Concrete

Innovation for Tomorrow

Published

2 years ago

July 16, 2024

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Samidha Pathak, Research and Development Manager, Nuvoco Vistas, discusses the future of cement and building materials.

The building materials sector has been a constant arena for innovation, evolving from the ancient use of stone and wood to the contemporary reliance on steel and concrete. Concrete stands out as the most widely utilised man-made material in the present day. Today, concrete remains a cornerstone in construction. The materials have evolved in coming times and will continue to do so with the rapid pace of innovations. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing new materials and techniques is crucial to meeting the demands of the modern world.
With the increasing stride in urbanisation and infrastructural boom, there will be a continued demand for increase in production of building materials. The industry should continue to emerge with new trends to ease the efforts for the end user and maximise productivity. However, it is the need of the hour that these innovations come with reduced carbon footprint and its reliance on virgin natural resources.
Cement sector is already being driven with many initiatives in operations like enhancing kiln and energy efficiencies, firing with alternate fuels to petcoke, utilising alternate raw materials and industrial wastes for clinkerisation, capturing flue gases which all initiatives are not only innovative but also sustainable.

Real time working
In processing and production, real time monitoring has become possible. Carbon Capture Utilisation and Sequestration (CCUS) is an emerging technology to offset the greenhouse gases emission. The ultra high-performance concrete with a composite of cement and fibres is now replacing reinforcement to a considerable extent. Design freedom with specialised concrete mix enabling digitised automated efficient and faster concrete structures is possible today because of 3D printed concrete.
Electricity conservation is possible with piezoelectric concrete, rainwater can now be harvested with previous concrete Smart glasses are able to control the heat and luminosity by changing their stimuli. Like the human body, which is able to self-heal, today concrete is able to heal its own cracks, too. To save water in curing, self-curing concrete is emerging with additives. Nano materials can improve reactivity at a micro level interface.
Construction chemicals are doing wonders in modifying the rheology, grindability, setting, acceleration and workability of cement, concrete, and mortars. The decarbonisation starts with cement, one of the key binders in the building materials and alkali activated binders and geopolymer concrete are eliminating clinker dependency using supplementary cementing materials.
Innovative building materials are reshaping the construction industry, offering novel solutions to longstanding challenges. A key characteristic of these advancements is circularity, emphasising meticulous design for reuse and recycling. This approach aims to significantly diminish waste and resource consumption, marking a pivotal shift toward more sustainable practices in the construction sector. Durability should be another benchmark for innovative materials ensuring that our cities stand the test of time with reduced maintenance. Futuristic innovation should be driven by maintaining resilience and efficiency, sustainable in the long run. Challenges like technical risks, lower acceptability to change, and increased costing can be a few barriers for scaling market acceptability of these innovative materials.
Innovation should become a value system rather than a selling pitch. The resourcefulness of human ingenuity and our innate search for easing jobs will continue to ignite an innovative spark thus overcoming the critical challenges we are facing today.

About the author
Samidha Pathak is the Research and Development Manager at Nuvoco Vistas Corp. With her expertise in R&D, she oversees the development of innovative products and solutions that meet the company’s strategic objectives. Her role involves leading cross-functional teams, collaborating with stakeholders, and driving projects from concept to execution.

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3 days ago

September 21, 2026

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Jammu Railway Division has placed an indent for the first movement of cement by rail within the division, linking Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua Railway Station with Anantnag Railway Station. Loading for the consignment is scheduled to begin on September 14.

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Hard Worker Wins Three Honours at Kyoorius Design Awards

Ramco Cements’ brand secures Grand Prix and two Blue Elephant honours.

Published

3 days ago

September 21, 2026

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The Ramco Cements Limited’s construction chemicals brand, Hard Worker, has won three honours at the Kyoorius Design Awards 2026, including the Grand Prix – Grey Elephant in the Design in Action category.

The brand also secured two Blue Elephant honours, one for Design in Action and another for Packaging, recognising the design approach behind its brand identity and packaging.

Launched in 2025, Hard Worker entered the construction chemicals segment with the brand promise, “Hard-working products for hardworking people.” Its visual identity uses animals and birds to represent product benefits. The camel represents the water-retention capability of Hard Worker Eco Plaster, while the cheetah represents the speed and performance of Hard Worker Block Fix.

The visual language has been extended across packaging, retail, communication, literature, digital platforms and other brand touchpoints. Hard Worker uses bold colours, distinctive animal illustrations and simple visual storytelling to communicate product benefits across markets and audiences, including construction workers and applicators.

“For Hard Worker, design was never an afterthought. It was fundamental to how we wanted to build the brand. In a category that is largely functional, we wanted to create a brand that people could recognise, understand and remember instantly. The Kyoorius recognition is a wonderful validation of this design-led approach,” said Mr. AV Dharmakrishnan, CEO, The Ramco Cements Limited.

Mr. Balaji K. Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, Ramco Cements said “In a category where communication has traditionally been product-led and functional, we wanted Hard Worker to stand apart by making design an integral part of the brand experience. From the distinctive animal-led packaging to our communication across consumer and trade touchpoints, every element was designed to make the brand more memorable and the product benefits easier to understand.”

Within its first 12 months, Hard Worker crossed Rs 3.5 bn in sales. The latest recognition follows six honours secured by the brand’s campaign at the Kyoorius Creative Awards earlier in 2026, including the Grey Elephant Grand Prix for its Eco Plaster film.

The Kyoorius Design Awards recognise outstanding design work in India’s visual communications sector across multiple categories and platforms. The 2026 awards were announced on 12 September in Goa.

The Ramco Cements Limited is part of the Ramco Group and operates across cement and allied building-material solutions. Hard Worker is its construction chemicals brand, offering solutions across key construction applications.

Concrete

Cement Firms to Invest Rs. 130 bn in Green Energy by FY28

Cement companies plan to expand clean energy capacity to 6 GW by FY28

Published

1 week ago

September 17, 2026

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India’s major cement companies are set to raise their clean energy capacity to 6 GW by March 2028 from around 4 GW at the end of March 2026, according to ratings agency ICRA. The planned expansion is expected to involve investments of Rs. 130 bn over the next two years.

The additional capacity could generate annual savings of Rs. 62 bn to Rs. 67 bn, resulting in an estimated payback period of 1.8 to 2.2 years. Cement is an emission-intensive industry, and leading producers have established net-zero roadmaps covering the next 15 to 20 years.

The calcination process accounts for 57 to 60 per cent of the sector’s total emissions, while fuel combustion contributes 27 to 30 per cent and electricity consumption accounts for 10 to 13 per cent. ICRA said the figures highlighted the need for a broad decarbonisation strategy involving green power, blended cement, alternative fuels and improvements in clinker efficiency.

Green energy is considered one of the most commercially attractive decarbonisation options because it can reduce emissions while lowering operating costs. Every 5 per cent increase in green power replacement can reduce power and fuel costs by Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per tonne. A 25 per cent replacement level could therefore save Rs. 75 to Rs. 80 per tonne and expand operating margins by 140 to 160 basis points.

Cement producers are also assessing carbon capture, utilisation and storage, although high implementation costs, energy requirements and limited transport and storage infrastructure are expected to slow commercial adoption. The government has proposed Rs. 200 bn over five years to support deployment across key sectors. Meanwhile, companies are targeting thermal substitution rates of 10 to 15 per cent over the next three to five years, compared with the current industry level of around 6 per cent.