Economy & Market

Next phase of capacity enhancement to come from greenfield projects

Published

8 years ago

January 2, 2019

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With over three decades of experience behind him in the sector, Dr Shailendra Chouksey, Whole-Time Director, JK Lakshmi Cement is often credited with having transformed the perception of cement as just another commodity to branded category. In this exclusive interaction with INDIAN CEMENT REVIEW in New Delhi, Dr Chouksey says that infrastructure creation will drive demand growth of cement by also providing a fillip to housing. Noting that the next phase of increase in capacity will come from greenfield plants, he informs that the industry is watching the development of inland waterways as a cost-effective mode of transport.

You have been saying that the cement sector is showing the green shoots of a revival after a prolonged period of subdued growth. How?
It is the growth in demand that we have witnessed in the last 12 months that has made me say that. While the figure of 14 per cent looks attractive, we have to remind ourselves that it is on the back of a base that was very muted. Taking that into account, even the growth of about 9 per cent – which the industry has witnessed close to after a gap of nearly six years – is quite healthy. And that’s something to cheer rather than be unduly pessimistic about. The other reason that makes us buoyant is that this demand has basically been fuelled by the initiatives of the government that are long-term in nature; so, there is an element of sustainability there. We would tend to believe that we are back in good times and this demand growth of 8-9 per cent is here to stay. It would eventually lead to a double-digit expansion because countries like China, Indonesia and others that have grown at a phenomenal pace in the past have demonstrated that infrastructure creation culminates in the demand for cement.

It is conventionally believed that the growth in cement sector is delivered by the housing segment. However, you just averred that the next phase of growth in the sector will be delivered by infrastructure development. That’s indeed a very interesting observation.

The reason why people tend to pin a lot of hopes on housing is that in India the segment still constitutes 60 per cent of the demand for cement. Any change there will have a much greater impact on growth, while infrastructure constitutes 20-25 per cent. Therefore, even if the infrastructure grows by 30-40 per cent, it can only translate into 7-8 per cent. Now a logical question would be that how can one expect a much steeper growth just on the back of infrastructure? But what we feel is that the moment our infrastructure expands, development of housing in areas surrounding such projects is bound to increase. Take the example of the metro railway in Delhi.

Wherever it has reached or whenever a new phase is planned, the housing activity there receives a spurt since the connectivity becomes a lot easier. Similarly, road infrastructure or any other project requiring cement, also provides a boost to housing.

In fact, at times it is very difficult to segregate the vanilla effect of infrastructure development and housing. There is a bit of intertwining there and we tend to believe that if the infrastructure is growing at 20-25 per cent, there is bound to be a cascading impact on the other segments that consume cement.

Which segments within the infra universe do you see as contributing to the cement industry’s growth over the next five years?
The road and highway projects will continue to be a major driver. But then we also feel that the metro rail fever is gradually spreading. And the best part is that it is being driven by the public through their representatives. Today, every member of parliament would like to establish a metro rail project in his constituency. There is hardly a state capital that is not talking about a metro project. The metro railway is a phenomenal cement consuming sector. And then again it has a ripple or downstream effect on the development of housing and commercial real estate, which in turn provides a spurt to a whole lot of construction activity. Going forward, metro rail projects would be another important area of cement consumption. Then we have already seen the Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) where work is underway and that will continue over the next three to four years. These are some of the important infrastructure projects that will drive the demand for cement. Along with these, there is an aspect that shouldn’t be missed and that is our GDP is growing and so is the purchasing power of the people. And that will result in individual housing construction.

What about the contribution from the smart cities programme of the government?
Well, one has to wait and watch. Initially, when the programme was announced, it was believed it would result in the development of greenfield cities. But gradually the government has realised that there is more to milked from the existing cities by making them smart. Therefore, though the construction might not happen at that pace that was anticipated, there would surely be ancillary developments around smart cities.

In India, the freight of cement has been done by road. With several waterways under development, do you see potential there?
Since it’s a whole new world that is opening up it would be too early on my part to comment on how it will eventually pan out. But at the end of the day, it is the money that talks. If cement manufacturers discover that it makes more economic sense to transport cement and other raw materials on waterways, they will most certainly make that shift. And that will not only be on account of the cost factor but also due to the increased regulation on the carriage of goods by road such as overloading, the high cost of toll that has pushed up freight rates, spike in fuel prices and the Indian Railways increasing freight charges.

Especially in the case of the railway, there is a certain minimum ticket size of freight and transporting less than that doesn’t really make economic sense for a cement manufacturer. Therefore, taking into account all these factors, we might have a good opportunity as far as the development of waterways is concerned. But one has to first test that out and then the network of waterways has to be well-spread out across the country. The operational stretch from Varanasi to Kolkata is in itself a very good beginning.

There is some debate on the 28 per cent GST levied on cement, which is the same as levied on luxury goods. What’s your take?
There is no debate as such. The question that is being asked of the cement industry time and again is what percentage are we looking at. We have said that it is not a question of what percentage the government retains. It is basically about recognising the fact that cement is a core commodity, and the world over the average taxation on cement doesn’t exceed 4 per cent. Therefore, why should India tax it at the exorbitant rate of 28 per cent? We know there are economic compulsions on part of the government and it cannot suddenly slash it down and lose all that revenue. But there has also to be a recognition that there can be a percentage where it can reduce taxation to a level where an increase in demand will compensate for any loss in revenue to the exchequer. If that happens, it’s a win-win situation for both the government and cement industry.

What is your outlook for the industry in 2019?
We feel that this is a very good time for the industry. We foresee no let-up in the demand. There is already a 30 per cent excess capacity that is lying idle. Therefore, we feel the industry will first consolidate operationally. At the present rate of growth in demand for cement, this excess capacity will get exhausted in about three years. But considering the fact that a new cement plant takes quite a while to come up, my own view is that there is not much to be milked out of brownfield projects. New capacity has to come from greenfield projects. I wouldn’t be surprised if over the next couple of years, one gets to hear several announcements of new capacity additions.

– MANISH PANT

Economy & Market

Leonard Unveils Dual-Head Robotic Arm for Hazardous Industrial Demolition

Published

1 week 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

1 week 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

3 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