Economy & Market

Measurement, Monitoring and Supply-Chain Transparency

Published

12 months ago

November 20, 2025

admin

Smitha Shetty, Regional Director, APAC, Achilles Information, explains why accurate measurement, real-time monitoring, and transparent supply chains are essential for India’s cement sector to achieve credible, data-driven decarbonisation and global competitiveness on the road to Net Zero.

Cement is an indispensable building material of modern times and is the second most consumed commodity after water. Even though cement is an important element across the globe, the environmental impact of it is huge. Precisely, cement production contributes 4 per cent to India’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As a result of rapid urbanisation and higher infrastructure spending, the demand for cement and allied materials is increasing, which is resulting in a substantial jump in carbon emissions.
China is the largest cement manufacturer in the world, which produced 1858.9 million metric tonnes in 2024. Notably, it is more than half of the global output. India comes second, though with a much lower output of 440.5 million metric tonnes. Notably, India is not the biggest emitter but the domestic cement companies are at par with their global counterparts in adopting measures to cut carbon emissions.
Limestone (calcium carbonate) is the main raw material for making cement and its conversion into clinker (calcium oxide) produces a significant share of CO2 emissions. In fact, CO2 is the major component of the total greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted during the manufacturing process. Another notable source emission is the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and pet coke. It is estimated that one third of the emissions from the cement industries is due to the burning of fossil fuels for converting limestone into lime. In addition, power generation from the captive power plants using coal or diesel is also creating a considerable amount of emissions.
As India charts its journey toward Net Zero by 2070, decarbonising cement is no longer optional, it is mandatory and is a top priority for the country. India urgently needs a capability stack built on accurate measurement, continuous monitoring, and supply-chain transparency that turns data into decisions.

Getting the baseline right: Key to measurement
It is important to have an accurate greenhouse-gas baseline for cement companies. An accurate baseline can be achieved through plant-level accounting of fuel consumption, kiln efficiencies, clinker factor and processing of CO2 from calcination. Standardised emissions calculators and national guidance tailored for Indian operations already exist — they reduce inconsistencies in how Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions are reported and make comparisons meaningful across plants. Reliable baselines allow firms to prioritise the biggest levers — fuel switching, clinker substitution, energy efficiency and, in time, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). Cement companies should adopt globally recognised algorithms, ensuring accurate emissions tracking and compliance with international standards like the Greenhouse
Gas Protocol. This strengthens accountability and credibility across stakeholders.

Monitoring: From regular audits to real-time signal
Over the years, many cement plants have depended on periodic audits and utility bills to decide upon the emission numbers. However, that may result in critical emissions remaining unnoticed and thereby increasing the chances of pollution. Today technology has advanced and cement plants can use Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, advance metering and process instrumentation which can help in getting hold of the energy use, fuel mix, temperatures and kiln performance in real-time and can send quick signals to the plants. Coupled with AI-driven analytics, this data is enabled to detect anomalies, prescriptive maintenance and load optimisation that can quickly help in material emissions reduction. It also enables benchmark comparisons and continuous improvement opportunities.

Scope 1 and Scope 3: Dual priorities for India’s cement sector
For cement producers in India, Scope 1 emissions are by far the largest share of their carbon footprint. These arise primarily from calcination of limestone and the direct use of fossil fuels in kilns, and addressing them remains the foremost priority. However, cement companies also have a role to play in influencing Scope 3 emissions across their value chains. While Scope 3 accounts for a smaller portion of total
sector emissions compared to Scope 1, it represents a critical opportunity to align with India’s wider decarbonisation efforts.
Companies can begin by optimising inbound and outbound logistics. Transitioning to low-carbon transport fleets in collaboration with logistics partners, shifting to rail and waterborne transport where feasible, and adopting digital platforms for route optimisation can significantly reduce transport-related emissions.
Sourcing alternative materials is another lever. By working with suppliers to increase the use of fly ash, slag, construction and demolition waste, and other industrial by-products, cement companies can reduce dependence on clinker while promoting a circular economy. This opens avenues for local resource optimisation and waste valorisation, while cutting emissions embedded in raw material extraction and processing.

Equally important is supplier engagement.
Large cement firms can enable smaller and medium-sized suppliers through technical assistance, joint capacity-building programmes, and digital platforms that support emissions reporting and data transparency. Many suppliers lack the resources to independently invest in low-carbon solutions, but partnerships with larger cement companies can help bridge this gap. Incentives, technology upgrades, and sustainability-linked procurement terms can create ripple effects that lift environmental performance across the value chain.
In this way, even as cement companies continue to address their significant Scope 1 emissions, they can simultaneously strengthen their contribution to India’s decarbonisation journey by reducing Scope 3 impacts. The combination of direct emissions reduction within plants and indirect improvements across supply chains represents a holistic approach, one that can position India’s cement industry as both resilient and globally competitive in a low-carbon future.

CCUS: India needs to move fast
Cement industry’s decarbonisation efforts must further address technological challenges such as Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS). India has to fast-track legislation, funding and
action plan in this regard to adopt carbon capture technologies, while the US, Japan and the EU have made significant progress on the front. CCUS is the process of capturing CO2 directly from large industries that use fossil fuels.
The captured CO2 is then stored in another location to be used in some industrial applications or injected into deep geological formations where the gas can be stored safely. It can effectively cut emissions from hard-to-abate industries – where emission is unavoidable – such as cement and steel, and remove CO2 from air to balance industrial emissions. India must also come out with a robust policy framework to develop a carbon market and carbon credit scheme, and provide market support for mitigation methods. Public-private partnerships and incentives are vital to scale CCUS deployment.

Conclusion
India’s cement sector stands at the crossroads now. While the booming demand of infrastructure in the country forces them to increase capacity, it also needs to cut emissions effectively for a greener world, for which the entire globe is clamouring for. Measurement, monitoring and supply chain transparency are not optional things for the cement industry. They are the critical pillars of decarbonisation. When plants are pedalled properly, when suppliers are traceable and when independent verifications are carried out to complement corporate reporting, India’s cement sector gains the credibility and the know-how to scale up low carbon emission drive. The transition will however not be cheap and nor easy too but by putting data at the centre, all the stakeholders – the cement companies, the suppliers and the government – can prioritise the high impact actions and attract funding for a greener India. It will also send a message to the world that India’s effort to decarbonise its cement sector is concrete, verifiable and accurately data-driven.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Smitha Shetty, Regional Director, APAC, Achilles Information, holds over 18 years of experience driving sustainable growth, operational excellence, and net zero focused supply chain solutions.

Up Next

The Green Revolution

Don't Miss

Cement Beyond Carbon

Economy & Market

Leonard Unveils Dual-Head Robotic Arm for Hazardous Industrial Demolition

Published

3 days ago

October 30, 2026

admin

Leonard unveils Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve industrial safety and reduce shutdown time by up to 50 per cent.

Industrial robotics and refractory services specialist Leonard has launched Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve safety, accelerate maintenance and reduce shutdown times in hazardous industrial environments. The system made its debut at Lisahally Power Station in Northern Ireland, removing 25 tonnes of slag material within hours.

Developed for the cement, metals, waste-to-energy and petrochemical industries, Descender Duo enables remote-controlled refractory demolition, anchor cutting and welding, and refractory spraying inside boilers, calciners and silos. Its vertical-access design eliminates the need for personnel to enter confined, high-risk spaces during these operations.

Weighing less than two tonnes, the pre-assembled system requires an access opening of just 1.2 m². Supported by an external overhead hoist, it uses electrically operated hydraulic stabilising legs to secure itself inside vessels. The robotic arm offers 360-degree rotation and is suited to vessels approximately 9 m in diameter, with its operating reach extendable through strategically positioned access points.

Equipped with two independently controlled robotic heads, Descender Duo can perform identical or different tasks simultaneously, including refractory demolition, anchor cutting and spraying. Its remote-control system incorporates live camera feeds, allowing operators to monitor operations without entering hazardous environments.

According to Leonard, the technology can deliver time savings of up to 50 per cent compared with manual methods. Its ability to operate at temperatures exceeding 100°C allows maintenance to begin as early as 24 hours after burner shutdown. An all-electric power supply further supports cleaner and more cost-efficient operations.

First Deployment Demonstrates Shutdown Efficiency

The system was first deployed at Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor’s (BWSC) Lisahally Power Station in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The facility generates electricity from grade C waste wood, supplying approximately 40,000 homes and businesses.

Leonard and BWSC collaborated to develop a customised solution for the plant’s 26-metre furnace, where extensive external pipework created significant access challenges.

Mark Leonard, Managing Director, Leonard, said, “It required new thinking and rather than step away from the problem we were committed to solving it for the customer, with the customer. We’re relentless in our approach to tackling complex challenges, head-on. We took our years of cement plant experience, coupled with our working knowledge of the BWSC plant, and designed, engineered and tested a completely new vertical solution within just seven weeks from that initial conversation with the customer. That solution was the Descender Duo as we know it today.”

Traditionally, the furnace required a cooling period of up to 36 hours before preparatory work could begin, followed by manual slag removal using rope-access personnel. With Descender Duo, work commenced just 24 hours after shutdown, reducing downtime by up to one day.

The deployment removed 25 tonnes of slag within hours, eliminated the need for at least six workers to enter the hazardous furnace interior and saved 26 hours in the shutdown programme.

“The effectiveness exceeded expectation,” said Martin Doran, Plant Manager at Lisahally Power Station.

“When the Descender Duo concept was first discussed, we had to spend some time with the team from Leonard looking at how it was going to be moved into the furnace. Every site is different and that presented its own challenges, but nothing that the team couldn’t overcome. Once it was installed we were hugely impressed by its efficiency.”

Expanding Industrial Robotics Applications

Descender Duo joins Leonard’s existing portfolio of robotic maintenance solutions, including the Axis horizontal-access arm, Nano confined-space access arm, Charger cement mill media recharging system and Calibre cement mill media grading system.

Headquartered in Northern Ireland, Leonard provides robotic refractory demolition, installation, inspection and industrial maintenance services across the cement, metals, energy, biomass, glass and civil engineering sectors.

Formerly known as G Leonard, the company has more than 35 years of industry experience and operates across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

The latest innovation reinforces Leonard’s focus on replacing hazardous manual processes with robotic systems that improve workforce safety, enhance operational efficiency and minimise industrial downtime.

Concrete

Martin Engineering Appoints Ashwini Khunte as India General Manager

Published

4 days ago

October 30, 2026

admin

Martin Engineering names Ashwini Khunte India General Manager to strengthen operations and drive growth across key bulk material handling sectors.

Pune

Martin Engineering, a global provider of bulk material handling solutions, has appointed Ashwini Khunte as General Manager of its India business, strengthening its leadership as the company expands its presence across the country’s cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure sectors.

Khunte brings more than a decade of experience with Martin Engineering, having joined its Indian operations in 2013 as a Design Engineer, shortly after the company established its presence in the country in 2012.

A mechanical engineer by qualification, she spent her initial five years developing bulk material handling solutions in collaboration with the company’s operations team. During this period, she gained extensive experience addressing operational challenges in the steel, cement and coal industries. She subsequently moved into project engineering, managing major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) projects from initial enquiry to commissioning. Her responsibilities later expanded to overseeing Martin Engineering’s conveyor product portfolio in India, involving customer engagement, technical presentations and site visits across heavy industries.

In 2024, Khunte was promoted to Head of Sales & Marketing for the company’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) region. The position broadened her international market exposure and strengthened her strategic and commercial leadership capabilities.

Commenting on her appointment, Ashwini Khunte, General Manager, Martin Engineering India, said: “India represents a tremendous opportunity for Martin Engineering. The country’s continued investment in cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure is creating increasing demand for safer, cleaner and more productive bulk material handling, and that’s exactly what we do. My priority will be to build on the strong foundations already established in India, while continuing to develop our people, strengthen customer relationships and bring practical solutions to the challenges faced by our industry.”

Robert Whetstone, Area Vice President – EMEAI, Martin Engineering, highlighted Khunte’s technical expertise, market understanding and leadership experience.

“Ashwini brings an exceptional combination of technical understanding, customer knowledge and commercial leadership. She has grown as Martin Engineering has grown, and has consistently demonstrated outstanding capability to transform her expertise into practical solutions. Her knowledge of the Indian market, together with her international experience, makes her ideally suited to lead our India business through its next stage of growth for years to come.”

Since establishing its Indian business in 2012, Martin Engineering has expanded its local workforce, manufacturing capabilities and dealership network. The company supplies conveyor products, transfer point solutions, material flow aids, training and technical support to bulk material handling industries. Khunte’s appointment positions the company to further strengthen customer relationships and expand its solutions portfolio in India’s growing industrial and infrastructure markets.

Concrete

Fornnax Wins AIRIA’s Special Export Award for Rubber Machinery in 2025-26

Published

2 weeks ago

October 19, 2026

admin

Fornnax Technology Pvt. Ltd. has been honoured with the Special Export Award – Rubber Machinery for 2025–26 by the All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), in recognition of its highest exports of tyre recycling plants to the European region.

With more than a decade of experience in India’s tyre recycling industry, Fornnax has contributed to the development of advanced recycling technologies and infrastructure. The company currently holds a 90% market share in India’s domestic tyre recycling sector, while exports account for 30% of its business, spanning markets such as Europe, Australia and the GCC.

The award marks another milestone for Fornnax, whose tyre recycling lines and advanced shredding technologies are supporting the growth of the circular economy in India and international markets.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Founder and Director of Fornnax, said:

“This honour from AIRIA is a reflection of an incredible journey we have undertaken over the years. When we started Fornnax, there was no established recycling industry in India to follow. We chose to build for the future instead. Today, when you see India’s tyre recycling sector, it has already transformed into a dynamic, high-growth industry and we are extremely proud to have played our part in building it.”

Unlike standalone equipment suppliers, Fornnax focuses on developing complete, high-capacity recycling infrastructure. Its integrated systems combine multiple stages of shredding and size reduction to enable efficient, continuous operations. This system-level engineering approach helps recycling operators improve throughput, equipment reliability and operational consistency.

The recognition reinforces Fornnax’s commitment to developing engineering technologies that contribute to a more efficient and circular recycling ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its international presence while continuing to develop advanced shredding and recycling solutions to address the growing volumes and evolving requirements of the global recycling industry.

For more information, visit: www.fornnax.com