Economy & Market

Product life is always a matter of innovation

Published

12 months ago

November 17, 2025

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Utssav Gupta, Director, Supertech Fabrics, explains how innovation in industrial filtration is evolving towards energy optimisation, material resilience and sustainability.

As cement manufacturers embrace new fuels, stricter emission norms and evolving material chemistries, the role of filtration has become more strategic than ever. Supertech Fabrics, a pioneer in industrial filter media, is redefining performance through advanced coating chemistries, collaborative R&D and intelligent design. In this conversation, Utssav Gupta shares insights into how Supertech Fabrics is aligning technology, collaboration and sustainability to shape the next phase of filtration excellence.

How do you define innovation in industrial fabrics for cement applications?
I think there’s a lot of room for innovation as the processes are changing, the fuels are changing, which leads to changes in the stream. The powder is evolving with the innovations of cement producers themselves. There are also more stringent environmental norms now. So, the whole cement industry—whether in terms of materials or systems—is going through a lot of transition. These are minor transitions, not as big as inventing the wheel, but still significant enough to fine-tune cement processes. This transition percolates down to us as well, as filter fabric producers, where we need to respond in conjunction with the system and the end users’ goals of creating a more sustainable cement industry than before.

What’s driving your latest breakthroughs in filtration and fabric performance?
For us, the focus is on energy saving in the plant. We aim to address not only the efficiency of filtration but also the cleanability aspects of the filter fabric, which directly impact energy consumption and running losses for cement users. So, the driver for us is not just filtration quality but also the amount of energy used to achieve that filtration quality.
Of course, product life is always a matter of innovation. We constantly evaluate the impact of changes in powder chemistry and fluid chemistry on filter fabric performance. That is an ongoing area of in-house research for us.

How do your products maintain their durability in high-heat and dusty plant environments?
It’s because of the coating chemistries we use. As I mentioned earlier, durability is not just about product life—it’s also about performance aspects. Heat, dust and gaseous environments are all part of the cement process. We must embrace them rather than treat them as problems. With these coating chemistries, we can fine-tune our products to deliver both filtration efficiency and energy efficiency.

How do your collaborations with OEMs or cement producers shape the innovations that happen in your organisation?
Collaboration is very important. When we talk to OEMs or cement producers, they often face issues they haven’t encountered before, because small changes in their supply chain can impact their systems. As someone passionate about filtration, our understanding comes primarily from such interactions and collaborations. Once we learn about a problem, we try to feed that insight back into our system, making the first supply itself as intelligent as possible.
Industry collaboration is essential—no one can progress without it. But what makes it truly interesting is how you collaborate in an environment that’s constantly bringing new and unknown challenges. That’s what has kept our collaborations engaging—with all major OEMs and top producers in the
cement industry.

What steps are you taking toward making your materials more sustainable for production? And how are you bringing sustainability into your operations?
Sustainability has multiple dimensions. Gone are the days when we could simply say ‘go green’ and call it sustainable. We must embrace the challenges of the industry. The cement industry has historically been very polluting, and that pollution isn’t just about dust—it’s also about discarded materials.
Now, with the use of AFRs, the industry is evolving into a pollution-absorbing one, since waste that would have ended up in the environment is now being used as a fuel source. But this brings new challenges for material performance. If you look at all these dimensions, I will say filtration must improve—not only to prevent air pollution but also to withstand the challenges of using other waste-based fuels. Our filters must not absorb one type of waste and create another problem through shorter life cycles. Material life cycles must be strong enough to reduce industrial waste simultaneously. In combining all these aspects, we work toward a comprehensive sustainability model—of which we are a small but integral part.

How has digitalisation influenced your R&D and quality control?
Digitalisation is a very interesting and fast-evolving subject. OEMs are moving toward IoT sensors and live data analysis. However, we’ve found that live data is often not as detailed from a filtration perspective. As filter bag producers, we sometimes find it difficult to analyse system performance without the right data. Nevertheless, this trend is growing. Through collaboration with OEMs, we’ve been able to provide feedback on which parameters should be monitored while installing instrumentation. Once you have proper instrumentation, you can gain live insights into what’s happening in real time—allowing for calculations and understanding of where more efficiency can be achieved. These digital tools—IoT sensors, predictive analytics, trend mapping—are giving us insights we never had before. This is reshaping the industry and prompting us to raise our game further.

What material or filtration trends do you see shaping the industry’s future?
I’d say the base materials themselves are going through a small shift—not too drastic. We’re still using traditional materials but combining them with advanced chemistries. It’s essentially a two-part system—resurrecting the old while adapting it for the future through coating chemistry.
The trends are largely driven by the changes we discussed earlier: in-feed composition, material supply chains, and the broader economic environment. The supply chain for end users is not entirely under their control, so equipment and materials need to adapt. This adaptability helps ensure that end users are not constrained by external changes.

What’s next for Supertech Fabrics in advanced filtration and sustainability?
We’re riding the innovation curve right now and pushing in that direction. One major development I see is deeper collaboration with technical OEMs, which allows us to innovate more effectively. In the future, I see more integration between filtration systems and OEM technologies. That’s one of the trends that will have an immediate impact on both filtration quality and sustainability. That’s the direction we are moving toward in the coming years.

– Kanika Mathur

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Economy & Market

Leonard Unveils Dual-Head Robotic Arm for Hazardous Industrial Demolition

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

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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

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

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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

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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