Concrete

AI at the helm

Published

2 years ago

August 23, 2024

Roshna

Tushar Kulkarni, Head – Solutions, Innomotics India, writes about innovative AI-based digital solutions for the cement and mining industries, which are enhancing energy efficiency and productivity while combating greenhouse gases for a sustainable future.

Since 2019, we are continuously investing and collaborating with industry experts to develop innovative digital solutions specific for the cement and mining industry to fight greenhouse gases and contribute to climate protection.
Our digital solutions in these industries increase energy efficiency and productivity of our customers’ entire operations.
By the end of FY27, cement consumption in India is expected to reach 450.78 million tonnes, driven majorly by expanding demand from housing, commercial construction, national infrastructure projects and industrial construction*. To meet the growing demand, many cement companies are planning or already undertaking capacity expansions. Despite market growth, challenges such as fluctuating raw material prices, energy costs, transportation costs, skill shortages and regulatory complexities continue to persist for cement plants.
Cement plants constantly strive to improve productivity and cost efficiency through sustainable manufacturing and operations along with environmental emission norms and regulations.
Over the last two decades, different technologies for advanced process control (APC) have developed for the cement industry, such as fuzzy logic and expert systems. However, with the technology changes happening and the increasing use of alternative fuel residual (AFR) and alternative raw materials, the requirement of innovative technology is the need of the hour.
Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) will significantly help cement plants in their efforts towards innovation, efficiency and sustainability
goals through improved process optimization and increased productivity.
The Innomotics Digi-Suite (AI-based) is positioned to support the cement industry in this endeavour. Built on microservices architecture, Digi-Suite offers flexible self-learning AI based solutions which can be customised or tailor-made in accordance with plant / customer requirements. It enables customers to implement their digitalisation strategies in a stepwise manner and scale it up to an entire plant or multiple plants. Through this platform, customers can monitor and manage processes centrally. This approach
provides guidance for company-wide process standardisation, knowledge sharing and optimum utilisation of expert resources.
Further, the solution is cyber secured as per our product safety and security (PSS) norms. Once deployed, it requires minimal support (patch update based on OS updates).

AI-based pyro solution
The solution assists operations by providing optimal set-point to enable efficient and stable operation, thereby enhancing productivity and energy optimisation.
It is a dedicated machine learning-based model that provides accurate insights into future pyroprocess trends.
By incorporating long-term data sets for AI training, the trained AI models can learn from the past and establish correlations between parameters and time and between actions and outcomes. This knowledge, accumulated in the models, forms the basis for better control performance.
AI pyro solution being implemented at one of the leading cement plants in Europe, it is observed that the solution is supporting customers in optimising fuel consumption between coal and AFR and maintaining stable operation continuously.

Stability: Ensuring all temperature and pressures are within operating range optimising ID fan speed and pressure after preheater.
Coal reduction: Identifying optimum points where coal can be reduced.
Fuel ratio stabilisation with coal vs AFR: Set point for step-by-step moderation of AFR/coal is carried out by AI, thereby maintaining the required heat at the calciner and kiln.
Good quality and increased production: Any change in control parameter is carried out by ensuring the alite and free lime are within operating range. Potential to increase kiln feed, thereby increasing production.
Energy saving: Optimising fans at cooler. AI can achieve energy savings.
Preheater jamming reduction: AI observes SO2 and Chloride formation, material temperature and pressures changes AFR accordingly thereby, preheater jamming occurrence is reduced.
Optimise workforce: Best expert available for 24 hours.

**With provision for input parameters like fly ash, LSF, calorific value of fuel and AFR to keep the alite and free lime in the operating range or best suitable range considering the plant condition.

AI-based mill solution
The solution assists operations by providing optimal set-point to enable efficient and stable operation, thereby enhancing productivity.
Mill operation requires quick response to multiple control parameters based on critical process indicators, which makes it very dynamic in nature. This allows the operator to balance operations between reduced capacity to avoid stoppages or multiple stoppages due to overshooting of critical parameters.
Key Features:
AI Mill solution being implemented at one of the leading cement plants in India, it was observed that the solution supported customers to improve throughput, reduce energy consumption while maintaining stable operations continuously.

About the author
Tushar Kulkarni, Head – Solutions, Innomotics India

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

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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.

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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

23 hours 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.

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JSW Cement Boards Approve Proposed Shiva Cement Merger

JSW Cement will issue five shares for every 41 Shiva Cement shares

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23 hours ago

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The Boards of Directors of JSW Cement and its listed subsidiary Shiva Cement have approved a scheme of arrangement for the amalgamation of Shiva Cement with and into JSW Cement. The proposed merger is intended to create a unified cement platform and generate operational, financial and management synergies.

The consolidation will pool the companies’ financial, managerial, technical, distribution and marketing resources. It will also support backward integration through Shiva Cement’s clinker facility, which is expected to reduce reliance on external procurement and improve supply chain efficiency.

The companies said the transaction would provide greater funding flexibility, reduce financing costs and eliminate inter-company guarantees. It is also expected to simplify the corporate structure by reducing administrative duplication, compliance requirements and consolidation efforts, while aligning the financial statements of both entities.

Under the approved share-exchange ratio, JSW Cement will issue five equity shares with a face value of Rs. 10 each for every 41 equity shares with a face value of Rs. 2 each held in Shiva Cement. The issuance will apply to Shiva Cement shareholders other than JSW Cement and will give the subsidiary’s public shareholders direct ownership in a larger listed company.

The scheme remains subject to approvals from the stock exchanges, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the National Company Law Tribunal, the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation and other applicable statutory and regulatory authorities. Approval from the companies’ shareholders and creditors may also be required under applicable laws or directions from the tribunal. The transaction is expected to be completed within 12 to 14 months, subject to the timely receipt of these approvals.