Concrete

Efficient Cooling Solution Boosts Gearbox Uptime

Published

10 months ago

July 23, 2025

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Efficient Oil Cooling for Gearbox in the Cement Industry. How a High-Performance Plate Heat Exchanger Ensured Thermal Stability and Operational Continuity.

Contributed by: Narendra Joshi and Sourabh Mishra

Application: Gearbox Oil Cooling
Objective: To maintain optimal oil temperature in high-viscosity lubrication systems for gearboxes in cement plants, ensuring uninterrupted operations and minimizing production losses due
to overheating.
Challenge: A prominent cement manufacturing company’s conventional cooling systems were failing to maintain the oil temperature within the optimal range, jeopardizing equipment performance and leading to avoidable downtime.

Background with the Existing System
In heavy-duty industrial applications, particularly in the cement industry, gearboxes are critical components that must operate under high mechanical loads and harsh conditions. These gearboxes rely on lubrication systems where oil plays a dual role, lubrication and heat dissipation. A recurring challenge in such setups is managing the temperature of the gearbox oil. When oil heats beyond a critical limit, its viscosity drops, reducing its ability to form a protective film. This leads to increased friction between components, heat generation, and eventual damage to gearbox components — directly impacting plant uptime and production output.

Delivering Sustainable Heat Transfer Solution with HRS FUNKE High Efficiency Heat Exchanger
This system was selected for its:

Excellent thermal performance, ensuring rapid and efficient oil cooling even with high-viscosity fluids.
Leakage-proof operation, with no cross-contamination between cooling water and lubrication oil.
Robust design, capable of withstanding high operating pressures and variable flow conditions.

The plate exchanger was custom configured based on the oil’s properties, desired outlet temperature, and ambient heat load, ensuring that the oil remained within the specified viscosity range necessary for maintaining gearbox operation and lubrication integrity.

Performance Benefits Delivered

Oil temperature control and maintained consistently within target range
Viscosity stability and prevented breakdown of lubrication film
Equipment reliability and reduced risk of gearbox overheating or failure
Production continuity and eliminated unplanned stoppages
Long-Term savings and lower maintenance costs and extended oil life

Solution: To address the problem, HRS Process Systems Ltd recommended the installation of a Funke Plate Heat Exchanger a compact, high-efficiency thermal solution engineered specifically for industrial lubrication oil cooling.

Conclusion: The customer achieved precision oil temperature control, ensuring that the gearboxes operated at optimal conditions. This not only safeguarded the mechanical integrity of the gearbox but also directly contributed to higher plant uptime and improved production efficiency in heavy industries like cement manufacturing.

(Communication by the management of HRS Process Systems Ltd)

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Shree Digvijay Cement Reports Annual And Quarterly Results

Annual revenue rises as EBITDA expands sequentially

Published

2 days ago

May 5, 2026

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Shree Digvijay Cement Company Limited reported consolidated financial results for the quarter and year ended 31 March 2026, showing higher revenues and improved profitability. Revenue from operations for the quarter was Rs 2,084.7 mn, up from Rs 1,833.4 mn in the prior quarter, while revenue for the year was Rs 7,491.0 mn versus Rs 7,251.5 mn a year earlier. EBITDA for the quarter rose to Rs 251.0 mn from Rs 38.4 mn in the preceding quarter and reached Rs 746.1 mn for the year. Profit after tax for the year was Rs 250.0 mn.

Sales volume for the company s grinding and cement operations was zero point three six four mn t in the quarter and one point four zero three mn t for the year, while traded volumes were zero point zero three mn t in the quarter. EBITDA per tonne improved to Rs637 in the quarter and averaged Rs521 for the year. Under a brand usage, supply and distributorship agreement the company sold 29,928 t of Hi Bond cement, which generated Rs153.6 mn in revenue and Rs20.0 mn in EBITDA during the period.

The company said that it had commenced purchase and distribution of Hi Bond cement effective 19 March 2026 pursuant to the long term distributorship agreement, and that it had paid a refundable security deposit of Rs four bn under the same arrangement. Management indicated that the strategic integration with the Hi Bond network would support future growth and strengthen distribution capabilities. The board cited seasonally higher demand and improved pricing as factors behind the sequential improvement in realisations.

The board recommended a final dividend of Rs one per equity share subject to shareholder approval at the ensuing annual general meeting. The company reiterated focus on sustaining the positive momentum in revenue and margin metrics while integrating the new distributorship, and will continue to monitor market conditions and pricing trends to support further improvement in outcomes.

Concrete

Cement Production Up Eight Point Six Per Cent To 491.4 mn t In FY26

Icra Sees Seven To Eight Per Cent Growth In FY27

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2026

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Icra reported that cement production volumes rose by eight point six per cent in the financial year 2026 to 491.4 million (mn) metric tonne (t). March output was 48.4 mn t, up four per cent year on year on a high base.

The agency projected that volumes are expected to grow by seven to eight per cent in the current financial year, supported by sustained demand from the housing and infrastructure sectors. Average cement prices were reported to have remained flat in March at Rs 340 per bag on a month on month basis, while prices for FY26 increased by two per cent to Rs 345 per bag year on year.

Among inputs, coal prices declined by 17 per cent year on year to USD 102 per t in April 2026 while petcoke prices rose sharply by 19 per cent month on month and 22 per cent year on year to around Rs 15,800 per t in April. Petcoke was higher by about five per cent year on year in FY26 and diesel prices were reported to have remained steady. Icra noted that coal, petcoke and diesel are expected to trend higher in FY27 and remain exposed to risks from the ongoing West Asia conflict.

The report emphasised that operating margins for Icra’s sample set of companies are estimated to moderate by 200 to 400 basis points (bps) in FY27 on account of a likely increase in input costs, with further downside risks should crude prices rise owing to geopolitical tensions. However, debt protection metrics are projected to remain comfortable and Icra maintained a stable outlook on the Indian cement sector.

Concrete

UltraTech Cement FY26 PAT Crosses Rs 80 bn

Company reports record sales, profit and 200 MTPA capacity milestone

Published

1 week ago

April 29, 2026

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UltraTech Cement reported record financial performance for Q4 and FY26, supported by strong volumes, higher profitability and improved cost efficiency. Consolidated net sales for Q4 FY26 rose 12 per cent year-on-year to Rs 254.67 billion, while PBIDT increased 20 per cent to Rs 56.88 billion. PAT, excluding exceptional items, grew 21 per cent to Rs 30.11 billion.

For FY26, consolidated net sales stood at Rs 873.84 billion, up 17 per cent from Rs 749.36 billion in FY25. PBIDT rose 32 per cent to Rs 175.98 billion, while PAT increased 36 per cent to Rs 83.05 billion, crossing the Rs 80 billion mark for the first time.

India grey cement volumes reached 42.41 million tonnes in Q4 FY26, up 9.3 per cent year-on-year, with capacity utilisation at 89 per cent. Full-year India grey cement volumes stood at 145 million tonnes. Energy costs declined 3 per cent, aided by a higher green power mix of 43 per cent in Q4.

The company’s domestic grey cement capacity has crossed 200 MTPA, reaching 200.1 MTPA, while global capacity stands at 205.5 MTPA. UltraTech also recommended a special dividend of Rs 2.40 billion per share value basis equivalent to Rs 240.