Concrete

Building a Safer, Smarter and Sustainable World

Published

11 months ago

November 20, 2025

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Raju Ramchandran, SVP and Head Manufacturing – Eastern Region, Safety and Sustainability, Nuvoco Vistas, on the cement industry redefining growth through innovation, circularity and collective action toward a Net Zero future.

Every nation dreams of highways, bridges and cities that symbolise progress. Every individual dreams of a home they can call their own. Behind both these dreams stands one material — cement. It is the silent architect of our aspirations and the backbone of economies. From sheltering families to shaping skylines, cement has been at the heart of human advancement.
According to the World Economic Forum, cement and concrete are the world’s most widely used human-made materials. As the world continues to build, the role of cement is becoming even more crucial — not only in enabling growth but also in shaping a sustainable future. Today, it is imperative to align the vision of building developed nations and better lives with the responsibility of protecting our planet for generations to come. Achieving this balance requires a fundamental shift in how we produce, transport and consume cement.
This transition is far too significant for any single technology or organisation to achieve alone. Real progress will emerge when businesses, policymakers, investors, and communities move forward together. Building on this collective momentum, the Indian cement sector has outlined a clear pathway to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2070, under the Decarbonisation Roadmap for the Indian Cement Sector. This initiative underscores the industry’s shared responsibility to mitigate environmental impacts while supporting sustainable development.
Taking this vision a step further, the sector is complementing emission reduction with initiatives that restore nature and promote circularity. By advancing water stewardship, biodiversity protection and circular economy practices, the industry is embracing nature-based solutions that not only mitigate environmental impact but actively regenerate natural systems. These efforts position the cement sector to play a central role in halting and reversing nature loss by 2030, in alignment with the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
The journey to decarbonise cement and concrete touches every link in the value chain — from sourcing raw materials to producing clinker, from pouring concrete on construction sites to rethinking design with reuse, recycling and 3D printing in mind. Each stage offers an opportunity to reduce emissions through innovation and collaboration.
In this context, Indian cement producers are expanding their portfolio of sustainable products. Almost all manufacturers today produce Portland Slag Cement (PSC), Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), and Portland Composite Cement (PCC) — each reducing clinker content while maintaining consistent quality and performance. This shift reflects the industry’s recognition that sustainability is not an option but a necessity.

Exploring sustainable alternatives
A key enabler of this transformation is the use of Alternative Raw Materials (ARMs) such as slag, fly ash and other industrial by-products. These materials partially replace limestone and clinker — the most carbon-intensive components of cement manufacturing. By integrating slag from steel plants or fly ash from power stations, producers not only cut emissions but also divert waste from landfills, helping preserve finite natural resources.
Equally critical is the adoption of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) like silica fume, calcined clay, rice husk ash, and natural pozzolans. Blending these materials with clinker reduces energy intensity while improving strength, durability, and workability, thus delivering both performance and sustainability gains.
Together, ARMs and SCMs foster a circular economy, transforming industrial waste into valuable inputs, conserving raw materials, and enabling sustainable construction.
Complementing these innovations are advanced manufacturing practices such as Waste Heat Recovery Systems (WHRS), which capture excess heat from clinkerisation and convert it into clean power. Combined with renewable energy adoption, digital optimisation, and green logistics, these efforts are steering the sector toward Net Zero operations.
Sustainability, however, doesn’t end at production. It extends into packaging, transport, and consumption. The industry is increasingly using recyclable poly bags, bulk cement packaging and rail-based logistics to reduce carbon emissions. Further, CNG-powered trucks, Transition from Diesel based Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) to EV vehicles and GPS-enabled fleet monitoring are helping lower the carbon footprint across supply chains.
At the same time, end consumers — builders, contractors, and Individual Home Builders — play a crucial role. Choosing blended, eco-friendly cements, adopting responsible construction practices, and minimising material waste on sites can collectively make a meaningful impact.
Building sustainably is no longer only the producer’s responsibility; it is a shared duty across the value chain, from source to consumption. This holistic approach, where innovation meets accountability, defines the path forward.
From reducing emissions to restoring ecosystems, the cement industry is laying the foundation
for resilient infrastructure and a nature-positive, sustainable future.
As the Head of Manufacturing, Safety and Sustainability at Nuvoco Vistas Corp, I believe sustainability is not an initiative but a way of doing business. It is deeply embedded in every process and product, from co-processing waste and developing green cements to expanding WHRS capacity, promoting renewable energy, and enhancing logistics efficiency. In alignment with the cement industry’s 2070 Net Zero vision, Nuvoco has reduced its CO2 intensity to 453.8 kg per tonne of cementitious material, guided by our mission of ‘Building a Safer, Smarter and Sustainable World.’

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Raju Ramchandran, SVP and Head Manufacturing – Eastern Region, Safety and Sustainability, Nuvoco Vistas, oversees multiple high-capacity plants, excelling in operations, project management, and team development across greenfield and brownfield projects.

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CII Calls for Greater Alternative Fuel Use in Cement Industry

Published

5 hours ago

October 29, 2026

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The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), through its Green Business Centre and Energy Efficiency Council, inaugurated the 16th Conference on Alternative Fuel and Raw Material Usage (AFR) in Goa on 27 October 2026. The two-day conference brought together more than 350 industry leaders, policymakers, waste management experts and technology providers to explore strategies for accelerating alternative fuel adoption in India’s cement industry.

Held under the theme ‘Preparation for Net-Zero: Alternative Fuels & Raw Material in Cement Manufacturing’, the conference focused on reducing dependence on conventional fuels, improving waste utilisation and strengthening circular economy practices across cement manufacturing operations.

E R Raj Narayanan, Chairman, AFR Conference 2026, and Business Head and Chief Manufacturing Officer, UltraTech Cement, highlighted the industry’s progress in alternative fuel adoption. He emphasised the need to scale implementation, strengthen supply chains and extend circularity beyond fuel substitution to alternative raw materials through technological innovation and industry collaboration.

Harish Adconkar, Managing Director, Goa Waste Management Corporation, highlighted Goa’s progress in scientific waste management and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production. He stated that approximately 765,000 tonnes of RDF had been supplied to cement plants, contributing to an estimated displacement of 320,000–560,000 tonnes of coal. He emphasised the importance of consistent RDF offtake and stronger coordination between urban local bodies, waste management agencies and cement manufacturers.

Dr L P Singh, Director General, National Council for Cement and Building Materials, identified AFR as an important opportunity for decarbonisation and resource efficiency. Drawing parallels with the industry’s successful utilisation of fly ash, he stressed the need to address quality, technological and economic challenges to expand alternative fuel adoption.

Dr Sharad P Kale, Special Advisor to the Chief Minister of Goa and former Head of Technology Transfer and Collaboration at BARC, emphasised treating waste as a resource. He highlighted decentralised biodegradable waste processing, reduced food waste and improved resource recovery as essential measures for minimising landfill dependence.

Kiran Ananth, Executive Director, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Green Entrepreneurship, CII-Green Business Centre, noted that India’s cement production reached approximately 491 million tonnes in FY2025-26, while the industry’s thermal substitution rate (TSR) stood at 7.5 per cent, with around 7 million tonnes of alternative fuels utilised annually.

He added that the industry had invested over Rs 12 billion in co-processing infrastructure during the past six years. Improving RDF supply reliability and quality assurance would be crucial to maximising the utilisation of existing infrastructure and accelerating industrial decarbonisation.

The conference also featured discussions on advanced AFR co-processing technologies, waste pre-processing solutions and industrial best practices for improving fuel substitution and resource recovery.

A publication titled ‘From Waste to Kiln: Scaling the Use of MSW-Derived RDF in Indian Cement Plants’ was launched during the inaugural session. The report identified inconsistent RDF supply and quality as major barriers to achieving higher thermal substitution rates.

According to the publication, many cement kilns already possess the technical capability to achieve higher alternative fuel substitution. However, variations in RDF availability, moisture content, particle size and calorific value continue to limit utilisation. The report emphasised the need to strengthen waste segregation, pre-processing and aggregation systems to establish reliable RDF supply chains.

The conference’s second-day agenda includes discussions on innovative domestic and industrial waste management solutions, alternative raw materials for low-carbon cement and strategies to increase alternative fuel utilisation across India’s cement manufacturing sector.

Concrete

Sameera Group Enters Industrial and Logistics Real Estate

Rs. 1.5 bn project to support manufacturing and supply-chain firms

Published

1 day ago

October 28, 2026

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Sameera Group has entered the industrial and logistics real estate segment with a 450,000 sq ft development in Sriperumbudur, Chennai. The group will invest Rs. 1.5 bn in the project, expanding beyond residential plotted developments into business-to-business real estate.

The proposed park will serve light manufacturing, e-commerce, third-party logistics and other supply-chain businesses. Building plan approvals have been secured, with construction expected to begin shortly. The development is scheduled to become operational within 12 to 15 months.

Sameera Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Jayakumar Murugesan said the project marked the next stage of the company’s growth after nearly four decades in land acquisition and real estate development. He attributed the choice of Sriperumbudur to its industrial activity and growth prospects.

The Grade A development will include internal movement routes and shared infrastructure for modern manufacturing and logistics operations. The group is pursuing Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum certification and plans to provide rooftop solar readiness, rainwater harvesting, wastewater recycling, energy and water monitoring, and electric vehicle charging facilities.

The project is being developed amid increased demand for industrial and warehousing space in Chennai. Knight Frank’s India Warehousing Market Report 2026 recorded 8.3 mn sq ft of warehousing transactions in the city during 2025, up 42 per cent from the previous year, with manufacturing accounting for 59 per cent of demand. The Sriperumbudur-Oragadam cluster contributed 77 per cent of transactions.

Sameera Group plans to develop 5 to 6 mn sq ft across a larger industrial and logistics portfolio over the next five years, involving an estimated investment of Rs. 18 bn. Land has been acquired for projects in Chennai, Hosur and Bengaluru. Established in 1982, the group has developed more than 900 acres, sold over 13,700 residential plots, and currently has 35 projects under development and 28 in its pipeline.

Concrete

UltraTech Cement Expands in Andhra Pradesh with Rs. 26.5 bn

Petnikota plant adds 3.6 MTPA cement dispatch capacity

Published

6 days ago

October 23, 2026

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UltraTech Cement has expanded its manufacturing footprint in Andhra Pradesh with the commissioning of Petnikota Cement Works, an integrated cement plant built with an investment of around Rs. 26.5 bn. The facility is located in Petnikota village in Kolimigundla mandal of Nandyal district, in the Rayalaseema region.

Construction of the plant began in May 2025. The facility has a clinkerisation capacity of 3.3 MTPA and a cement dispatch capacity of 3.6 MTPA, strengthening the company’s production and distribution presence in the State.

The plant is expected to provide direct employment to 650 people and indirect employment to another 2,000. It has been designed to operate entirely on green energy and does not have a captive thermal power plant. The project also uses no groundwater, according to information released by the Andhra Pradesh Government.

Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology, said in the release that the facility was taken from groundbreaking to commissioning in 14 months. He described the project as a state-of-the-art addition to the company’s operations in the State and said it would create 2,650 direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Petnikota Cement Works adds to UltraTech Cement’s manufacturing capacity in Andhra Pradesh while supporting industrial activity in Nandyal district. The plant’s energy design and stated groundwater-use policy are also intended to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. The company has identified the facility as part of its continuing capacity expansion in the Indian cement market.