The combilift and mini silos from Meher Velsycon is a new-age solution that saves cost, improves efficiency and averts pollution to contribute towards ?Clean India? drive, writes Anil Tandon.
Converting bags to bulk is a win-win for all stake holders. Meher Velsycon, Mumbai has introduced a new Combilift & Mini Silo system, which helps cement companies as much as it increases efficiency for builders and logistics service providers.
Several big users of cement are already using silos and get cement and fly ash in bulkers. But there are many others who do not have silos. And hence are not able to take advantages of loose bulk. This new solution consists of a truck with combilift, making deliveries to various client sites in 16-20 tonne mini silos. The truck leaves the cement filled silo at construction site and comes back to pick up empty silo, only when the customer has used the cement.
At construction site, the user does not require any infrastructure at all. No silos, no compressors, no godowns, nothing at all.
With labour and space becoming an ever-increasing challenge, mechanisation and optimum usage of space is the only way to complete projects in time. Mini silo is a major solution to help overcome these challenges and a cost-effective alternative in the current work practices. Vertical storage in mini silos and that too movable to the place of consumption of cement are a big plus.
Cement industry in India is largely dominated by bag market with the cement mostly available in 50 kg bag unit. But since last few years, when infrastructure projects started picking up, there was a real need to complete the projects as fast as possible. This demanded efficiency at work site and more work to be done on a daily basis. Cement was demanded in loose bulk, in bulkers. It was practically not possible to handle so many bags each day and hence cement bulkers was a solution.
But in the last 10 years, out of 100 per cent of cement bag market, only 15-20 per cent got converted into bulk. The remaining 80 per cent is still in bags. With this new system, hopefully, another 20-25 per cent will get converted to loose bulk as the benefits are many.
Cement companies need not invest in new packers as more and more cement can be despatched in loose bulk. Construction companies would prefer this system, as after pouring concrete with RMC, the secondary work can now be sped up. A lot of downstream mechanisation is possible with mini silos. One can connect pumps, plastering machines, and mixers etc to mini silo outlets and can convey materials to higher floors as well.
New solution savings
The customers today don?t want to invest a huge amount in erecting silos and install accessory equipment like compressor, as the project demand does not justify such an infrastructure. Combilift and mini silos have addressed this problem effectively and economically. The mini silo can be used to transport cement in bulk that involves zero cost on bags, labour charge, and storage. This also saves from contamination, theft, etc. In this system, the end-user, the client of the cement company, does not have to pay anything since there is no need of silo, power, labour, godown and machine. Cement company or its transporter will come with the truck with the loaded silo to project site, and the driver by himself will unload and erect the silo as the truck is capable to do this. Neither founda?tion, nor special flooring is required, just well compacted soil is fine.
After the erection of the silo, the driver will go back with the truck. The silo will remain at the site till the cement is completely used. The cement inside the silo can be accessed through a butterfly valve, which can open and the cement will flow down with gravitational force. Once the cement is consumed, the cement company will send a new truck with filled silo which comes, erects the new filled silo and take back the empty silo.
The silo comes in various capacities of 5 tonne to 30 tonne. It?s a win-win for all stake holders
Benefit to cement companies
Each truck fitted with Combilift can save more than 3,00,000 bags per year. Three lakh bags not be be bought, not to be filled, not to be handled, with just one Combilift and few silos.
It provides quick despatches from plants and grinding units, and better capacity utilisation. The whole process is environment-friendly and very safe. Cement companies will have great advantage as their carbon footprint will improve because of the power saving by not using bagging machine. Another advantage is that there is no pollution and a good working environment for people, which is a corporate social responsibility. There will be no spillages and no wastage. The plant will become less accident prone because of less people, less machine, etc are involved. All these are big benefits to cement companies.
Benefit to transporter
The transporter is the second element of this logistics chain. With one truck, he can handle many mini silos. Thus his output per truck goes up. He does not have to wait at loading/unloading points, so his number of trips goes up. Now even in the night, or very early morning, the truck can deliver and erect the silo. In such a delivery system, the transporter can employ 2-3 drivers a day on 8 hour duty round-the-clock, because he has to only go, leave the filled silo, pick the empty silo and come back. So, at the end of the month, the revenue generated per vehicle goes up tremendously, which is the bottom line for him.
Benefit to construction company
The construction company doesn?t have to invest either in godowns or in machines, bag opening, labour, etc. They only have to give a place for the silo, and their savings are huge. Normally, cement bags are stored in the godown and moved to the point of consumption either by people or by elevators or cranes etc. From mini silos, one can directly pump it to 30-40 floors. and even higher floors by pumping again. First-in-first-out will now bring better quality in construction. Usually, we order more bags of cement when the earlier is about to be finished. So, once the new lot comes in, the bags down below do not get used and overtime will become non-usable. This is wastage and also decreases the quality of construction. This is completely eliminated by the new system.
Add-ons
The mini silo can be connected to a wide range of ancillary equipment. To facilitate heavy-duty cement pumping for the construction of high-rise buildings, Meher Velsycon supplies a pump fitted with a battery and diesel genset. On-site mixers together with plastering spray guns and other machinery is also available.
Efficiency and faster completion
This is a significant advantage. With this mechanisation, the buildings can be completed earlier than planned, and the construction projects can be completed ahead of time. This is a big saving of Interest on Capital cost. A project of Rs 50-100 crore when completed earlier, by a month, can bring in great savings. Bigger project will have much bigger savings.
Total cost advantage
When a cement company does not have to buy a bag costing Rs 10-12, it doesn?t have to fill and load at a cost of Rs 5-6 per bag, and unloading at site Rs 5-6 per bag.
So the overall cost saving for the whole chain is Rs 20-25 per bag which is huge. Further savings of no godown at site, wastage of 2-3 per cent, are extra and would vary from site to site. Pollution free and environment friendliness are added advantages.
Flexibility and multi-function
During monsoon and low season period, when construction sites are not working as fast requirement of these silos can be less. During these occasions, the cement company or the transporter will have the truck available to use. With some minimal changes, the truck with Combilift can do bag deliveries during this period. Bags can be palletised or just put inside a container or body.
Way ahead
Availability of labour and space is a major challenge. We are sitting on an upcoming construction boom and mechanisation is the only way forward. In this scenario, the Combilift & Mini Silos from Meher Velsycon is going to be a new revolution in the market.
Mini silos at Ambuja Cement
Ambuja Cement has recently bought 20 silos from Meher Trailers, in which 10 units are deployed in Mumbai and 10 in Kolkata for service.
Professor Procyon Mukherjee discusses how as the cement industry accelerates its shift towards digitalisation, data-driven technologies are becoming the mainstay of sustainability and control across the value chain.
The cement industry, long perceived as traditional and resistant to change, is undergoing a profound transformation driven by digital technologies. As global infrastructure demand grows alongside increasing pressure to decarbonise and improve productivity, cement manufacturers are adopting data-centric tools to enhance performance across the value chain. Nowhere is this shift more impactful than in grinding, which is the energy-intensive final stage of cement production, and in the materials that make grinding more efficient: grinding media and grinding aids.
The imperative for digitalisation Cement production accounts for roughly 7 per cent to 8 per cent of global CO2 emissions, largely due to the energy intensity of clinker production and grinding processes. Digital solutions, such as AI-driven process controls and digital twins, are helping plants improve stability, cut fuel use and reduce emissions while maintaining consistent product quality. In one deployment alongside ABB’s process controls at a Heidelberg plant in Czechia, AI tools cut fuel use by 4 per cent and emissions by 2 per cent, while also improving operational stability. Digitalisation in cement manufacturing encompasses a suite of technologies, broadly termed as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), AI and machine learning, predictive analytics, cloud-based platforms, advanced process control and digital twins, each playing a role in optimising various stages of production from quarrying to despatch.
Grinding: The crucible of efficiency and cost Of all the stages in cement production, grinding is among the most energy-intensive, historically consuming large amounts of electricity and representing a significant portion of plant operating costs. As a result, optimising grinding operations has become central to digital transformation strategies. Modern digital systems are transforming grinding mills from mechanical workhorses into intelligent, interconnected assets. Sensors throughout the mill measure parameters such as mill load, vibration, mill speed, particle size distribution, and power consumption. This real-time data, fed into machine learning and advanced process control (APC) systems, can dynamically adjust operating conditions to maintain optimal throughput and energy usage. For example, advanced grinding systems now predict inefficient conditions, such as impending mill overload, by continuously analysing acoustic and vibration signatures. The system can then proactively adjust clinker feed rates and grinding media distribution to sustain optimal conditions, reducing energy consumption and improving consistency.
Digital twins: Seeing grinding in the virtual world One of the most transformative digital tools applied in cement grinding is the digital twin, which a real-time virtual replica of physical equipment and processes. By integrating sensor data and process models, digital twins enable engineers to simulate process variations and run ‘what-if’ scenarios without disrupting actual production. These simulations support decisions on variables such as grinding media charge, mill speed and classifier settings, allowing optimisation of energy use and product fineness. Digital twins have been used to optimise kilns and grinding circuits in plants worldwide, reducing unplanned downtime and allowing predictive maintenance to extend the life of expensive grinding assets.
Grinding media and grinding aids in a digital era While digital technologies improve control and prediction, materials science innovations in grinding media and grinding aids have become equally crucial for achieving performance gains. Grinding media, which comprise the balls or cylinders inside mills, directly influence the efficiency of clinker comminution. Traditionally composed of high-chrome cast iron or forged steel, grinding media account for nearly a quarter of global grinding media consumption by application, with efficiency improvements translating directly to lower energy intensity. Recent advancements include ceramic and hybrid media that combine hardness and toughness to reduce wear and energy losses. For example, manufacturers such as Sanxin New Materials in China and Tosoh Corporation in Japan have developed sub-nano and zirconia media with exceptional wear resistance. Other innovations include smart media embedded with sensors to monitor wear, temperature, and impact forces in real time, enabling predictive maintenance and optimal media replacement scheduling. These digitally-enabled media solutions can increase grinding efficiency by as much as 15 per cent. Complementing grinding media are grinding aids, which are chemical additives that improve mill throughput and reduce energy consumption by altering the surface properties of particles, trapping air, and preventing re-agglomeration. Technology leaders like SIKA AG and GCP Applied Technologies have invested in tailored grinding aids compatible with AI-driven dosing platforms that automatically adjust additive concentrations based on real-time mill conditions. Trials in South America reported throughput improvements nearing 19 per cent when integrating such digital assistive dosing with process control systems. The integration of grinding media data and digital dosing of grinding aids moves the mill closer to a self-optimising system, where AI not only predicts media wear or energy losses but prescribes optimal interventions through automated dosing and operational adjustments.
Global case studies in digital adoption Several cement companies around the world exemplify digital transformation in practice. Heidelberg Materials has deployed digital twin technologies across global plants, achieving up to 15 per cent increases in production efficiency and 20 per cent reductions in energy consumption by leveraging real-time analytics and predictive algorithms. Holcim’s Siggenthal plant in Switzerland piloted AI controllers that autonomously adjusted kiln operations, boosting throughput while reducing specific energy consumption and emissions. Cemex, through its AI and predictive maintenance initiatives, improved kiln availability and reduced maintenance costs by predicting failures before they occurred. Global efforts also include AI process optimisation initiatives to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact.
Challenges and the road ahead Despite these advances, digitalisation in cement grinding faces challenges. Legacy equipment may lack sensor readiness, requiring retrofits and edge-cloud connectivity upgrades. Data governance and integration across plants and systems remains a barrier for many mid-tier producers. Yet, digital transformation statistics show momentum: more than half of cement companies have implemented IoT sensors for equipment monitoring, and digital twin adoption is growing rapidly as part of broader Industry 4.0 strategies. Furthermore, as digital systems mature, they increasingly support sustainability goals: reduced energy use, optimised media consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. By embedding intelligence into grinding circuits and material inputs like grinding aids, cement manufacturers can strike a balance between efficiency and environmental stewardship. Conclusion Digitalisation is not merely an add-on to cement manufacturing. It is reshaping the competitive and sustainability landscape of an industry often perceived as inertia-bound. With grinding representing a nexus of energy intensity and cost, digital technologies from sensor networks and predictive analytics to digital twins offer new levers of control. When paired with innovations in grinding media and grinding aids, particularly those with embedded digital capabilities, plants can achieve unprecedented gains in efficiency, predictability and performance. For global cement producers aiming to reduce costs and carbon footprints simultaneously, the future belongs to those who harness digital intelligence not just to monitor operations, but to optimise and evolve them continuously.
About the author: Professor Procyon Mukherjee, ex-CPO Lafarge-Holcim India, ex-President Hindalco, ex-VP Supply Chain Novelis Europe, has been an industry leader in logistics, procurement, operations and supply chain management. His career spans 38 years starting from Philips, Alcan Inc (Indian Aluminum Company), Hindalco, Novelis and Holcim. He authored the book, ‘The Search for Value in Supply Chains’. He serves now as Visiting Professor in SP Jain Global, SIOM and as the Adjunct Professor at SBUP. He advises leading Global Firms including Consulting firms on SCM and Industrial Leadership and is a subject matter expert in aluminum and cement. An Alumnus of IIM Calcutta and Jadavpur University, he has completed the LH Senior Leadership Programme at IVEY Academy at Western University, Canada.
Dr Y Chandri Naidu, Chief Technology Officer, Nextcem Consulting highlights how digital technologies are enabling Indian cement plants to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and transition toward sustainable, low-carbon manufacturing.
Cement manufacturing is inherently resource- and energy-intensive due to high-temperature clinkerisation and extensive material handling and grinding operations. In India, where cement demand continues to grow in line with infrastructure development, producers must balance capacity expansion with sustainability commitments. Energy costs constitute a major share of operating expenditure, while process-related carbon dioxide emissions from limestone calcination remain unavoidable. Traditional optimisation approaches, which are largely dependent on operator experience, static control logic and offline laboratory analysis, have reached their practical limits. This is especially evident when higher levels of alternative fuel and raw materials (AFR) are introduced or when raw material variability increases. Digital technologies provide a systematic pathway to manage this complexity by enabling real-time monitoring, predictive optimisation and integrated decision-making across cement manufacturing operations. Digital cement manufacturing is enabled through a layered architecture integrating operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). At the base are plant instrumentation, analysers, and automation systems, which generate continuous process data. This data is contextualised and analysed using advanced analytics and AI platforms, enabling predictive and prescriptive insights for operators and management.
Digital optimisation of energy efficiency
Thermal energy optimisation The kiln and calciner system accounts for approximately 60 per cent to 65 per cent of total energy consumption in an integrated cement plant. Digital optimisation focuses on reducing specific thermal energy consumption (STEC) while maintaining clinker quality and operational stability. Advanced Process Control (APC) stabilises critical parameters such as burning zone temperature, oxygen concentration, kiln feed rate and calciner residence time. By minimising process variability, APC reduces the need for conservative over-firing. Artificial intelligence further enhances optimisation by learning nonlinear relationships between raw mix chemistry, AFR characteristics, flame dynamics and heat consumption. Digital twins of kiln systems allow engineers to simulate operational scenarios such as increased AFR substitution, altered burner momentum or changes in raw mix burnability without operational risk. Indian cement plants adopting these solutions typically report STEC reductions in the range of 2 per cent to 5 per cent.
Electrical energy optimisation Electrical energy consumption in cement plants is dominated by grinding systems, fans and material transport equipment. Machine learning–based optimisation continuously adjusts mill parameters such as separator speed, grinding pressure and feed rate to minimise specific power consumption while maintaining product fineness. Predictive maintenance analytics identify inefficiencies caused by wear, fouling or imbalance in fans and motors. Plants implementing plant-wide electrical energy optimisation typically achieve 3 per cent to 7 per cent reduction in specific power consumption, contributing to both cost savings and indirect CO2 reduction.
Digital enablement of AFR AFR challenges in the Indian context: Indian cement plants increasingly utilise biomass, refuse-derived fuel (RDF), plastic waste and industrial by-products. However, variability in calorific value, moisture, particle size, chlorine and sulphur content introduces combustion instability, build-up formation and emission risks. Digital AFR management: Digital platforms integrate real-time AFR quality data from online analysers with historical kiln performance data. Machine learning models predict combustion behaviour, flame stability and emission trends for different AFR combinations. Based on these predictions, fuel feed distribution, primary and secondary air ratios, and burner momentum are dynamically adjusted to ensure stable kiln operation. Digitally enabled AFR management in cement plants will result in increased thermal substitution rates by 5-15 percentage points, reduced fossil fuel dependency, and improved kiln stability.
Digital resource and raw material optimisation Raw mix control: Raw material variability directly affects kiln operation and clinker quality. AI-driven raw mix optimisation systems continuously adjust feed proportions to maintain target chemical parameters such as Lime Saturation Factor (LSF), Silica Modulus (SM), and Alumina Modulus (AM). This reduces corrective material usage and improves kiln thermal efficiency. Clinker factor reduction: Reducing clinker factor through supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag and calcined clay is a key decarbonisation lever. Digital models simulate blended cement performance, enabling optimisation of SCM proportions while maintaining strength and durability requirements.
Challenges and strategies for digital adoption Key challenges in Indian cement plants include data quality limitations due to legacy instrumentation, resistance to algorithm-based decision-making, integration complexity across multiple OEM systems, and site-specific variability in raw materials and fuels. Successful digital transformation requires strengthening the data foundation, prioritising high-impact use cases such as kiln APC and energy optimisation, adopting a human-in-the-loop approach, and deploying modular, scalable digital platforms with cybersecurity by design.
Future Outlook Future digital cement plants will evolve toward autonomous optimisation, real-time carbon intensity tracking, and integration with emerging decarbonisation technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). Digital platforms will also support ESG reporting and regulatory compliance. Digital pathways offer a practical and scalable solution for sustainable cement manufacturing in India. By optimising energy consumption, enabling higher AFR substitution and improving resource efficiency, digital technologies deliver measurable environmental and economic benefits. With appropriate data infrastructure, organisational alignment and phased implementation, digital transformation will remain central to the Indian cement industry’s low-carbon transition.
About the author: Dr Y Chandri Naidu is a cement industry professional with 30+ years of experience in process optimisation, quality control and quality assistance, energy conservation and sustainable manufacturing, across leading organisations including NCB, Ramco, Prism, Ultratech, HIL, NCL and Vedanta. He is known for guiding teams, developing innovative plant solutions and promoting environmentally responsible cement production. He is also passionate about mentoring professionals and advancing durable, resource efficient technologies for future of construction materials.
Stoppage Insights instantly identifies root causes and maps their full operational impact.
In cement, mining and minerals processing operations, every unplanned stoppage equals lost production and reduced profitability. Yet identifying what caused a stoppage remains frustratingly complex. A single motor failure can trigger cascading interlocks and alarm floods, burying the root cause under layers of secondary events. Operators and maintenance teams waste valuable time tracing event chains when they should be solving problems. Until now. Our latest innovation to our ECS Process Control Solution(1) eliminates this complexity. Stoppage Insights, available with the combined updates to our ECS/ControlCenter™ (ECS) software and ACESYS programming library, transforms stoppage events into clear, actionable intelligence. The system automatically identifies the root cause of every stoppage – whether triggered by alarms, interlocks, or operator actions – and maps all affected equipment. Operators can click any stopped motor’s faceplate to view what caused the shutdown instantly. The Stoppage UI provides a complete record of all stoppages with drill-down capabilities, replacing manual investigation with immediate answers.
Understanding root cause in Stoppage Insights In Stoppage Insights, ‘root cause’ refers to the first alarm, interlock, or operator action detected by the control system. While this may not reveal the underlying mechanical, electrical or process failure that a maintenance team may later discover, it provides an actionable starting point for rapid troubleshooting and response. And this is where Stoppage Insights steps ahead of traditional first-out alarm systems (ISA 18.2). In this older type of system, the first alarm is identified in a group. This is useful, but limited, as it doesn’t show the complete cascade of events, distinguish between operator-initiated and alarm-triggered stoppages, or map downstream impacts. In contrast, Stoppage Insights provides complete transparency:
Comprehensive capture: Records both regular operator stops and alarm-triggered shutdowns.
Complete impact visibility: Maps all affected equipment automatically.
David Campain, Global Product Manager for Process Control Systems, says, “Stoppage Insights takes fault analysis to the next level. Operators and maintenance engineers no longer need to trace complex event chains. They see the root cause clearly and can respond quickly.”
Driving results 1.Driving results for operations teams Stoppage Insights maximises clarity to minimise downtime, enabling operators to: • Rapidly identify root causes to shorten recovery time. • View initiating events and all affected units in one intuitive interface. • Access complete records of both planned and unplanned stoppages
Driving results for maintenance and reliability teams Stoppage Insights helps prioritise work based on evidence, not guesswork: • Access structured stoppage data for reliability programmes. • Replace manual logging with automated, exportable records for CMMS, ERP or MES.(2) • Identify recurring issues and target preventive maintenance effectively.
A future-proof and cybersecure foundation Our Stoppage Insights feature is built on the latest (version 9) update to our ACESYS advanced programming library. This industry-leading solution lies at the heart of the ECS process control system. Its structured approach enables fast engineering and consistent control logic across hardware platforms from Siemens, Schneider, Rockwell, and others. In addition to powering Stoppage Insights, ACESYS v9 positions the ECS system for open, interoperable architectures and future-proof automation. The same structured data used by Stoppage Insights supports AI-driven process control, providing the foundation for machine learning models and advanced analytics. The latest releases also respond to the growing risk of cyberattacks on industrial operational technology (OT) infrastructure, delivering robust cybersecurity. The latest ECS software update (version 9.2) is certified to IEC 62443-4-1 international cybersecurity standards, protecting your process operations and reducing system vulnerability.
What’s available now and what’s coming next? The ECS/ControlCenter 9.2 and ACESYS 9 updates, featuring Stoppage Insights, are available now for:
Greenfield projects.
ECS system upgrades.
Brownfield replacement of competitor systems. Stoppage Insights will also soon integrate with our ECS/UptimeGo downtime analysis software. Stoppage records, including root cause identification and affected equipment, will flow seamlessly into UptimeGo for advanced analytics, trending and long-term reliability reporting. This integration creates a complete ecosystem for managing and improving plant uptime.
(1) The ECS Process Control Solution for cement, mining and minerals processing combines proven control strategies with modern automation architecture to optimise plant performance, reduce downtime and support operational excellence. (2) CMMS refers to computerised maintenance management systems; ERP, to enterprise resource planning; and MES to manufacturing execution systems.
