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A cornerstone of the Indian cement industry

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Some things are changing at FLSmidth Cement, but most remain the same, as the company’s Indian head, Manoj Taneja, explained to Indian Cement Review.

FLSmidth Cement is changing. Over recent years, the company’s pureplay strategy has separated its cement and mining businesses, and the cement business is now undergoing divestment: news that was met by some with uncertainty. However, according to Manoj Taneja, Head of India Cluster and Designated Partner in FLSmidth Cement India LLP, this has all been a “good move” that allows the cement business to “take control of our future”.
Taneja began his professional career as a service engineer at EEL India Ltd, a manufacturer of various material handling and bag packing systems acquired by FLSmidth in 2009. He has led the company’s Indian operations since 2022. “It is an exciting time at FLSmidth Cement. With pureplay and the divestment, we can now chart our own course. The most obvious example of this in our Indian business is consolidating our manufacturing footprint into a single facility near our corporate headquarters in Chennai. This allows us to focus exclusively on our cement clients, improving efficiency and responsiveness, simplifying logistics, and centralising our expertise into a single point of excellence. Chennai also offers good access to the rest of the country, making it easier for clients to visit our factory for inspections and performance testing.”
The corporate headquarters is also moving as the company seeks offices that better match its needs. “As we continue to embrace a flexible post-COVID working model, finding a workspace that supports this shift and provides our employees with a favourable working environment is essential,” Taneja explained. “We are staying in Chennai, however, and currently undertaking a site selection process that aims to limit the inconvenience caused to employees.”

A name you can rely on
Some things, however, remain constant. “We are still delivering the same industry-leading equipment and services as we have always done,” according to Taneja. Nowhere is this more obvious than the record-setting new clinker line at Shree Cement Ltd’s Nawalgahr plant in Rajasthan. Inaugurated in December 2023 with a guaranteed capacity of 11,500 tph, the plant is averaging daily clinker production of 13,695 tonnes. The line features a four-string preheater with low-NOX calciner, a 6m dia. x 88m long kiln, and the largest Cross Bar® Cooler ever delivered, with a grate area of over 325m2.
Shree Cement Ltd also recently signed their first group-level PlantLine™ service agreement in India, covering all current and future FLSmidth Cement automation solutions across seven plants. “PlantLine agreements aim to maintain the operational excellence of digital and automation solutions through a comprehensive, customisable range of services,” explained Tanega. “The Shree Cement agreement puts us just shy of 300 PlantLine agreements globally and shows the increasing significance of services that help improve and maintain plant performance.”
“One of the main benefits of our services is access to specialist (and potentially hard-to-acquire) skills and experience,” continued Taneja. “Our global network offers 24/7 access to support from a world-leading team of experts in all aspects of the cement-making process, plant, equipment, and automation systems, wherever you are in the world.”

Renewed focus on cement
Another outcome of the company’s pureplay transition is “keeping our cement clients front and centre of our activities; there is no competition with mining,” emphasised Taneja. “For example, here, in India, we recently ran nine client-focused webinars on diverse topics, all on the theme of enhancing equipment reliability. These sessions received an overwhelming response, attracting over 100 participants each, from all levels of client organisations, which indicates the widespread interest and engagement in the topics discussed.”
Webinars are a “great way to exchange and foster closer collaboration between us and our clients,” Taneja added. “However, we also understand the importance of face-to-face meetings and will attend several upcoming in-person conferences.”
This includes the upcoming 18th NCB International Conference and Exhibition in New Delhi, where FLSmidth Cement will present papers on various topics, including a paper on alternative fuels. “We are particularly excited about the impending commercial launch of our new FUELFLEX® Pyrolyzer, which uses hot meal from the lower preheater cyclones to dry and pyrolyze hard-to-burn refuse-derived fuels or biomass,” said Taneja. This innovative new equipment enables cement plants to achieve up to 100% fossil fuel replacement in the calciner, cutting CO2 emissions, diverting waste from landfills, and reducing fuel costs.
Other topics to be presented include a paper on the digital cement plant and another on supplementary cementitious materials, focusing on calcined clay. “We see growing interest in technologies that reduce the carbon intensity of cement,” explained Taneja. “Part of our core mission is to help the cement industry address and reduce its environmental impact. We are also fortunate to have some of the industry’s true sustainability leaders here in India, opening the way for collaborative innovation to solve these most pressing issues.”

A past to build the future on
“Change is a fact of life,” concluded Taneja. “This is particularly true in a dynamic and changing market such as the Indian cement industry. However, there are some things you can rely on throughout all the changes. One of those cornerstones is FLSmidth Cement. We remain committed to supplying equipment, services, and solutions that
improve the cement industry – just as we have always done.”

(Communication by the management of the company)

Concrete

India Sets Up First Carbon Capture Testbeds for Cement Industry

Five CCU testbeds launched to decarbonise cement production

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The Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently unveiled a pioneering national initiative: five Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in the cement sector, forming a first-of-its-kind research and innovation cluster to combat industrial carbon emissions.
This is a significant step towards India’s Climate Action for fostering National Determined Contributions (NDCs) targets and to achieve net zero decarbonisation pathways for Industry Transition., towards the Government’s goal to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2070.
Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) holds significant importance in hard-to-abate sectors like Cement, Steel, Power, Oil &Natural Gas, Chemicals & Fertilizers in reducing emissions by capturing carbon dioxide from industrial processes and converting it to value add products such as synthetic fuels, Urea, Soda, Ash, chemicals, food grade CO2 or concrete aggregates. CCU provides a feasible pathway for these tough to decarbonise industries to lower their carbon footprint and move towards achieving Net Zero Goals while continuing their operations efficiently. DST has taken major strides in fostering R&D in the CCUS domain.
Concrete is vital for India’s economy and the Cement industry being one of the main hard-to-abate sectors, is committed to align with the national decarbonisation commitments. New technologies to decarbonise emission intensity of the cement sector would play a key role in achieving of national net zero targets.
Recognizing the critical need for decarbonising the Cement sector, the Energy and Sustainable Technology (CEST) Division of Department launched a unique call for mobilising Academia-Industry Consortia proposals for deployment of Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) in Cement Sector. This Special call envisaged to develop and deploy innovative CCU Test bed in Cement Sector with thrust on Developing CO2 capture + CO2 Utilisation integrated unit in an Industrial set up through an innovative Public Private Partnership (PPP) funding model.
As a unique initiative and one of its first kind in India, DST has approved setting up of five CCU testbeds for translational R&D, to be set up in Academia-Industry collaboration under this significant initiative of DST in PPP mode, engaging with premier research laboratories as knowledge partners and top Cement companies as the industry partner.
On the occasion of National Technology Day celebrations, on May 11, 2025 the 5 CCU Cement Test beds were announced and grants had been handed over to the Test bed teams by the Chief Guest, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in the presence of Secretary DST Prof. Abhay Karandikar.
The five testbeds are not just academic experiments — they are collaborative industrial pilot projects bringing together India’s top research institutions and leading cement manufacturers under a unique Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Each testbed addresses a different facet of CCU, from cutting-edge catalysis to vacuum-based gas separation.
The outcomes of this innovative initiative will not only showcase the pathways of decarbonisation towards Net zero goals through CCU route in cement sector, but should also be a critical confidence building measure for potential stakeholders to uptake the deployed CCU technology for further scale up and commercialisation.
It is envisioned that through continuous research and innovation under these test beds in developing innovative catalysts, materials, electrolyser technology, reactors, and electronics, the cost of Green Cement via the deployed CCU technology in Cement Sector may considerably be made more sustainable.
Secretary DBT Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Dr Ajai Choudhary, Co-Founder HCL, Dr. Rajesh Pathak, Secretary, TDB, Dr Anita Gupta Head CEST, DST and Dr Neelima Alam, Associate Head, DST were also present at the programme organized at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

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Concrete

JK Lakshmi Adopts EVs to Cut Emissions in Logistics

Electric vehicles deployed between JK Puram and Kalol units

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JK Lakshmi Cement, a key player in the Indian cement industry, has announced the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) in its logistics operations. This move, made in partnership with SwitchLabs Automobiles, will see EVs transporting goods between the JK Puram Plant in Sirohi, Rajasthan, and the Kalol Grinding Unit in Gujarat.
The announcement follows a successful pilot project that showcased measurable reductions in carbon emissions while maintaining efficiency. Building on this, the company is scaling up EV integration to enhance sustainability across its supply chain.
“Sustainability is integral to our vision at JK Lakshmi Cement. Our collaboration with SwitchLabs Automobiles reflects our continued focus on driving innovation in our logistics operations while taking responsibility for our environmental footprint. This initiative positions us as a leader in transforming the cement sector’s logistics landscape,” said Arun Shukla, President & Director, JK Lakshmi Cement.
This deployment marks a significant step in aligning with India’s push for greener transport infrastructure. By embracing clean mobility, JK Lakshmi Cement is setting an example for the industry, demonstrating that environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with operational efficiency.
The company continues to embed sustainability into its operations as part of a broader goal to reduce its carbon footprint. This initiative adds to its vision of building a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.
JK Lakshmi Cement, part of the 135-year-old JK Organisation, began operations in 1982 and has grown to become a recognised name in Indian cement. With a presence across Northern, Western, and Eastern India, the company has a cement capacity of 16.5 MTPA, with a target to reach 30 MT by 2030. Its product range includes ready-mix concrete, gypsum plaster, wall putty, and autoclaved aerated fly ash blocks.

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Concrete

Holcim UK drives sustainable construction

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Holcim UK has released a report titled ‘Making Sustainable Construction a Reality,’ outlining its five-fold commitment to a greener future. The company aims to focus on decarbonisation, circular economy principles, smarter building methods, community engagement, and integrating nature. Based on a survey of 2,000 people, only 41 per cent felt urban spaces in the UK are sustainably built. A significant majority (82 per cent) advocated for more green spaces, 69 per cent called for government leadership in sustainability, and 54 per cent saw businesses as key players. Additionally, 80 per cent of respondents stressed the need for greater transparency from companies regarding their environmental practices.

Image source:holcim

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