Sine Bogh Skaarup, Vice President, Head of Green Innovation and R&D, Fuller Technologies, discuss re-engineering cement for a low-carbon, high-efficiency future, and how the company is sharpening its focus to power the next era of cement manufacturing.

As the cement industry balances rapid capacity expansion with the urgent need for efficiency and decarbonisation, technology partners are playing a more critical role than ever before. In this interview, Sine Bogh Skaarup, Vice President, Head of Green Innovation and R&D, Fuller Technologies, share how the company’s deep-rooted expertise, renewed focus on cement, and advanced automation, digitalisation and low-carbon solutions are helping producers improve productivity, reduce emissions and prepare for the next phase of sustainable growth.

How do you support the cement industry, and what technologies do you bring that help improve productivity and operational efficiency?
We deliver more or less all the end-to-end equipment solutions to the cement industry. Our portfolio includes equipment for power and grinding, feeding technology, packing, conveying and full plant automation. There are many different technologies involved across a cement plant, and with more than 140 years of experience, we have consistently delivered solutions that have supported the industry’s development over time.

Do you offer turnkey or EPC solutions to cement plants?
We do not offer turnkey or EPC projects. Our focus is firmly on the core processes within cement technology. We specialise in delivering high-performance equipment and process solutions rather than complete EPC execution.

Can you share some recent innovations or initiatives that you have implemented or are currently working on?
One of our key focus areas is decarbonisation. We help cement producers reduce CO2 and overall carbon emissions. We offer alternative fuel solutions and calcined clay technologies to enable the production of LC3 cement, which play a significant role in decarbonising the cement industry. By combining alternative fuels and calcined clay solutions, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 50 per cent, making this a highly impactful approach for sustainable cement production.

What role do digitalisation, Industry 4.0 and advanced technologies play in your operations, and how are they changing the game?
Automation has always been a core business area for us, previously as FLSmidth Cement and now as Fuller Technologies. This focus has existed for decades. Optimising a cement plant, even by a few percentage points, has a significant impact. Digital solutions today can deliver 5 per cent, 10 per cent or even 15 per cent improvements in efficiency, capacity throughput, emissions reduction, and electrical consumption.
Digitalisation and Industry 4.0 also allow us to optimise plant logistics and integrate advanced laboratory systems that precisely control cement chemistry. Accuracy and precision are critical in cement manufacturing, and our digital solutions enable customers to achieve both. This comprehensive approach allows us to support optimisation across the entire plant.

What challenges do you see in the Indian cement industry, and how are you working to address them?
There are no challenges that are uniquely specific to India, as cement production processes are largely similar worldwide. However, India is currently a booming market with rapidly increasing capacity requirements. The key challenge is delivering this capacity on time while ensuring we become a preferred technology partner for cement producers.
At the same time, there is a strong focus on modernisation, achieving the highest efficiency with the lowest possible emissions. India has a unique opportunity because of the large amount of new capacity being installed. This gives the country a chance to set global benchmarks for high-efficiency production and some of the lowest CO2 emissions in the cement industry. Supporting producers in achieving this is a challenge, but it is a very positive and exciting one.

How will the transition from FLSmidth Cement to Fuller Technologies impact the brand and its engagement with the cement industry?
The rebranding follows our acquisition by Pacific Avenue Capital. We are transitioning from FLSmidth Cement to Fuller Technologies with a renewed and sharper focus on the cement industry. Previously, the company had a strong presence in both mining and cement, but cement had gradually become a non-core area. Now, cement is once again our primary focus.
Over the past two years, we had limited presence in the pyro and grinding segments. Moving forward, we are reinvesting and refocusing on these areas. This is an exciting phase for us, as it allows us to relaunch the brand, clarify our identity, and clearly define what Fuller Technologies stands for as a dedicated cement technology partner.

How do you see the cement industry evolving in the near future, and how do you plan to align with this growth?
The cement industry has evolved steadily over many years, but it remains a conservative sector due to the scale of investments involved. Cement plants require massive capital expenditure, and these investments are critical not only for industrial growth but also for national infrastructure development, especially in India and other developing regions.
Efficiency and low-emission production will remain central priorities. Introducing new materials into cement production is essential. Calcined clay and other supplementary cementitious materials will play a crucial role in reducing CO2 emissions. These materials will also help diversify raw material sources, ensuring that the industry can meet growing cement demand while remaining sustainable. Our role is to support this evolution with technologies that enable efficient, flexible and low-carbon cement production.

• Kanika Mathur