Concrete

“AI should predict bottlenecks.”

Published

4 weeks ago

September 26, 2026

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Anuradha Parakala COO, Fleetronix Systems, discusses real-time visibility, predictive intelligence and proactive control in cement logistics.

As cement logistics becomes increasingly data-driven, fleet visibility is emerging as a critical lever for improving asset utilisation. Anuradha Parakala, COO, Fleetronix Systems, discusses how real-time tracking, AI-led anomaly detection and connected logistics ecosystems can help eliminate operational blind spots.

How can real-time fleet visibility help cement manufacturers eliminate blind spots and improve control from plant despatch to final delivery?
For decades, cement logistics has been run on blind faith and periodic phone calls. A truck rolls out of the plant gates, and management essentially crosses its fingers, waiting for an update that might come three hours too late. That is not supply chain management; that is operational gambling.
Let’s look at the economics. Real-time fleet visibility doesn’t just put a moving dot on a digital map—it forces discipline onto the balance sheet. When you have live tracking of arrival times, route adherence, and unwarranted stoppages, you remove the guesswork that bleeds capital.
Visibility isn’t about micro-managing drivers. It’s about converting a volatile cost centre into a predictable, accountable business process. In our deployment data at Fleetronix, absolute visibility cuts operational exceptions by over 20 per cent right out of the gate. That’s because we are tackling anomalies while they happen, not holding a post-mortem after the cement is already spoiled or missed its delivery window.

What are the biggest fleet-level inefficiencies in cement logistics today, and how can technology help address them?
The real cash drain happens long before the truck hits the highway.
The stagnation trap: Excessive idle times rotting away at plant loading bays and unloading sites.
The accountability vacuum: Fragmented communication loops between transporters, despatchers and yard managers.
The reconciliation waste: Finance teams wasting hundreds of man-hours manually matching proof of delivery with transit logs.
Technology shouldn’t just give you more dashboards; it should eliminate noise. AI-driven platforms act as an early-warning system for behavioural abnormalities. AI should predict bottlenecks,
before they snowball into heavy financial losses.
The companies winning tomorrow aren’t the ones scaling up their fleet size blindly—they are the ones extracting double-digit productivity out of the assets they already own.

How can digital fleet management strengthen cargo security and proactively identify risks such as theft, route deviations and unauthorised halts?
In heavy building materials, cargo security is no longer just a local transport concern. It is a direct line item affecting brand reputation and business continuity. Traditional security reacts after a pilferage or highway theft is reported. That is too late.
Modern digital architecture deploys smart geofencing, tamper-proof sensor integration, and anomaly detection algorithms. If a truck stops in an unapproved high-risk corridor for longer than a designated threshold, the system flags it instantly. Security isn’t a passive logbook; it is an active deterrent. True ROI comes from intervention before a loss occurs.

What will the fully connected end-to-end logistics ecosystem of the future look like, and what role will data and AI play in transforming cement transportation?
The market leaders of the future won’t necessarily be the giants with the largest physical fleets. They will be the ones with the most intelligent nervous systems. We are moving toward a fully integrated ecosystem where plants, trucks, inventory pipelines, and customer destinations talk to each other in real time.
Artificial intelligence will ingest millions of data points to automate dispatch planning, streamline preventive maintenance, and execute dynamic routing without human friction. The future of cement logistics is not about tracking where your truck is right now. It is about knowing what is bound to go wrong three hours from now, and fixing it automatically before it ever happens.

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Concrete

Meghalaya Cabinet Approves MCCL Closure, Writes Off Rs. 244.3 mn

Cabinet approves winding up of state-owned cement company

Published

3 days ago

October 19, 2026

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The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the closure and winding up of Meghalaya Cherra Cement (MCCL), a state-owned cement company, with pending liabilities of approximately Rs. 244.3 mn to be written off as part of the process. The decision was announced by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on October 13, 2026.

The approved write-off comprises about Rs. 89 mn in sales tax dues and Rs. 155.3 mn in royalty dues. The Cabinet’s decision addresses the liabilities that remained after the company’s operations and enables the government to proceed with its formal closure.

Sangma said employee dues owed by MCCL had been settled in line with the state government’s commitment. The settlement of employee-related liabilities is a key part of the winding-up process and removes outstanding obligations to the company’s workforce.

The Chief Minister explained that MCCL is owned by the government, meaning the pending liabilities would otherwise involve transfers between the state government and its departments. Writing off the dues is intended to simplify the accounting and administrative steps required to complete the closure.

The decision is also intended to ensure that the winding-up does not create an additional financial burden for the state government. With employee payments settled and the sales tax and royalty liabilities addressed through the approved write-off, the Cabinet’s approval marks a further step towards completing the formal closure of MCCL.

The action follows the state government’s decision to discontinue the company and resolve its outstanding obligations through an orderly winding-up process. The approved measures cover the principal liabilities identified for settlement and allow the government to advance the remaining formal procedures associated with closing the state-owned enterprise.

Concrete

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

Published

3 days 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

Concrete

Cement Prices Likely to Rise Rs. 10-15 per Bag from Mid-October

Input costs and steady demand may drive cement price increases

Published

1 week ago

October 14, 2026

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Cement manufacturers in India are likely to raise prices by Rs. 10-15 per bag from mid-October, as they seek to offset persistent increases in power and fuel costs. Emkay Research said its channel checks indicated a high probability of an increase from October 12, supported by the start of the busy construction season and favourable demand-supply conditions.

The sector had implemented similar rate adjustments of Rs. 10-15 per bag during the first quarter, but the increases were insufficient to cover higher operating costs. Prices also softened during July and August because of the monsoon, widening the gap between realisations and input expenses. Delayed plant expansion programmes have pushed clinker utilisation rates towards 79 per cent by FY28, helping to balance market fundamentals.

Emkay Research said steady volume offtake was supporting cement consumption, with non-trade demand driving activity across regional markets. Industry volumes are expected to grow by 7-8 per cent year on year during the first half of FY27, while demand momentum is projected to remain firm over the following 18 months. The outlook includes the busy construction season in the second half of FY27 and infrastructure activity linked to general elections in the first half of calendar year 2029.

The brokerage expects overall cement demand to record a compound annual growth rate of about 7 per cent between FY26 and FY28. However, elevated operating expenses are likely to continue weighing on profitability. Input costs have risen by Rs. 300-400 per t over the past six to seven months, with the full impact expected to become visible in second-quarter earnings and remain persistent through the second half of FY27.

Spot prices for petcoke and imported coal are approximately 20 per cent and 16 per cent above their second-quarter averages, at USD 175 per t and USD 150 per t, respectively. Packing costs have also increased, with polypropylene granule prices rising above Rs. 135 per kg. Emkay Research estimated that second-quarter earnings could decline by Rs. 200-250 per t sequentially because of higher fuel bills and negative operating leverage, and said the sector requires sustained price increases of about Rs. 10 per bag to offset cost inflation.