Concrete

Efficient Cooling Solution Boosts Gearbox Uptime

Published

1 year ago

July 23, 2025

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Efficient Oil Cooling for Gearbox in the Cement Industry. How a High-Performance Plate Heat Exchanger Ensured Thermal Stability and Operational Continuity.

Contributed by: Narendra Joshi and Sourabh Mishra

Application: Gearbox Oil Cooling
Objective: To maintain optimal oil temperature in high-viscosity lubrication systems for gearboxes in cement plants, ensuring uninterrupted operations and minimizing production losses due
to overheating.
Challenge: A prominent cement manufacturing company’s conventional cooling systems were failing to maintain the oil temperature within the optimal range, jeopardizing equipment performance and leading to avoidable downtime.

Background with the Existing System
In heavy-duty industrial applications, particularly in the cement industry, gearboxes are critical components that must operate under high mechanical loads and harsh conditions. These gearboxes rely on lubrication systems where oil plays a dual role, lubrication and heat dissipation. A recurring challenge in such setups is managing the temperature of the gearbox oil. When oil heats beyond a critical limit, its viscosity drops, reducing its ability to form a protective film. This leads to increased friction between components, heat generation, and eventual damage to gearbox components — directly impacting plant uptime and production output.

Delivering Sustainable Heat Transfer Solution with HRS FUNKE High Efficiency Heat Exchanger
This system was selected for its:

Excellent thermal performance, ensuring rapid and efficient oil cooling even with high-viscosity fluids.
Leakage-proof operation, with no cross-contamination between cooling water and lubrication oil.
Robust design, capable of withstanding high operating pressures and variable flow conditions.

The plate exchanger was custom configured based on the oil’s properties, desired outlet temperature, and ambient heat load, ensuring that the oil remained within the specified viscosity range necessary for maintaining gearbox operation and lubrication integrity.

Performance Benefits Delivered

Oil temperature control and maintained consistently within target range
Viscosity stability and prevented breakdown of lubrication film
Equipment reliability and reduced risk of gearbox overheating or failure
Production continuity and eliminated unplanned stoppages
Long-Term savings and lower maintenance costs and extended oil life

Solution: To address the problem, HRS Process Systems Ltd recommended the installation of a Funke Plate Heat Exchanger a compact, high-efficiency thermal solution engineered specifically for industrial lubrication oil cooling.

Conclusion: The customer achieved precision oil temperature control, ensuring that the gearboxes operated at optimal conditions. This not only safeguarded the mechanical integrity of the gearbox but also directly contributed to higher plant uptime and improved production efficiency in heavy industries like cement manufacturing.

(Communication by the management of HRS Process Systems Ltd)

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UltraTech Cement Expands in Andhra Pradesh with Rs. 26.5 bn

Petnikota plant adds 3.6 MTPA cement dispatch capacity

Published

18 hours ago

October 23, 2026

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UltraTech Cement has expanded its manufacturing footprint in Andhra Pradesh with the commissioning of Petnikota Cement Works, an integrated cement plant built with an investment of around Rs. 26.5 bn. The facility is located in Petnikota village in Kolimigundla mandal of Nandyal district, in the Rayalaseema region.

Construction of the plant began in May 2025. The facility has a clinkerisation capacity of 3.3 MTPA and a cement dispatch capacity of 3.6 MTPA, strengthening the company’s production and distribution presence in the State.

The plant is expected to provide direct employment to 650 people and indirect employment to another 2,000. It has been designed to operate entirely on green energy and does not have a captive thermal power plant. The project also uses no groundwater, according to information released by the Andhra Pradesh Government.

Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology, said in the release that the facility was taken from groundbreaking to commissioning in 14 months. He described the project as a state-of-the-art addition to the company’s operations in the State and said it would create 2,650 direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Petnikota Cement Works adds to UltraTech Cement’s manufacturing capacity in Andhra Pradesh while supporting industrial activity in Nandyal district. The plant’s energy design and stated groundwater-use policy are also intended to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. The company has identified the facility as part of its continuing capacity expansion in the Indian cement market.

Concrete

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Cement sales rose 9% to 4.7 MMT, while EBITDA increased 11%.

Published

18 hours ago

October 23, 2026

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Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.

The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.

On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid renewable energy project in Rajasthan. Once operational, the project is expected to generate about 100 million units of renewable electricity annually. The company expects it to reduce reliance on conventional power sources and improve long-term cost certainty across its Rajasthan operations.

Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd., said, “Q2 FY27 was a testament to resilient execution in a challenging operating environment. Despite intense and erratic rainfall in our key markets, global and regional logistics & supply chain disruptions, and elevated input costs stemming from ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, the Company delivered strong YoY growth in Revenue, EBITDA, and PAT. Our performance reflects the strength of our strategic levers of premiumisation and geographical mix optimisation, which helped realisations amid muted cement prices.”

He added, “During the quarter, the Company achieved a significant growth milestone with the successful commissioning of the 2 MMTPA Grinding Unit at Limla, Surat, underscoring our strong project execution capabilities. This achievement reinforces our confidence in delivering the remaining modules of the Vadraj Cement Project at Kutch and Sachana within the planned timelines. Looking ahead, while we remain mindful of evolving macroeconomic and geopolitical dynamics, we remain focused on operational excellence, accelerating premiumisation, optimising supply chain efficiencies, and executing our growth projects as planned.

Concrete

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

Cabinet approves winding up of state-owned cement company

Published

5 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.