Concrete

The use of AFR has a bright future

Published

2 years ago

March 19, 2024

admin

Pankaj Kejriwal, Whole Time Director and COO, Star Cement, delves into their innovative strategies and commitment towards embracing alternative fuels and raw materials in their production processes.

What are the alternative fuels and raw materials (AFR) used in your organisation?
Presently we are using bamboo chips as alternative fuel and raw material. However, we are setting up an AFR feeding system in our new plant and after that we will go for RDF, MSW, rice husk etc., as per availability in our region.

Tell us about the quality standards for AFR.

What factors do you consider while selecting AFR?
Factors to consider before selection of alternative fuels and raw materials are as follows:

Calorific value
Ignition temperature
Volatility
Flash point
Products of combustion
Chemical composition
Cost per NCV

Tell us about the impact created on the environment by use of AFR in your organisation.
Use of alternative fuels and raw materials creates an impact in many ways for us. Some of the notable contribution of AFR is as follows:

Reduce fossil fuels consumption
Reduction in CO2 emission
Contribution to local waste management
Lower energy costs
Lower NOx emission in the environment

How are you supporting the circular economy in context to AFR?
Reusing of waste material such as plastic waste, MSW in manufacturing of cement and thereby helping the environment and also generating revenue is a massive contribution in the circular economy.

Have you faced any challenges or barriers when using alternative fuels and raw materials in cement production, and if so, how have you overcome them?
Main challenges faced during the usage of AFR are as follows:

Handling of high moisture and of different size material
Mixing of heterogeneous AFR
High Chloride in AFR
Volatility of the AFR

To overcome these, proper co-processing is required, and chemical analysis and mix design needs to be assured from QC. Continuous monitoring of the pyro system helps us to overcome the hurdles.

What role can technology plan in further implementation of AFR?
Many plants in India and abroad are using different technology for utilising AFR. Preprocessing and co-processing of material is very important in this respect. Use of a high precision shredder is important for size reduction. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used in detecting proper material and usage in cement kilns.

How do you see the use of AFR in cement production evolving in the future, and what role do you think your company will play in this process?
The use of AFR has a bright future. Due to scarcity of fossil fuel, it is the need of the century to increase the use of AFR. The cement industry globally is in line with it and is continuously working towards maximising use of AFR. This will help the society to decrease waste dump in soil and reduce emission of CO2 and NOx in the environment. In some cement industries in Asia Pacific and Europe, they are taking it as a CSR (corporate social responsibility) to clean the environment. In India, too, the Government is encouraging use of MSW in cement plants. Our organisation is also aligned in the same path. After commissioning of our AFR feeding system, we also have a way forward towards the usage of AFR in our cement plant and have a target of 15-20 per cent TSR by 2026 depending on the availability in the northeast.

–Kanika Mathur

Up Next

AFR has become integral to our fuel mix

Don't Miss

We see a future without waste

Concrete

Adani Cement to Deploy World’s First Commercial RDH System

Adani Cement and Coolbrook partner to pilot RDH tech for low-carbon cement.

Published

23 hours ago

November 14, 2025

admin

Adani Cement and Coolbrook have announced a landmark agreement to install the world’s first commercial RotoDynamic Heater (RDH) system at Adani’s Boyareddypalli Integrated Cement Plant in Andhra Pradesh. The initiative aims to sharply reduce carbon emissions associated with cement production.

This marks the first industrial-scale deployment of Coolbrook’s RDH technology, which will decarbonise the calcination phase — the most fossil fuel-intensive stage of cement manufacturing. The RDH system will generate clean, electrified heat to dry and improve the efficiency of alternative fuels, reducing dependence on conventional fossil sources.

According to Adani, the installation is expected to eliminate around 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, with the potential to scale up tenfold as the technology is expanded. The system will be powered entirely by renewable energy sourced from Adani Cement’s own portfolio, demonstrating the feasibility of producing industrial heat without emissions and strengthening India’s position as a hub for clean cement technologies.

The partnership also includes a roadmap to deploy RotoDynamic Technology across additional Adani Cement sites, with at least five more projects planned over the next two years. The first-generation RDH will provide hot gases at approximately 1000°C, enabling more efficient use of alternative fuels.

Adani Cement’s wider sustainability strategy targets raising the share of alternative fuels and resources to 30 per cent and increasing green power use to 60 per cent by FY28. The RDH deployment supports the company’s Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-validated commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Concrete

Birla Corporation Q2 EBITDA Surges 71%, Net Profit at Rs 90 Crore

Stronger margins and premium cement sales boost quarterly performance.

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2025

admin

Birla Corporation Limited reported a consolidated EBITDA of Rs 3320 million for the September quarter of FY26, a 71 per cent increase over the same period last year, driven by improved profitability in both its Cement and Jute divisions. The company posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 900 million, reversing a loss of Rs 250 million in the corresponding quarter last year.

Consolidated revenue stood at Rs 22330 million, marking a 13 per cent year-on-year growth as cement sales volumes rose 7 per cent to 4.2 million tonnes. Despite subdued cement demand, weak pricing, and rainfall disruptions, Birla Jute Mills staged a turnaround during the quarter.

Premium cement continued to drive performance, accounting for 60 per cent of total trade sales. The flagship brand Perfect Plus recorded 20 per cent growth, while Unique Plus rose 28 per cent year-on-year. Sales through the trade channel reached 79 per cent, up from 71 per cent a year earlier, while blended cement sales grew 14 per cent, forming 89 per cent of total cement sales. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan remained key growth markets with 7–11 per cent volume gains.

EBITDA per tonne improved 54 per cent to Rs 712, with operating margins expanding to 14.7 per cent from 9.8 per cent last year, supported by efficiency gains and cost reduction measures.

Sandip Ghose, Managing Director and CEO, said, “The Company was able to overcome headwinds from multiple directions to deliver a resilient performance, which boosts confidence in the robustness of our strategies.”

The company expects cement demand to strengthen in the December quarter, supported by government infrastructure spending and rural housing demand. Growth is anticipated mainly from northern and western India, while southern and eastern regions are expected to face continued supply pressures.

Concrete

Ambuja Cements Delivers Strong Q2 FY26 Performance Driven by R&D and Efficiency

Company raises FY28 capacity target to 155 MTPA with focus on cost optimisation and AI integration

Published

5 days ago

November 10, 2025

admin

Ambuja Cements, part of the diversified Adani Portfolio and the world’s ninth-largest building materials solutions company, has reported a robust performance for Q2 FY26. The company’s strong results were driven by market share gains, R&D-led premium cement products, and continued efficiency improvements.

Vinod Bahety, Whole-Time Director and CEO, Ambuja Cements, said, “This quarter has been noteworthy for the cement industry. Despite headwinds from prolonged monsoons, the sector stands to benefit from several favourable developments, including GST 2.0 reforms, the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), and the withdrawal of coal cess. Our capacity expansion is well timed to capitalise on this positive momentum.”

Ambuja has increased its FY28 capacity target by 15 MTPA — from 140 MTPA to 155 MTPA — through debottlenecking initiatives that will come at a lower capital expenditure of USD 48 per metric tonne. The company also plans to enhance utilisation of its existing 107 MTPA capacity by 3 per cent through logistics infrastructure improvements.

To strengthen its product mix, Ambuja will install 13 blenders across its plants over the next 12 months to optimise production and increase the share of premium cement, improving realisations. These operational enhancements have already contributed to a 5 per cent reduction in cost of sales year-on-year, resulting in an EBITDA of Rs 1,060 per metric tonne and a PMT EBITDA of approximately Rs 1,189.

Looking ahead, the company remains optimistic about achieving double-digit revenue growth and maintaining four-digit PMT EBITDA through FY26. Ambuja aims to reduce total cost to Rs 4,000 per metric tonne by the end of FY26 and further by 5 per cent annually to reach Rs 3,650 per metric tonne by FY28.

Bahety added, “Our Cement Intelligent Network Operations Centre (CiNOC) will bring a paradigm shift to our business operations. Artificial Intelligence will run deep within our enterprise, driving efficiency, productivity, and enhanced stakeholder engagement across the value chain.”