence.

Commenting on the development, Dr Raghavpat Singhania, Managing Director, JK Cement, said, “Crossing 31 MTPA is a significant turning point in JK Cement’s expansion and demonstrates the scale, resilience, and aspirations of our company. In addition to making a significant contribution to Bihar’s development vision, the commissioning of our Buxar plant represents a strategic step towards expanding our national footprint. We are committed to developing top-notch manufacturing capabilities that boost India’s infrastructure development and generate long-term benefits for local communities.”

Spread across 100 acres, the Buxar plant is located on the Patna–Buxar highway, enabling efficient distribution across Bihar and neighbouring regions. While JK Cement entered the Bihar market last year through supplies from its Prayagraj plant, the new facility will allow local manufacturing and deliveries within 24 hours across the state.

Mr Madhavkrishna Singhania, Joint Managing Director & CEO, JK Cement, said, “JK Cement is now among India’s top five producers of grey cement after the Buxar plant commissioning. Our capacity to serve Bihar locally, more effectively, and on a larger scale is strengthened by this facility. Although we had already entered the Bihar market last year using Prayagraj supplies, local manufacturing now enables us to be nearer to our clients and significantly raise service standards throughout the state. Buxar places us at the center of this chance to promote sustainable growth for both the company and the region in Bihar, a high-growth market with strong infrastructure momentum.”

The project has involved an investment of Rs 5 billion. Commercial production began on 29 January 2026, following construction commencement in March 2025. The company said the plant is expected to generate significant direct and indirect employment and support ancillary industrial development in the region.

Concrete

JK Cement Crosses 31 MTPA Capacity with Commissioning of Buxar Plant in Bihar

Published

2 days ago

January 30, 2026

admin

JK Cement has commissioned a 3 MTPA Grey Cement plant in Buxar, Bihar, taking its total capacity to 31.26 MTPA and placing it among India’s top five grey cement producers. The ₹500 crore investment strengthens the company’s national footprint while supporting Bihar’s infrastructure growth and local economic development.

JK Cement Ltd., one of India’s leading cement manufacturers, has announced the commissioning of its new state-of-the-art Grey Cement plant in Buxar, Bihar, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth trajectory. With the commissioning of this facility, JK Cement’s total production capacity has increased to 31.26 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), enabling the company to cross the 30 MTPA threshold.

This expansion positions JK Cement among the top five Grey Cement manufacturers in India, strengthening its national footprint and reinforcing its long-term growth strategy.

Commenting on the strategic achievement, Dr Raghavpat Singhania, Managing Director, JK Cement, said, “Crossing 31 MTPA is a significant turning point in JK Cement’s expansion and demonstrates the scale, resilience, and aspirations of our company. In addition to making a significant contribution to Bihar’s development vision, the commissioning of our Buxar plant represents a strategic step towards expanding our national footprint. We are committed to developing top-notch manufacturing capabilities that boost India’s infrastructure development and generate long-term benefits for local communities.”

The Buxar plant has a capacity of 3 MTPA and is spread across 100 acres. Strategically located on the Patna–Buxar highway, the facility enables faster and more efficient distribution across Bihar and adjoining regions. While JK Cement entered the Bihar market last year through supplies from its Prayagraj plant, the Buxar facility will now allow the company to serve the state locally, with deliveries possible within 24 hours across Bihar.

Sharing his views on the expansion, Madhavkrishna Singhania, Joint Managing Director & CEO, JK Cement, said, “JK Cement is now among India’s top five producers of grey cement after the Buxar plant commissioning. Our capacity to serve Bihar locally, more effectively, and on a larger scale is strengthened by this facility. Although we had already entered the Bihar market last year using Prayagraj supplies, local manufacturing now enables us to be nearer to our clients and significantly raise service standards throughout the state. Buxar places us at the center of this chance to promote sustainable growth for both the company and the region in Bihar, a high-growth market with strong infrastructure momentum.”

The new facility represents a strategic step in supporting Bihar’s development vision by ensuring faster access to superior quality cement for infrastructure, housing, and commercial projects. JK Cement has invested approximately ₹500 crore in the project. Construction began in March 2025, and commercial production commenced on January 29, 2026.

In addition to strengthening JK Cement’s regional presence, the Buxar plant is expected to generate significant direct and indirect employment opportunities and attract ancillary industries, thereby contributing to the local economy and the broader industrial ecosystem.