Concrete

The Smart Kiln Era

Published

2 days ago

November 9, 2026

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Dr SB Hegde, Professor, Jain College of Engineering and Technology, Hubballi, India and Visiting Professor, Pennsylvania State University, USA, discusses how AI, automation and digital twins are redefining cement manufacturing.

For many years, an experienced kiln operator could judge the condition of the process from the flame colour, kiln sound and important instrument readings. This experience was valuable. But much of it stayed with a few individuals and was not always passed from one shift to another.
A modern cement plant collects a large amount of information every minute: temperatures, pressures, gas readings, motor loads and laboratory results. Too often, this information is used only after a problem arises. The opportunity is to use it earlier, so that plant teams can prevent problems instead of only reacting to them.
I wrote in these pages as early as 2020 that better data gathering, analysis and automated process control would be the first and most visible gains of digitalisation in cement. Six years on, that early promise had turned into hard results on the shop floor.
Three tools are helping plants make this change. AI studies data and predicts how the process may behave. Advanced automation applies approved control actions. A digital twin is a virtual model used to study how the plant may respond to changes. Robots and automated equipment can take over routine or hazardous work. Used together, these tools support what I call the Smart Kiln Era.
In my earlier articles in this magazine, I described this shift as the arrival of Cement 5.0, where advanced technology works side by side with human intelligence and a firm commitment to sustainability. The smart kiln is where that idea becomes real on the shop floor.
Figure 1 explains the smart kiln control loop. Plant instruments send data to a common platform. AI and a calibrated digital model help evaluate operating choices. The control system applies approved changes within safety limits, while operators and engineers remain responsible for the process.

Why the kiln needs intelligence
The kiln is at the centre of cement production. It is also a major source of cost and carbon emissions. The cement sector accounts for around 7 per cent of global CO2 emissions. As a broad industry estimate, roughly 60 per cent of cement-production CO2 comes from limestone calcination and around 40 per cent from fuel and energy. The exact split depends on the plant and the emissions boundary used. Better process control can directly reduce part of the energy-related emissions. Cutting process emissions much further also requires measures such as lower-clinker cement and carbon capture.

Table 1 shows where these emissions come from, and which part smart kiln technologies can influence directly.
A cement kiln is not easy to control. Raw meal quality changes; alternative fuels vary in moisture, ash and heat value; and coating forms and falls inside the kiln. McKinsey has reported large changes in key operating measures, in some cases up to 50 per cent from average conditions, in the plants it studied [5]. That is a reported example, not a normal range for every kiln.
Put simply, the kiln is always changing. Even skilled operators may recognise some disturbances only after they begin to affect the process. Good data analysis can identify early warning signs and help the team act sooner. More stable operation can save fuel, protect refractories and reduce emissions.
A red river in the clinker cooler shows why kiln stability matters. In my earlier article, I reported that such episodes can raise specific heat consumption by about 3–5 per cent and reduce refractory life by about 25–30 per cent in the cases discussed. Changes in burning-zone temperature, oxygen and kiln torque can provide warning signs. These figures and signals should be checked against conditions at each plant.
A plant must now watch carbon as carefully as costs. India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) brings emission-intensity obligations into the business discussion, subject to the applicable rules and compliance timelines. I have described the need to measure performance through carbon-adjusted profitability. A stable kiln is a useful starting point.

AI and machine learning in process control
AI can support a kiln operator by studying past and current plant data. Machine learning models look at the links between fuel flow, kiln speed, feed rate, fan speed, oxygen, temperature and clinker free lime. They can predict a change before it becomes serious and suggest more suitable settings. In a validated closed-loop system, some settings can be adjusted automatically within limits fixed by the plant.
Advanced process control (APC) and model predictive control (MPC) and AI are related but not identical. APC and MPC use process models and operating limits to keep the kiln steady. AI can add better pattern recognition, disturbance prediction and operating recommendations. Their roles
may overlap in commercial systems. Plants with reliable APC already have a useful foundation for adding AI; they do not always need to replace the existing system.
AI also helps with plant-wide cement quality control. Normally, the final 28-day strength result comes too late to correct the batch that produced it. A machine-learning “soft sensor” can estimate 28-day strength much earlier, based on available process and laboratory data. Engineers can then review fineness and blend targets sooner. Where cement is consistently made stronger than needed, the plant may be using more clinker or energy than necessary; the actual saving depends on cement composition and quality limits.
Table 2 gives published and company-reported examples. It is important to separate measured improvements from programme targets: projected savings are not yet achieved results.
Global momentum, 2024–2026. Three lessons stand out. First, AI can work with existing APC. At Heidelberg Materials’ Mokra plant in Czechia, AI was added to an existing control system, with a reported 2.2 per cetn reduction in specific heat consumption after adjustments for fuel mix and raw material quality [9]. Second, Indian producers are also investing in AI process control: the announced JK Cement and Adani Cement programme includes a five-year savings and CO2-reduction target. These are targets, not results already delivered. Third, financial outcomes matter as much as technical improvements. Plants should measure their own results against a fair baseline. Most figures cited here are reported by companies or solution providers.
Why do some AI projects succeed while others stop after a pilot? In my experience, the main reason is often not the algorithm. A project struggles when it is left only to the IT team, when operators have no role in its design, or when there is no plan to update the model after changes in limestone, fuel or equipment. The plant head must own the results. The system needs a budget, periodic review and continuing support.
A sensible approach has two stages. In advisory mode, AI recommends settings, but the operator makes the final decision. After the recommendations have been tested and trusted, selected controls may move to closed-loop operation. Even then, the system must respect process limits, safety interlocks and operator override. My advice is simple: do not rush this step. Trust is earned on the shop floor, not in a presentation.
Figure 2 shows this journey as a staircase. Each step builds on the trust and data quality earned in the one before it.

Digital twins
A digital twin is a computer-based model that is kept in step with the real plant using measurements and equipment information. Engineers can test ‘what if’ questions: What happens if alternative fuel use rises by 5 per cent? What if limestone quality falls? What if a shutdown is delayed? The twin helps compare options before making changes in the plant. It is a decision-support tool, not a guarantee of real-world results.
Figure 3 shows the basic idea. Live data updates the virtual model. Engineers study possible changes in the model and then check the most promising actions through plant procedures and field validation.
A digital twin is useful only when it is properly calibrated and checked against real plant behaviour. Start with one area, such as the kiln and cooler. Agree on how accurately the model must predict key process conditions before using it for decisions. Once it performs reliably, extend it to other equipment. A twin can also become a training simulator. New operators can practise a cold start, a red river situation or a fuel change without exposing people or equipment to real risk.
In my series on gas balancing, I described how digital twin models can test combustion and gas balancing strategies before they touch the live kiln, with kiln exit O2 and CO giving real-time feedback on how well the plant is burning. The same thinking extends to product design: machine learning can match the right cement blend to local raw materials, climate and end use, which is vital if low-clinker cements are to reach their full potential.
Digital twins are useful beyond daily kiln control. In new projects, models can help review layouts and equipment choices before construction. During operation, they can bring information from different departments onto one platform. I see the digital twin as both a record of how the plant behaves and a safe place to test ideas.

Automation, robotics and predictive maintenance
Automation is not new to cement; plants were among the early adopters of distributed control systems. What is new is the level of intelligence and the range of tasks machines can now handle.
Automated laboratories can collect, prepare and test samples throughout the day and night, reducing delays and variation. Online analysers can support faster raw-mix correction. Robots are also being explored for handling, inspection and quality tasks. Drones and crawler robots help inspect stacks, silos and preheater towers, reducing the need for dangerous access. All such applications still require site-specific safety checks.
My suggestion is to consider robotics first where people face the greatest risk, such as cyclone cleaning, kiln inlet inspection, hot meal sampling and confined-space work. The aim should be safer work, with productivity improvements as an added benefit.
Predictive maintenance can provide early value. Changes in vibration, temperature or electrical current can lead to developing equipment problems. Kiln-shell scanning and suitable refractory models can also help the team plan repairs before an emergency shutdown. These methods support engineering inspection; they do not replace it. A single unplanned kiln stoppage can cancel out many earlier efficiency gains.
Holcim reported in 2024 that AI-based predictive maintenance was being used at 45 plants, with plans to expand it to more than 100 plants by 2028. This is an example of growing industrial adoption; the expansion figure is a plan, not a completed deployment.
AI is also making the control room smarter. By studying how operators respond to alarms, it can filter out nuisance alarms and highlight the few that truly need fast action. In the case of red river, automation already serves as an early-warning system that keeps people out of harm’s way before molten clinker reaches the cooler.

India’s progress in smart cement manufacturing
India is the world’s second-largest cement producer. The figures cited in my earlier review indicate installed capacity of about 690 million tonnes per year and direct employment of more than one million people. An average clinker factor of about 67.5 per cent and CCTS emission-intensity targets covering 186 cement facilities have also been reported. These are source-specific figures and should be checked against the latest official definitions and notifications before publication. Table 3 summarises the cited position.
This creates a unique challenge: India must build capacity faster than almost any country, while lowering emissions per tonne. Smart kiln technologies help on both fronts. They squeeze more output from existing kilns, and they make it easier to use alternative fuels, which are variable and hard to manage by hand.
India is beginning to show practical examples. The supplier’s programme set targets of US$100 million in savings and 4 million tonnes of CO2 reductions over five years. These targets should not be presented as achieved savings. Mangrol has also been identified in my earlier article as the site of India’s first commercial LC3 production, showing the connection between better process control and new cement formulations.
Mid-sized producers can also start. Some AI applications work with the instruments and control systems already installed, although the amount of integration needed will vary. Begin with one
kiln line, one measurable problem and a six-month trial. Compare the result with a clear baseline that accounts for changes in fuel, raw material and production conditions.
Notably, every major decarbonisation route, from alternative fuels and LC3 to carbon capture, depends on precise, data-driven control. A kiln that already wobbles on coal will wobble far more on refuse-derived fuel, and a carbon capture unit will only be as efficient as the kiln feeding it. In my view, the large wave of new Indian capacity is a once-in-a-generation chance to build plants that are digital from day one, rather than retrofitting them later at higher cost.
I have reviewed the wider structure and outlook of the Indian cement industry elsewhere [14]; the point here is that digital capability will increasingly separate the leaders from the rest.
Digital systems need trained people. Surveys discussed in my earlier article reported that about 65 per cent of Indian plant managers faced shortages of workers with the required skills, while about 20 per cent of workers could use advanced systems. These estimates depend on the population survey and method; they should not be treated as a census of the whole industry. They reinforce the need to train operators and engineers as technology changes.

Challenges on the road
AI and digital tools offer real opportunities, but four practical barriers must be addressed. Table 4 lists them and suggests what plant teams can do.
None of these barriers is a reason to abandon digitalisation. They show why plants should prepare properly, begin on a manageable scale and learn from each stage. AI cannot correct poor raw mix preparation, an unstable burner, unreliable instruments or weak maintenance practices. Good process engineering must come first.

The way forward
From my experience, the plants that succeed follow a simple roadmap:

Start with the kiln and one clear goal, such as specific heat consumption, kiln stability or red river incidents, and measure it honestly before and after.
Fix the basics first: calibrated instruments, clean data and one shared data platform.
Put carbon on the daily dashboard next to cost, so every decision is seen through both lenses.
Build mixed teams of process engineers, operators and data scientists, and invest seriously in reskilling.
Move from advisory to closed-loop control step by step, earning operator trust at each stage.
Scale what works across lines and plants and share the learning across the industry.

Five questions every plant head
should ask
• How much of our variation in heat consumption comes from the kiln itself, and how much from raw mix and fuel quality?
• Do we trust our critical instruments, and when were they last calibrated?
• Which daily decisions are still made from memory rather than from data?
• Have we told our operators clearly how their roles will change, and what new skills we will give them?
• Do we track carbon per tonne as closely as cost per tonne?

Prospects for the future
• AI may use better information from instruments, process historians, laboratories and soft sensors to improve its predictions.
• Some models may be updated more frequently as fuel and raw materials change. Automatic retraining should still be checked and approved before it affects critical kiln controls.
• Digital twins are likely to play a larger role in new cement plant projects, helping teams test designs and train operators before start-up.
• AI-based analysis may also support carbon capture operations. Stable kiln gas flow and composition can make capture systems easier to control, although economics depend on the full capture process.
• Carbon-adjusted profitability may become an increasingly useful way to compare operational decisions.

Conclusion
The smart kiln era is not about replacing experienced people with machines. It is about giving them better tools to make sound decisions, consistently and safely. AI, automation and digital twins can improve kiln stability, energy efficiency, quality and environmental performance. But they cannot replace reliable instruments, sound process engineering, disciplined maintenance or skilled operators. The cement industry has always been built on fire, stone and practical knowledge. Its next chapter will also use data and digital intelligence. A smart kiln is not simply a kiln controlled by AI. It is a kiln where technology
and human experience work together to produce better results.

Disclaimer: References for this article will be available on the Indian Cement Review website.

About the author:
Dr SB Hegde, a global cement industry leader with over 30 years of experience, is a Professor at Jain College of Engineering, India, and a Visiting Professor at Pennsylvania State University, USA.

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Shree Cement Expands Bangur Concrete Network with Patna Plant

New facility takes the company’s national RMC network to 36 plants

Published

2 days ago

November 9, 2026

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Shree Cement has inaugurated a 60 m³/hour ready-mix concrete plant in Patna, Bihar, under its Bangur Concrete brand. The facility takes the company’s ready-mix concrete (RMC) network to 36 plants across India and strengthens its presence in eastern markets.

The plant was inaugurated by Neeraj Akhoury, managing director of Shree Cement, in the presence of senior company officials and other guests. It has been established to serve demand for ready-mix concrete in Patna and neighbouring areas, where infrastructure development, urban expansion and real estate activity are supporting construction growth.

The facility is designed to supply construction projects across Patna and surrounding markets. Its installed capacity of 60 m³/hour will enable Bangur Concrete to serve customers across the region while improving distribution and supply capabilities in eastern India.

The expansion is intended to improve customer service, strengthen the company’s market presence and support development activity in Bihar. The plant incorporates modern batching technology, material handling systems and quality control processes aimed at maintaining consistency in production and improving operational efficiency.

With the addition of the Patna facility, Bangur Concrete now operates 36 RMC plants across India. The business is expanding its footprint in key construction markets to improve customer access to ready-mix concrete, which is increasingly used in infrastructure, commercial and residential projects because it supports controlled production, consistent quality and more efficient material management at construction sites.

The facility will also follow environmentally responsible operating practices, in line with Shree Cement’s focus on sustainable construction solutions. The latest addition adds capacity to the company’s RMC operations and supports its efforts to serve regional construction markets as development activity continues across Bihar.

Concrete

Ambuja Plans 2.9 MTPA Godda Cement Unit

Proposed unit forms part of Ambuja Cements’ Rs. 145 bn expansion

Published

2 days ago

November 9, 2026

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Ambuja Cements has proposed a 2.9 mn tonnes per annum (MTPA) cement grinding unit in Godda district, Jharkhand, as part of a Rs. 145 bn expansion programme. The plan is intended to lift the company’s overall cement capacity to 155 MTPA by financial year 2029-30 (FY30), from its current 113.5 MTPA.

The proposal forms part of the Adani Group company’s wider manufacturing expansion across eastern and northeastern India, according to a company statement issued on Monday. The Godda unit would add grinding capacity to Ambuja Cements’ network and is intended to help serve demand in Jharkhand and neighbouring states.

Locating production closer to these markets is expected to reduce transportation costs and delivery times, while the project could support employment in plant operations, maintenance, logistics and administration. The company also linked the facility to indirect activity in transportation, contract services, construction, warehousing and local supply chains.

The expansion plan includes a 2.9 MTPA grinding unit each in Assam and Bihar, as well as additional clinker capacity in Assam. Together, the projects are designed to distribute manufacturing capacity more widely and improve the connection between clinker production and grinding operations, Ambuja Cements’ cement-business chief executive Vinod Bahety said.

Clinker is the intermediate material produced before it is ground and blended to make cement, making the Godda proposal part of a broader materials and logistics network rather than an isolated facility. Ambuja Cements has not provided a commissioning timeline, a Godda-specific investment breakdown, land details or a detailed employment estimate in the supplied announcement.

The project’s impact will depend on implementation of the plant, associated transport links and local supply chains. The announcement sets out the capacity objective but does not specify the project’s construction schedule or operational start date.

Concrete

Cement Breaks Ground

Published

2 days ago

November 9, 2026

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India produced nearly 491 million tonne of cement in FY2026, however the next tonne will not look like the last. From LC3 and AI-run kilns to carbon capture and circular mining, we explore the innovations moving from pilot projects to the plant floor across the cement value chain.

India’s cement industry is at a critical juncture, with infrastructure investment, urbanisation and housing demand driving production growth. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India’s cement production reached approximately 491.4 million tonne in FY2025–26. This growth is intensifying the need for greater energy efficiency and lower environmental impact, making AI, automation, advanced process control, low-carbon cement and alternative fuels increasingly important.
Decarbonisation remains a major challenge, as emissions arise from both fuel combustion and clinker production. According to NITI Aayog’s Roadmap for Cement Sector Decarbonisation, the sector emitted approximately 246 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023, with an emissions intensity of around 0.63 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of cement. Addressing this requires innovations in clinker substitution, waste heat recovery, renewable energy and carbon capture. The International Energy Agency (IEA) identifies carbon capture and low emissions production technologies as key to the sector’s net zero transition, making commercially viable innovation essential for balancing growth, competitiveness and sustainability.

Next generation cement and low carbon materials
Reducing clinker dependency is one of the most practical pathways to lowering cement’s carbon footprint. Traditional Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) typically contains 90 per cent to 95 per cent clinker, whose production releases significant process emissions. According to NITI Aayog’s Roadmap for Cement Sector Decarbonisation, blended cements already account for approximately 73 per cent of India’s cement production, reflecting the growing role of alternatives such as fly ash and blast furnace slag. Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) can replace a portion of clinker, reduce emissions while supporting resource efficiency. The next wave of innovation includes limestone calcined clay cement (LC3), Portland limestone cement and multi component blends, which offer opportunities to reduce clinker content while maintaining the performance required for different construction applications.
The focus is now shifting towards expanding the range of low carbon materials available to manufacturers. NITI Aayog’s Scenarios Towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero – Sectoral Insights: Buildings notes that LC3 can reduce the clinker ratio to approximately 50 per cent, compared with the 90 per cent to 95 per cent typically found in OPC. India also has an estimated 1.5 billion tonnes of utilisable calcined clay reserves, according to NITI Aayog’s cement decarbonisation roadmap, offering significant potential for wider adoption.
However, scaling these materials will require reliable supply chains, performance based standards, further research and industry acceptance. The long term opportunity lies in developing innovative cement formulations that reduce emissions while delivering the strength, durability and cost effectiveness required by India’s expanding construction sector.

Smart manufacturing: AI, automation and digital twins
Digitalisation is transforming cement plants from conventional production facilities into data driven operations. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and advanced process control can optimise kiln temperatures, stabilise raw mill operations, improve fuel efficiency and reduce equipment downtime. Predictive maintenance uses sensor data to identify potential equipment failures before they disrupt production, while digital twins enable operators to simulate process changes and evaluate their impact. These technologies are particularly valuable in an energy intensive industry where even small improvements in process stability can translate into significant operational savings.
Prerak Manisha Shah, Founder and CTO, Cogniify.ai, says, “When unexpected breakdowns happen in manufacturing, it can produce a vast amount of disruption in manufacturing. With predictive maintenance, AI programmes use data about vibration, temperature of bearings, electric current of the motor and operating time of the equipment in order to determine when the machine is likely to break.”
The benefits are increasingly quantifiable: a study published in Energy and AI in September 2026 by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated that AI deployment could potentially reduce primary energy demand and associated CO2 emissions in cement manufacturing by 3 per cent to 9 per cent, subject to the assumptions used in its scenarios. Meanwhile, the Cement Manufacturers’ Association highlights that advanced process control can reduce fuel consumption by 3 per cent to 5 per cent and increase throughput by 2 per cent to 3 per cent.
Digital twins, as demonstrated in Holcim’s 2023 launch of a real time virtual model of a cement plant in Switzerland, further combine sensor data, analytics and machine learning to support predictive maintenance and more reliable operations. Together, these innovations show how smart manufacturing can deliver measurable gains in productivity, energy efficiency and emissions performance.

Alternative fuels and renewable power
Energy innovation is central to reducing the cement industry’s dependence on coal and other conventional fossil fuels. Manufacturers are increasingly exploring refuse derived fuel (RDF), biomass and other waste derived fuels, alongside waste heat recovery systems that convert excess process heat into electricity. Renewable energy integration through solar and wind power can further reduce emissions associated with electricity consumption, while modern kiln technologies and improved combustion control help optimise thermal efficiency. Together, these solutions offer opportunities to reduce fuel costs, divert waste from landfills and strengthen the industry’s energy resilience.
Kiranmai Sanagavarapu, Director – Low Carbon Solutions, Fuller Technologies, says “ Flash calcination relies on rapid heating and short residence times, meaning the process responds quickly to changing conditions. For clays tested by Fuller, the useful activation range was about 750–850°C; however, the optimum varies with the clay. Insufficient thermal treatment can leave activation incomplete, while excessive heating can cause sintering and reduce reactivity. Gas-solids contact and residence-time distribution must also be controlled.”
According to NITI Aayog’s Roadmap for Cement Sector Decarbonisation, alternative fuels currently provide only around 4 per cent of the Indian cement industry’s total energy input, highlighting the potential to replace coal and pet coke with biomass and refuse derived fuel (RDF). The roadmap identifies municipal solid waste as a significant opportunity, projecting that its use could help meet approximately 20 per cent of the sector’s thermal energy requirements by 2030, provided collection, processing and supply chains are strengthened.
Dr SB Hegde, Professor, Jain College of Engineering and Technology, Hubballi, says, “Every major decarbonisation route, from alternative fuels and LC3 to carbon capture, depends on precise, data-driven control. A kiln that already wobbles on coal will wobble far more on refuse-derived fuel, and a carbon capture unit will only be as efficient as the kiln feeding it. In my view, the large wave of new Indian capacity is a once-in-a-generation chance to build plants that are digital from day one, rather than retrofitting them later at higher cost.”
Renewable power and waste heat recovery offer complementary opportunities to cut energy costs and emissions. According to the Confederation of Indian Industry’s energy benchmarking data, India’s cement industry has developed more than 1,000 MW of waste heat recovery capacity, while leading plants have achieved thermal substitution rates of up to 30 per cent, compared with an industry average of 2 per cent to 7 per cent. Scaling these solutions, alongside efficient kiln technologies and greater solar and wind power integration, will require investment, reliable fuel supplies and infrastructure that enables manufacturers to move towards cleaner, more resilient energy systems.

Breaking new ground in carbon capture and emissions control
Reducing emissions from cement plants requires solutions that address both fuel combustion and the chemical reactions involved in clinker production. Advanced electrostatic precipitators and bag filters help control particulate matter, while selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and selective non catalytic reduction (SNCR) technologies target nitrogen oxides (NOx). Sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions can be managed through process optimisation and suitable gas cleaning systems. Beyond conventional controls, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is emerging as a critical technology for tackling process emissions that cannot be eliminated through energy efficiency or fuel switching alone.
The scale of the opportunity is significant. NITI Aayog’s Roadmap for Cement Sector Decarbonisation identifies CCUS as a technology capable of mitigating up to 50 per cent of process emissions, provided it can be deployed at scale. The roadmap also highlights the need for demonstration projects, investment and supportive policies to accelerate adoption. For Indian cement manufacturers, combining advanced pollution control systems with carbon capture and utilisation technologies could help address both conventional air pollutants and hard to abate CO2 emissions, making emissions control a key frontier for industrial innovation.

Mining, raw materials and circular economy innovations
Innovation in mining and raw material management is helping cement manufacturers reduce dependence on virgin resources and improve resource efficiency. Advanced quarry planning, drone surveys and digital geological mapping can support more precise extraction, while industrial by products such as fly ash and blast furnace slag can replace a portion of conventional raw materials and clinker. According to the Ministry of Power’s Annual Report 2023–24, cement and concrete accounted for 29.96 per cent of India’s fly ash utilisation in 2022–23, highlighting the sector’s role in converting industrial waste into useful construction materials.
Dr KV Reddy, Chairman, CMA Committee, says “One of the most distinctive contributions of the cement industry to water stewardship comes from limestone mining operations, where responsibly managed mine pits can capture and store substantial quantities of monsoon rainfall, serving as water reservoirs for operational needs, reducing freshwater dependence and, where hydrogeologically appropriate, supporting groundwater recharge. The industry’s water stewardship experience includes mine pit reservoirs, check dams, percolation tanks, recharge shafts and rejuvenated village ponds as complementary water conservation measures. The distinction between harvested rainwater and groundwater is particularly important. Rainwater accumulated in mine pits is already being used for dust suppression, mining operations, greenbelt development and other purposes while reducing dependence on groundwater.”
The opportunity continues to grow: according to the Press Information Bureau, India generated 340.11 million tonnes of fly ash in 2024–25, of which 332.63 million tonnes was utilised; the cement industry accounted for 27 per cent of the total generated. Cement manufacturers are also investing in water recycling and reuse. For example, Dalmia Bharat’s Integrated Annual Report 2024–25 reports specific water consumption of 167 litres per tonne of cementitious material, down from 171 litres in FY2023–24. Together, circular material use, efficient quarrying and water recycling can conserve natural resources, reduce waste and strengthen the industry’s long-term resilience.

Innovations in logistics, quality and supply chains
Logistics and supply chain innovation is becoming increasingly important as cement manufacturers seek to reduce costs, improve delivery reliability and minimise material losses. According to the Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA), logistics costs can account for 30 per cent to 35 per cent of total costs in the cement industry, making efficient transportation and material handling critical to competitiveness. Technologies such as GPS enabled fleet tracking, RFID tags, automated weighbridges, digital dispatch systems and logistics control towers are helping manufacturers improve shipment visibility, optimise routes and reduce truck turnaround times.
Rüdiger Reckmann, Technical Sales Manager, HAVER & BOECKER, says, “Modernisation doesn’t just extend equipment life; it can also improve the day-to-day experience on the floor. Beyond digital and control system updates, plants can also realise major performance gains through targeted mechanical and safety upgrades. Fewer stoppages result from specific upgrades such as sealed or redesigned filling tubes that reduce spillage, improved dust collection and interlocks that limit dust accumulation. Smart diagnostics and alarm systems help maximise plant availability by avoiding unnecessary shutdowns. These same changes make it easier to meet safety and explosion-protection requirements while cutting the time spent clearing waste and responding to emergency maintenance requirements. Staff can concentrate instead on keeping the line moving, rather than dealing with failing controls.”
Digitalisation is also transforming quality assurance and supply chain planning. In its Integrated Report 2024–25, JSW Cement describes the use of GPS tracking, a Logistics Control Tower and a Yard Management System to improve fleet visibility, truck sequencing and internal material movement. Meanwhile, Ambuja Cements’ Integrated Report 2025–26 reports that logistics turnaround at 17 plants improved by approximately 25 per cent through digital and operational initiatives. Integrating these systems with automated quality testing, bag tracking and data driven inventory planning can help cement producers strengthen traceability, reduce dispatch errors and ensure consistent product quality from the plant to the customer.

Conclusion
Path breaking innovation in the cement industry is no longer confined to individual technological breakthroughs; it lies in integrating advances across materials, manufacturing, energy, emissions control, mining and logistics. From low carbon cement formulations and AI driven process optimisation to alternative fuels, carbon capture and circular resource utilisation, these developments offer opportunities to improve productivity while reducing environmental impact. However, translating innovation into measurable outcomes requires sustained investment in research and development, modern infrastructure, skilled talent and collaboration between cement manufacturers, technology providers, research institutions and policymakers.
As India’s cement demand continues to grow, the industry must focus not only on adopting emerging technologies but also on scaling solutions that are commercially viable, operationally reliable and environmentally effective. Greater emphasis on measurable performance, technology integration and industry wide knowledge sharing will be essential to accelerating this transition. The future of cement manufacturing will be shaped by companies that can balance production efficiency, cost competitiveness and decarbonisation, transforming innovation from a strategic ambition into a tangible driver of long-term industrial growth.