Concrete

Proactive Maintenance

Published

3 years ago

March 19, 2024

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Gaurav Mathur, Director and Chief Executive, Global Technical Services, discusses the importance of an on-site oil testing laboratory within industrial plants for improved safety, extended equipment life and cost effectiveness in the manufacturing sector.

Oil condition monitoring can provide important information about the condition of the machine through oil analysis. Lubricant in any machine is like blood in the human body. Just as a blood test can help a doctor diagnose an illness and inform a treatment plan, similarly an oil analysis can provide an effective way to know the machine condition and inform it to take maintenance decisions.
Once the oil test laboratory is within the plant, the test reports are made available to the machine maintenance team within a timeline of 48 hours. Timely action helps reduce the expensive mechanical maintenance costs and improves machine life and productivity, leading to the plant’s profitability.
Normally, the oil testing laboratories are far away from the plant. They are mostly in a different city, and these laboratories provide test reports after 10 to 15 days. However, those reports are of no use in machine maintenance as mechanical damage starts to set in within 48 hours in any machine. Hence, it is important to have an on-site oil test laboratory within the plant.
Oil condition monitoring, covering moisture (water presence in the oil), particle contamination, wear debris analysis or loss of additives level, etc. are the parameters that clearly bring out any machine’s internal condition. This reporting leads to timely maintenance decisions by the mechanical team. These reports also help improve the reliability of the machine being tested.
Thus, an oil testing laboratory within the plant site is instrumental in greatly improving the value of machine life and reducing a major cost of mechanical maintenance. These improvements and cost reductions in turn lead to cost savings, profitability and enhance efficiency in manufacturing.

OIL ANALYSIS AT SITE LABORATORY
Oil analysis is an important activity used to check oil health, oil contamination, oil cleanliness level, and machine wear. Its main purpose is to verify that a lubricant in the machine is operating with the oil in good condition i.e. the oil is free from any contamination due to continued usage in the machine over a period of time.
An on-site oil testing laboratory helps to form a system for early detection of oil degradation, contamination, and machine wear. Early detection has several benefits that ensure a healthier environment for the employees and the machinery, such as improved safety, early detection and warning of machine degradation, and increased equipment availability and effectiveness.
Once the oil testing laboratory is established within the plant, thereafter, the next step is to prepare department-wise, machine-wise oil testing schedules. These schedules ensure that there is periodic oil testing and subsequent corrective measures can be taken by the mechanical team. This kind of reporting and availability of the
on-site laboratory leads to a more proactive mechanical maintenance.
Almost 82 per cent of wear-related failures are the direct result of particle contamination.
It is a well-known fact that lubricating oils in a machine never dies. Once the contaminants are removed and the oil cleaned to its original level, the oil can be made as good as ‘new’. Hence, a good oil filtration and accurate additives treatment at site assumes considerable importance in ‘oil conservation’ in the industry. By conducting the above activity about 40 per cent to 50 per cent conservation of the lubricant oil can be achieved.
Hence, having a site condition monitoring laboratory not only improves the life of the machines, it also reduces mechanical maintenance costs and can bring a large economic change in the cement manufacturing sector. Besides, oil can also be recycled to its original level. Thus, having an on-site oil testing laboratory is paramount important and profitable for all large industries.

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JSW Cement Commissions 1 MTPA Unit in Rajasthan

Rajasthan grinding capacity rises to 3.50 MTPA after commissioning

Published

20 hours 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

1 day 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

2 days ago

October 8, 2026

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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.