Economy & Market

Union Budget 2020-21 | Remedy fails to match malady

Published

6 years ago

January 2, 2020

admin

As the Union Budget 2020-21 failed to enthuse different segments of investors and consumers, the question that remains is: How long to wait for economic revival?

The sum and substance of reactions to the Union Budget 2020-21 presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was that it has belied the expectations that there will be some "big bang" measures to stimulate demand and investments in the sagging economy, and that this was a missed opportunity to push some major economic reforms.

This year’s budget has given thrust to agriculture, irrigation and rural development, infrastructure, skill development and the beleaguered financial sector. There were some measures to support MSME sector and affordable housing too. The idea was to touch upon every aspect that could help revive the economy, with an expectation that at least a few of them will click. However, those ideas were not backed by sufficient resources, ultimately due to existing funds crunch. Though the Finance minister claimed to have announced some personal tax concessions, they are unlikely to make big difference in their disposable incomes and overall consumer demand.

The budget has also proposed to tap global sovereign funds to finance infrastructure projects, mainly due to drying up of long term domestic sources and fiscal constraints. Taking a leaf from the US president Donald Trump, the budget has hiked customs duties to protect the domestic industry from external competition. "There is some support to growth, but nothing substantial in the short term. However, the government is still eyeing the long term and has, therefore, pushed capex (the government’s capital expenditure on infra etc.). The multiplier impact of this will be positive but lagged,"said leading rating firm Crisil, in its report on budget.

The economists and analysts argued for employing all means, including deviating from fiscal roadmap in the short term, to pump prime the economic activity, but that was not to be. Tough increasing the fiscal deficit target by 0.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent deviating from its roadmap, a recent study by former Economic Advisor to the Finance Ministry Dr Arvind Subramanian, estimates the fiscal deficit figure at 5.5 per cent, after including deals kept out of government accounting.

Recently, referring to such off-balance sheet expenses resorted to by the government, its auditor, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), advised the government to make thorough disclosure on such liabilities made by the government and public enterprises to the parliament, to impart more sanctity to its accounting practices.

The government had been in denial mode of economic slowdown for some time, the latest statistics baring the ominous state of the economy prove that it hs come to terms with the reality.

Infra push
Infrastructure push given by the budget is expected to provide support to Cement consumption, albeit not in a big way. "The demand for the commodity (cement) will pick up due to infrastructure, housing and rural development related announcements," said CARE Ratings in its report, while terming it a "Positive" impact of the budget.

Adding 100 more airports by 2024, Rs 1.7 lakh crore allocation for transport infrastructure in 2020-21, development of five new smart cities and continuation of incentives to affordable housing are some of the new proposals in the budget. In the previous budgets the government has already announced its grand infrastructure plans National Infrastructure Pipeline & Accelerated Development of Highways and increased focus on inland water ways.

However, Crisil has given "thumbs down"on the sector citing falling allocations for the sector in the coming fiscal and reduction in off-budget allocations. "For the first time in years, overall infrastructure capex has fallen to Rs 4.7 lakh crore for fiscal 2021 from Rs 5.1 lakh crore in fiscal 2020 RE (revised estimates). Moreover, a 16 per cent reduction in IEBR (Internal and Extra Budgetary Resources) implies a higher burden on budgetary support and strain on government finances. Lower spend on infrastructure would also lower chances of revival in allied sectors, particularly steel and cement."

The past implementation pace on the grand plans the government had announced in the past like National Infrastructure Pipeline and Accelerated Development of Highways, on the other hand, have nothing to boast about. The national infrastructure pipeline of Rs 103 lakh crore over fiscal 2020-25 includes investments in core and allied infrastructure sectors. Excluding allied sectors such as industrial, digital, and social infrastructure, the annual core infrastructure investment amounts to Rs 15 lakh crore, or Rs 90 lakh crore over the five-year period."Of this, Rs 4.7 lakh crore would come from the Centre and Rs 2.6 lakh crore from states, leaving ~52% to the private sector. However, considering the limited number of private players and low risk-appetite of banks, private participation is a key monitorable in achieving these targets,"Crisil added.

Allocation for railways has increased by a meagre three per cent to Rs 1.6 lakh crore. "But this falls way short of the Rs 3.8 lakh crore annual investment envisaged as part of Rs 50 lakh crore investment over fiscals 2018-30. A capex of Rs 6 lakh crore was incurred between fiscals 2016 and 2020, missing the Rs 8.5 lakh crore target set for this period," Crisil pointed out.

However, CARE Ratings billed the budget impact on railways as "positive", stating, "Stable Budget for Railways with similar capital expenditure allocation and opening up of private investment for railway infrastructure creation."Setting up large solar power capacity alongside rail track to optimise electrification cost and railway electrification of 27000 km track are also positives for the sector.

The government, in August 2014, had opened up few activities (comprising suburban corridor, high speed train project, railway electrification, passenger terminals etc.) of Indian Railway for FDI and the budget re-emphasises Government focus on same. The capital outlay allocated towards the Roads and Highway sector is Rs 0.77 lakh crore. "The allocation is not in lines with the NIP where the centre is involved in providing 25 per cent of the investment,"says CARE Ratings. The budget also proposed to monetise at least 12 lots of highway bundles of over 6,000 Km before 2024, but CARE Ratings says the timely fructification of this proposal holds the key for the sector.

Though Bullet Train project figured again in the budget, it has been a laggard in implementation. While it is envisaged to operate 15 passenger trains and re-development of four stations on PPP basis, the low rate of success in the past does not inspire confidence.

In line with the budget thrust to rural infrastructure, Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) allocations were up 39 per cent to 19,000 crore, even as achievement ratio has fallen by 74 per cent in 2019-20 from 94 per cent in 2016-17, making the budgeted target for fiscal 2021 aggressive. Moreover, rural road construction targets over the next five years under PMGSY III are lower at 125,000 km, compared with 218,000 km constructed over the past five years.

Vimal Kejriwal, MD & CEO of KEC International says, "The budget’s infra focus is expected to provide a significant fillip to KEC. Allocation towards power and renewable energy, and transport infrastructure, upgradation of stations and developing solar in railways, setting up of 100 new airports, 5 new Smart cities and linking one lakh gram panchayats with BharatNet augurs well for our businesses."

CRISIL Research’s analysis of 106 airports already awarded under UDAN reveals that 62 of these remain non-operational due to lack of basic airport infrastructure. An estimated capex of Rs 4,500-5,000 crore is needed for their revival. Thus, plan for 100 more airports would be achieved only with a lag.

Overall, tax exemptions for sovereign funds to increase foreign investor participation across infrastructure sectors is a positive with investments already visible in roads, power and airports.

Power sector too has got some nudge in the budget. Sabyasachi Majumdar, Senior Vice President & Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA Ltd., says, "Shutting down of old thermal power plants will shift generation to newer generation thermal projects and thus provide a moderate boost to their plant load factors (PLF). Abolition of dividend distribution tax and lower tax rates will encourage fresh investments in the power sector, especially renewable energy and transmission sectors."

Housing
Budgetary allocation for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) at Rs 27,500 crore is up by 9 per cent over the last fiscal’s RE. PMAY-Urban has an overall target of constructing 1.12 crore houses by 2022. Of these, 1.03 crore houses have been sanctioned as of January 2020. PMAY-Rural has an overall target of 2.95 crore, of which about 0.9 crore units stand completed as of December 2019.

From the affordable housing buyer’s point of view, the additional deduction of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for interest paid on loans taken has now been extended till March 31, 2021.

Hardik Agrawal, CEO of Radha Madhav Developers says, "This budget stimulates the supply of affordable houses a tax holiday is provided on the profits earned by developers of affordable housing project approved by 31st March, 2020. Even in order to minimize suffering in real-estate transactions and provide relief to the sector, FM proposed to increase the limit of transaction from 5% to 10% (of deviation from circle price for tax scrutiny). Overall this was a consoling budget."

Malady & remedy
What is it that made this budget special? It has come in the backdrop of growth deceleration for six consecutive quarters driven by low growth in consumption and investment. The burden of two failed budgets presented in 2019 – before and after the general elections – were also weighing on the Finance Minister. Pre-poll sops were targeted towards the poor and farmers, while the post-poll budget targeted at the companies and businesses.

A drop in private consumption growth played a big role in bringing down GDP growth to an 11-year low. Private consumption growth slowed to 5.8 per cent in fiscal 2020, from 7.2 per cent in fiscal 2019. A dent to incomes, declining household savings ratio and higher household leverage have kept the consumer’s risk aversion high.

Crisil in its analysis of demand side impact of the budget, projected that some support to rural demand was expected from higher allocation to schemes like PMGSY and PMAY, which will augment incomes. "PM Kisan spending for fiscal 2021 has been maintained at the previous fiscal’s budgetary level, but the focus should be on ensuring that part of the amount does not remain unspent," Crisil suggested. Investment growth dropped to one per cent in fiscal 2020 from 9.8 per cent in fiscal 2019. While private investments have been weak, the government’s ability to fund capex also remains constrained. The budget focus on infrastructure spending will support investment to an extent as central PSU investments are projected to decline, says Crisil. However, the rating agency did not exude the same kind of confidence in growth of private investments during in the next fiscal.

Government consumption spending, mostly on the social sector schemes, supported growth in fiscal 2020. "The government has continued to focus on social sector schemes (including those that augment rural incomes, such as PMGSY, PMAY, NREGA and PM Kisan)," Crisil added.

The budget’s support to MSMEs is a "mild positive" for exports going ahead, says Crisil. Decelerating global growth, falling trade intensity, and uncertainties from the US-China trade war are hurting India’s exports. India’s exports is estimated to fall 2 per cent in fiscal 2020, compared with a growth of 12 per cent in fiscal 2019.

However, the budget is a mixed bag for the current problem in the financial sector. While bringing some relief to the beleaguered non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) by expanding scope for recovery of their bad loans is positive, seeking to remove exemptions in personal income-tax is expected to reduce savings and insurance premiums. However, increasing the bank deposit insurance coverage from Rs one lakh to Rs 5 lakh is expected to increase the confidence of bank depositors, which touched its ebb with the recent failure of co-operative banks.

Worst is not closer than it appears
For cement industry to thrive the overall economy has to be robust. The budget has pulled some levers feebly, that may not be enough to spur the economic growth pace. When private sector is not forthcoming to make investment, it is incumbent on the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to take steps to revive the economy. Even as RBI had cut the repo rate cumulatively by 135 basis points (bps) through calendar 2019, banks have cut lending rates only by just 40-50 bps.

Crisil says, "In the absence of growth kickers, growth pick-up in fiscal 2021 is expected to be largely led by the base effect and supported by somewhat better farm income (led by a good rabi crop) and the delayed impact of monetary easing. Critical to this forecast is the assumption of a normal monsoon in calendar 2020 and benign global crude oil prices."

Kapil Gupta of Edelweiss Research says, "Overall, from a business cycle standpoint, aggregate fiscal push is missing. We think, given weak demand, consolidation could have waited. Thus, the economy, at best, will see a modest bounce aided by liquidity easing, normalisation in farm cash flows amid rising food inflation, and stabilisation in exports. But the virtuous economic cycle may still be distant."

This kind of consensus among analysts leave us with the question: How long we have to wait to see economic revival?

Infrastructure in Budget

100 more airports to be developed by 2024 to support UDAAN Scheme

Rs 1.7 lakh crore allocated towards transport infrastructure

Development of 5 new smart cities

Further incentivising and boosting affordable housing

Increased focus on inland water ways

Allowing sovereign funds to invest in infrastructure 15 new passenger trains through PPP route

Past announcements continued:

Grand plans announced in the past: National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) & Accelerated Development of Highways

Provision of Rs. 22,000 cr already provided to support the NIP, to cater to equity support to infra finance companies like IIFCL and a subsidiary of NIIF

Bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad

Taxation Measures
For corporates/ cooperative societies

Concessional tax rate for cooperative societies proposed (from 30% to 22%)

Concessional tax rate of 15% to new domestic companies extended to electricity generation companies

Dividend distribution tax removed; dividend will now be taxed in the hands of individuals

Tax concession for sovereign wealth funds of foreign governments

– BS SRINIVASALU REDDY

Concrete

Filtration Technology is Critical for Efficient Logistics

Published

18 hours ago

May 15, 2026

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Niranjan Kirloskar, MD, Fleetguard Filters, makes the case that filtration technology, which has been long treated as a routine consumable, is in fact a strategic performance enabler across every stage of cement production and logistics.

India’s cement industry forms the core for infrastructure growth of the country. With an expected compound annual growth rate of six to eight per cent, India has secured its position as the second-largest cement producer globally. This growth is a result of the increasing demand across, resulting in capacity expansion. Consequently, cement manufacturers are now also focusing on running the factories as efficiently as possible to stay competitive and profitable.
While a large portion of focus still remains on production technologies and capacity utilisation, the hidden factor in profitability is the efficiency of cement logistics. The logistics alone account for nearly 30 per cent to 40 per cent of the total cost of cement, making efficiency in this segment a key lever for profitability and reliability.
In the midst of this complex and high-intensity ecosystem, filtration often remains one of the most underappreciated yet essential enablers of performance.

A demanding operational landscape
Cement production and logistics inherently operate in some of the harshest industrial environments. With processes such as quarrying, crushing, grinding, clinker production, and bulk material handling expose the machinery to constant high temperatures, heavy loads, and dust, often the silent destructive force for engines.
The ecosystem is abrasive, and often one with a high contamination index. These challenging conditions demand equipment such as the excavators, crushers, compressors, and transport vehicles to perform and perform efficiently. The continuous exposure to contamination across every aspect like air, fuel, lubrication, and even hydraulic systems causes long-term damage. Studies have also shown that 70 to 80 per cent of hydraulic system failures are directly linked to contamination, while primary cause of engine wear is inadequate air filtration.
For engines as heavy as these, even a minor contaminant has a cascading effect; reducing efficiency, performance and culminating to unplanned downtime. Particles as small as 5 to 10 microns, far smaller than a human hair (~70 microns), can cause significant damage to critical engine components. In an industry where margins are closely linked to operational efficiency, such disruptions can significantly affect both cost structures and delivery timelines.

Dust management: A persistent challenge
Dust is a natural by-product in cement operations. From drilling and blasting in the quarries to packing in plants, this fine particulate matter does occupy a large space in operations. Dust concentration levels in quarry and crushing zones often create extremely high particulate exposure for equipment. These fine particles, when enter the engines and critical systems, accelerates the wear and tear of the component, affecting directly the operational efficiency. Over time every block fall; engine performance declines, fuel consumption rises, and maintenance cycles shorten. In this case, effective air filtration is the natural first line of defence. Advanced filtration systems are designed to capture high volumes of particulate matter while maintaining consistent airflow, ensuring that engines and equipment operate under optimal conditions.
In high-dust applications, as in cement production, even the filtration systems are expected to sustain performance over extended periods without the need of frequent replacement. This becomes crucial in remote quarry locations where access to frequent maintenance may be limited.

Fluid cleanliness and system integrity
Beyond air filtration, fluid systems also play a crucial role for equipment reliability in cement operations. Fuel systems are required to remain free from contaminants for efficient working of combustion and injection protection. Additionally, lubrication systems also need to maintain the oil purity to reduce friction and prevent any premature wear of moving parts. The hydraulic systems, which are key to several heavy equipment operations, are especially sensitive to contamination.
If fine particles or water enters these systems, it can lead to reduced efficiency, erratic performance, and eventual failure of the system. Modern filtration systems are designed with high-efficiency media capable of removing extremely fine contaminants, with advanced fuel and oil filtration solutions filtering particles as small as two to five microns. Multi-stage filtration systems further ensure that fluid performance is maintained even under challenging operating conditions.
Another critical aspect of fuel systems is water separation. Removing moisture helps prevent corrosion, improves combustion efficiency and enhances overall engine reliability. Modern water separation technologies can achieve over 95 per cent efficiency in removing water from fuel systems.

Ensuring reliability across the value chain
Filtration plays a critical role across every stage of cement logistics:
• Quarry operations: Equipment operates in highly abrasive environments, requiring strong protection against dust ingress and hydraulic contamination.
• Processing units: Crushers, kilns, and grinding mills depend on clean lubrication and cooling systems to sustain continuous operations.
• Material handling systems: Pneumatic and mechanical systems rely on clean air and fluid systems for efficiency and reliability.
• Transportation networks: Bulk carriers and trucks must maintain engine health and fuel efficiency to ensure timely deliveries.
Across these operations, filtration plays a vital role; as it supports consistent equipment performance while reducing the risk of unexpected failures.
Effective filtration solutions can reduce unscheduled equipment failures by 30 to 50 per cent across heavy-duty operations.

Uptime as a strategic imperative
In cement manufacturing, uptime is currency. Downtime not only delays the production, but it also greatly impacts the supply commitments and logistics planning. With the right filtration systems, contaminants are kept at bay from entering the
critical systems, and they also significantly extend the service intervals.
Optimised filtration can extend service intervals by 20 to 40 per cent, reducing maintenance frequency while maintaining consistent performance across demanding operating conditions. Filtration systems designed for heavy-duty applications sustain efficiency throughout their lifecycle, ensuring reliable protection with minimal interruptions. This leads to improved equipment availability, lower maintenance costs, and more predictable operations, with well-maintained systems capable of achieving uptime levels of over 90 to 95 per cent in challenging cement environments.

Supporting emission and sustainability goals
With the rising environmental awareness, the cement industry too is aligning with the stricter norms and sustainability targets. In this scenario, the operational efficiency is directly linked to emission control.

Air and fuel systems that are clean enable
much more efficient combustion. They also reduce emissions from both the stationary equipment and transport fleets. Similarly, with a well-maintained fluid cleanliness, emission systems function better. Poor combustion due to contamination can increase emissions by 5 to 10 per cent, making clean systems critical for compliance.
Additionally, efficient and longer lasting filtration systems significantly reduce any waste generation and contribute to increased sustainable maintenance practices. Extended-life filtration solutions can reduce filter disposal and maintenance waste by 15 to 20 per cent. Smart and efficient filtration in this case plays an important role in meeting the both regulatory and environmental objectives within the industry.

Advancements in filtration technology
Over the years, there has been a significant evolution in the filtration technology to meet the modern industrial applications.
Key developments include:
• High-efficiency filtration media capable of capturing very fine particles without restricting flow
• Compact and integrated designs that combine multiple filtration functions
• Extended service life solutions that reduce replacement frequency and maintenance downtime
• Application-specific engineering tailored to different stages of cement operations
Modern multi-layer filtration media can improve dust-holding capacity by up to two to three times compared to conventional systems, while maintaining consistent performance. These advancements have transformed filtration from a basic maintenance component into a critical performance system.

Adapting to diverse operating conditions
The cement industry of India operates across diverse geographies. Spanning across regions with arid regions with higher dust levels, to the coastal areas with higher humidity, challenges of each region pose different threats to the engines. Modern filtration systems are thus tailored to address these unique challenges of each region.
Indian operating environments often range from 0°C to over 50°C, with some of the highest dust loads globally in mining zones.
Additionally, filtration technology can also be customised to variations which then align the system design with factors like dust load, temperature, and equipment usage patterns. Equipment utilisation levels in India are typically higher than global averages, making robust filtration even more critical. This approach ensures optimal performance and durability across different operational contexts.

Impact on total cost of ownership
Filtration has a direct and measurable impact on the total cost of ownership of equipment.
Effective filtration leads to:
• Lower wear and tear on critical components
• Reduced maintenance and repair costs
• Improved fuel efficiency
• Extended equipment life
• Higher operational uptime
Effective filtration can extend engine life by 20 to 30 per cent and reduce overall maintenance costs by 15 to 25 per cent over the equipment lifecycle. These benefits collectively enhance productivity and reduce lifecycle costs. Conversely, inadequate filtration can result in frequent breakdowns, increased maintenance expenditure, and reduced asset utilisation.

Building a more efficient cement ecosystem
With the rising demand across various sectors, the cement industry is expected to expand at an unprecedented rate. This growth is forcing the production to move towards a more efficient and resilient system of operations. This requires attention not only to production technologies but also to the supporting systems that enable consistent performance. Filtration must be viewed as a strategic investment rather than a routine consumable. By ensuring the cleanliness of air and fluids across systems, it supports reliability, efficiency, and sustainability.

The road ahead
The future of cement logistics will be shaped by increasing mechanisation, digital monitoring, and stricter environmental standards. The industry is also witnessing a shift towards predictive maintenance and condition monitoring, where filtration performance is increasingly integrated with real-time equipment diagnostics.
In this evolving landscape, the role of filtration will become even more critical. As equipment becomes more advanced and operating conditions more demanding, the need for precise contamination control will continue to grow. From quarry to construction site, filtration technology underpins the performance of every critical system. It enables equipment to operate efficiently, reduces operational risks, and supports the industry’s broader goals of growth and sustainability. In many ways, it is the unseen force that keeps the cement ecosystem moving, quietly ensuring that every link in the value chain performs as expected.

About the author
Niranjan Kirloskar, Managing Director, Fleetguard Filters, is focused on driving innovation, operational excellence, and long-term business growth through strategic and people-centric leadership. With a strong foundation in ethics and forward-thinking decision-making, he champions a culture of collaboration, accountability, and technological advancement.

Concrete

Cement’s Next Fuel Shift

Published

20 hours ago

May 15, 2026

admin

Jignesh Kindaria highlights how Thermal Substitution Rate (TSR) is emerging as a critical lever for cost savings, decarbonisation and competitive advantage in the cement industry.

India is simultaneously grappling with two crises: a mounting waste emergency and an urgent need to decarbonise its most carbon-intensive industries. The cement sector, the second-largest in the world and the backbone of the nation’s infrastructure ambitions, sits at the centre of both. It consumes enormous quantities of fossil fuel, and it has the technical capacity to consume something else entirely: the waste our cities cannot get rid of.
According to CPCB and NITI Aayog projections, India generates approximately 62.4 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, with that figure expected to reach 165 million tonnes by 2030. Much of this waste is energy-rich and non-recyclable. At the same time, cement kilns operate at material temperatures of approximately 1,450 degrees Celsius, with gas temperatures reaching 2,000 degrees. This high-temperature environment is ideal for co-processing, ensuring the complete thermal destruction of organic compounds without generating toxic residues. The physics are in our favour. The infrastructure is not.
Pre-processing is not the support act for co-processing. It is the main event. Get the particle size wrong, get the moisture wrong, get the calorific value wrong and your kiln thermal stability will suffer the consequences.

The regulatory push is real
The Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2026 mandate that cement plants progressively replace solid fossil fuels with Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), starting at a 5 per cent baseline and scaling to 15 per cent within six years. NITI Aayog’s 2026 Roadmap for Cement Sector Decarbonisation targets 20 to 25 per cent Thermal Substitution Rate (TSR) by 2030. Beyond compliance, every tonne of coal replaced by RDF generates measurable carbon reductions which is monetisable under India’s emerging Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). TSR is no longer a sustainability metric. It is a financial lever.
Yet our own field assessments across multiple Indian cement plants reveal a sobering reality: the primary barrier to scaling AFR adoption is not waste availability. It is the fragmented and under-engineered pre-processing ecosystem that sits between the waste and the kiln.

Why Indian waste is a different engineering problem
Indian municipal solid waste is not the material that imported shredding equipment was designed for. Our waste streams frequently exceed 40 per cent to 50 per cent moisture content, particularly during monsoon cycles, saturated with abrasive inerts including sand, glass, and stone. Plants relying on imported OEM equipment face months of downtime awaiting proprietary spare parts. Machines built for segregated, low-moisture waste fail quickly and disrupt the entire pre-processing operation in Indian conditions.
The two most common failures we observe are what I call the biting teeth problem and the chewing teeth problem. Plants relying solely on a primary shredder reduce bulk waste to large fractions, but the output remains too coarse for stable kiln combustion. Others attempt to use a secondary shredder as a standalone unit without a primary stage to pre-size the feed, leading to catastrophic mechanical failure. When both stages are present but mismatched in throughput capacity, the system becomes a bottleneck. Achieving the 40 to 70 tonnes per hour required for meaningful coal displacement demands a precisely coordinated two-stage process.

Engineering a made-in-India answer
At Fornnax, our response to these challenges is grounded in one principle: Indian waste demands Indian engineering. Our systems are built around feedstock homogeneity, the holy grail of kiln stability. Consistent particle size and predictable calorific value are the foundation of stable kiln combustion. Without them, no TSR target is achievable at scale.
Our SR-MAX2500 Dual Shaft Primary Shredder (Hydraulic Drive) processes raw, baled, or loosely mixed MSW, C&I waste, bulky waste, and plastics, reducing them to approximately 150 mm fractions at throughputs of up to 40 tonnes per hour. The R-MAX 3300 Single Shaft Secondary Shredder (Hydraulic Drive), introduced in 2025, takes that primary output and produces RDF fractions in the 30 to 80 mm range at up to 30 tonnes per hour, specifically optimised for consistent kiln feeding. We have also introduced electric drive configurations under the SR-100 HD series, with capacities between 5 and 40 tonnes per hour, already operational at a leading Indian waste-processing facility.
Looking ahead, Fornnax is expanding its portfolio with the upcoming SR-MAX3600 Hydraulic Drive primary shredder at up to 70 tonnes per hour and the R-MAX2100 Hydraulic drive secondary shredder at up to 20 tonnes per hour, designed specifically for the large-scale throughput that higher TSR ambitions require.

The investment case is now
The 2070 Net-Zero target is not a distant goal for India’s cement sector. It starts today, with decisions being made on the plant floor.
The SWM Rules 2026 are already in effect, requiring cement plants to replace coal with RDF. Carbon credit markets are opening up, and coal prices are not going to get cheaper. Every tonne of coal a cement plant replaces with waste-derived fuel saves money on one side and generates carbon credit revenue on the other. Pre-processing infrastructure is no longer just a compliance requirement. It is a business investment with a measurable return.
The good news is that nothing is missing. The technology works. The waste is available in every Indian city. The government has provided the policy direction. The only thing standing between where the industry is today and where it needs to be is the commitment to build the right infrastructure.
The cement companies that move now will not just meet the regulations. They will be ahead of every competitor that waits.

About the author
Jignesh Kundaria is the Director and CEO of Fornnax Technology. Over an experience spanning more than two decades in the recycling industry, he has established himself as one of India’s foremost voices on waste-to-fuel technology and alternative fuel infrastructure.

Concrete

Dalmia Bharat Cement launches water repellent cement brand Weather 365 in Eastern India

Published

20 hours ago

May 15, 2026

admin

The company has introduced water repellent cement to target rising consumer demand for weather-resilient housing solutions.

New Delhi, May 15, 2026

Dalmia Bharat Cement, one of India’s leading cement manufacturing companies, has launched Weather 365, a new super-premium water repellent cement brand aimed at addressing growing consumer demand for durable, weather-resistant construction materials in Eastern India. The product is positioned as a high-performance offering for consumers seeking long-term protection against seepage, dampness and moisture damage. The launch marks a strategic push by Dalmia Bharat Cement into the fast-growing premium cement segment, where consumer preference is increasingly shifting from price-led purchases to specialised, performance-oriented building materials.

Reinforcing its super-premium positioning, the product will be available in premium-quality water-resistant and tamper-proof BOPP packaging. ‘Weather 365’ will be introduced across its retail markets in West Bengal and Bihar.

In addition to the product rollout, the company will provide on-site technical support through its engineering and technical services teams to guide customers on best construction practices and improve long-term building performance.

Speaking on the launch, company spokesperson from Dalmia Bharat Cement said: “Weather 365 is a testament to Dalmia Bharat Cement’s relentless pursuit of innovation. Eastern India experiences prolonged monsoons, high humidity and challenging weather conditions that significantly impact the life of buildings and homes. Consumers today are actively looking for solutions that offer long-term protection and lower maintenance costs. Weather 365 is our answer to that need – a differentiated premium product that combines structural strength with advanced moisture protection that safeguards homes at every level, every season. We believe this category will see strong growth in the coming years.”

Weather 365 is a specialised cement product developed to meet the rigorous demands of modern construction in regions exposed to high humidity, heavy rainfall and extreme weather cycles. Designed for roofs, columns and foundations, it delivers end-to-end moisture protection across the entire home from the structure’s core to its visible surfaces. Its proprietary uniform water repellent technology helps reduce water penetration, minimize steel corrosion in RCC structures while preventing efflorescence and damp patches, thereby ensuring stronger concrete, improved paint life and long-lasting structural health. Positioned as a super-premium product in Dalmia Bharat Cement’s portfolio, Weather 365 targets discerning homeowners, contractors and builders who seek the best-in-class protection for their construction investments.

With a strong manufacturing and market presence across Eastern India, Dalmia Bharat Cement continues to strengthen its footprint in one of its key strategic markets. As the company advances towards its vision of becoming a pan-India cement leader, it remains focused on delivering innovative, premium construction solutions tailored to evolving consumer needs.

Dalmia Bharat Cement, a subsidiary of Dalmia Bharat Limited, is a leading player in the cement manufacturing segment and has been in existence since 1939. It is the first cement company to commit to RE100, EP100 & EV100 (first triple joiner) – showing real business leadership in the clean energy transition by taking a joined-up approach. With a growing capacity, currently pegged at 49.5 million tonne, Dalmia Bharat Cement is the fourth-largest cement manufacturing group in India by installed capacity. Spread across ten states and fifteen manufacturing units, the company is a category leader in super-specialist cement used for oil well, railway sleepers and airstrips and is the country’s largest producer of Portland Slag Cement (PSC).