Concrete

Waste co-processing and RDF adoption are key pillars

Published

4 months ago

July 23, 2025

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Harjot Singh Chatha, Director, Alfa Therm talks about empowering India’s cement sector with scalable, compliant and efficient AFR solutions.

As India accelerates its shift toward sustainable cement production, Alfa Therm is playing a pivotal role in enabling this transformation through innovative RDF and AFR solutions.
In this interview, Harjot Singh Chatha, Director, Alfa Therm, outlines how it is driving circular economy practices, improving regulatory compliance, and future-proofing operations for the green transition.

How is Alfa Therm enabling cement companies to adopt AFR and RDF solutions?
Alfa Therm has been at the forefront of helping Indian cement companies transition from conventional fossil fuels to Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials (AFR) through robust Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) processing and handling solutions. Our engineered RDF plants are designed to deliver consistent fuel quality, customised to kiln specifications, ensuring seamless integration into existing fuel lines.
Additionally, our shredders and pre-processing systems help cement plants optimise calorific value, reduce feed variability and manage a wide range of waste streams, thereby accelerating the shift towards a more sustainable fuel mix.
How does Alfa Therm’s engineering approach ensure efficiency, safety and environmental compliance?
Our engineering philosophy centres on designing robust, modular systems built for India’s demanding industrial environments. We prioritise process efficiency through automated control systems, in-built safety interlocks and dust/fume extraction mechanisms that ensure safe operation and regulatory compliance. Our machines are built with high-grade, corrosion-resistant materials to ensure durability and minimal downtime. Regular customer training and remote monitoring further bolster safety and performance outcomes.

What role do you see waste co-processing and RDF adoption playing in India’s journey towards achieving a circular economy?
Waste co-processing and RDF adoption are key pillars in building India’s circular economy. By diverting non-recyclable waste streams from landfills to cement kilns, the industry not only substitutes fossil fuels for resource conservation. Cement kilns offer an ideal environment for complete thermal destruction of waste residues with zero secondary waste. As regulations tighten around landfill disposal and the cost of waste management rises, RDF-based co-processing will become a cornerstone of India’s waste-to-energy transition.

How is Alfa Therm positioned to support this transformation at scale?
With over 35 years of experience and a nationwide presence, Alfa Therm is uniquely positioned to support the cement industry at scale. We have the capacity to design and deliver turnkey RDF lines, shredding systems, and fuel feeding solutions customised to plant requirements. Our in-house R&D and fabrication units ensure rapid delivery and serviceability. By partnering closely with cement producers, we tailor our offerings for each project’s technical, regulatory and commercial context, helping clients meet
rising demand for alternative fuels while reducing operational risks.

How is Alfa Therm helping cement manufacturers improve their sustainability performance and meet evolving compliance norms?
As ESG reporting and emissions compliance tighten, Alfa Therm provides end-to-end solutions that help cement manufacturers track, measure and reduce their environmental impact. Our equipment is designed with emissions control in mind, including advanced dust extraction and filtration systems.
We also support clients with data-driven process optimisation and reporting tools that ease compliance documentation. Our team actively monitors regulatory shifts and shares knowledge with clients to future-proof their operations against emerging norms.

How do you see the AFR market evolving in India over the next decade?
The AFR market in India is poised for significant growth as regulations around waste disposal and emissions tighten and as cement players aim to meet ambitious TSR targets. We expect greater integration of digital tools for fuel tracking and optimisation, increased investment in localised RDF pre-processing infrastructure and broader acceptance of diverse waste streams including industrial and hazardous waste. Over the next decade, we anticipate TSR in India to grow from single digits to levels comparable with European benchmarks, driven by policy push and growing climate-consciousness across the industry.

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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

21 hours ago

November 14, 2025

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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

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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

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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.”