Economy & Market

The Best can still get better

Published

8 years ago

April 30, 2018

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Having crossed several milestones in energy efficiency and sustainability, Indian cement industry is set to achieve the pinnacle.
Increasing competitive pressures, rising energy prices, coupled with stricter regulations for environmental protection are making energy efficiency and sustainable use of resources a top priority for the manufacturers in the recent years, and the cement industry is no exception.
Indian cement industry has already crossed several milestones on energy efficiency ans sustainability parameters. It has emerged as one of the most energy-efficient industry globally with the lowest carbon footprint in the world and it is among few large scale modern industries that do not produce any hazardous solid or liquid discharge, according to Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA).
But the icing on the cake has come from the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) an initiative of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). In 2015 itself CSI had said, "The member companies from India are more efficient.
They emit less CO2 than the companies in Europe and the US. Their energy consumption is also less." The distinction between Indian firms from those in the US and Europe is technology. Indian companies use the latest technology since many of the cement plants are relatively new, CSI had said. CSI was then a 23-member organisation including nine Indian cement companies, including UltraTech Cement and Dalmia Bharat, and seven global companies with operations in India.
Since then the industry is taking a number of measures aimed at further improving its performance on parameters like specific heat consumption, setting up of waste recovery systems and use of alternate fuels. In fact, all these measures help the companies attain the GreenCo rating, where the core focus is on energy efficiency. For example, the industry has increased the Thermal Substitution Rate (TSR) through use of alternative fuels and raw materials to 4 per cent in 2017, from a meagre 0.6 per cent in 2014. Performance
The cement production process is quite energy intensive, both in terms of electrical and thermal energy consumption (E&TEC). There are plants in India that have achieved energy efficiency figures which are considerable to the world’s best. However, the presence of old plants with high specific energy consumption (SEC) brings down the average figures. Cement production involves the heating, calcining and sintering of blended and ground materials to form clicker. As a result, cement manufacturing is the third largest cause of man-made CO2 emissions due to the production of lime, the key ingredient in cement. Therefore, energy savings during cement production could lead to lower environmental impact.
Improvement in the cement industry’s energy efficiency and reduction of CO2 emissions could be mainly achieved through two procedures:
(i) By changes in the manufacturing and production processes, and
(ii) By adjusting the chemical composition of cement.
Improvement in manufacturing and production processes can be achieved by changing energy management processes and by investing in new equipment and/or upgrades. The same way, changes in the chemical formulation of cement have proved to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions. The same holds good for cement industry, which is a highly capital intensive and competitive sector with long economic lifetimes, making changes in the existing capital stock difficult.
"The average electrical energy consumption in India is around 90-95 kWh/tonne cement (OPC) whereas the best achievement is around 80 kWh/tonne cement (OPC). Similarly, average TEC is around 760 kcal/kg clinker, whereas the best figures achieved are around 680 kcal/ kg clinker. There is scope for reduction in both E&TEC in many of the cement plants in India," says PK Ghosh, Group Managing Director, Ercom Engineers.
The best achievable figures are generally observed for the larger scale plants in India using the state of the art technology when operating at or higher than design levels, Ghosh added.
The contribution of the various departments to power and heat consumption is given in the Table-1.PAT Scheme
Perform, Achieve & Trade (PAT) scheme of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a market-based mechanism focused on reducing specific energy consumption – energy used per unit of production – in large industries, has managed to save a whopping Rs 47,185 crore in three years between 2012 and 2015 in the form of energy savings achieved on the back of robust implementation of energy efficiency measures. The scheme facilitates these large, energy-intensive industries to achieve their legal obligation under the Energy Conservation Act of 2001, while also motivating them with market-based incentives to reduce their energy use and surpass their individual energy saving targets.
A Government of India initiative, PAT’s first cycle covered 478 designated industries from 8 energy-intensive sectors – Aluminium, Cement, Chlor-alkali, Fertilizer, Iron and Steel, Pulp and Paper, Textiles and Thermal power plant. Together, these sectors account for around one-third of India’s primary energy consumption.
"The scheme resulted in saving of energy equivalent to 8.67 million tonnes of oil, exceeding the target of 6.86 million tonnes by about 30 per cent. This also resulted in avoided generation of about 5,635 MW of power, resulting in monetary savings of
Rs 37,685 crore. At the same time Rs 9,500 crore has been saved due to reduction in energy consumption," according to BEE.
The third PAT cycle was also notified from April 1, 2017 for 3 years including 116 new units with a reduction target of 1.06 MTOE. Key processes
The energy efficiency achieved is the result of optimisation between capital expenditure and reducing operating expenses.
Adoption of alternative fuels as a means of increasing cost competitiveness is gaining ground. But the industry has a long way to go before achieving 25% TSR. The Thermal Substitution Rate (TSR) in India has shown a very positive trend year on year, reaching a level of around 4 per cent in 2017. As indicated in the CII approach paper, India plans to achieve 25 per cent TSR by 2025. "In comparison to global standards, we are far behind as in many countries the substitution is in the range of 60-100 per cent," says Milind Murumkar, Advisor AFR, Vicat India.
Another way to reduce energy and process emissions in cement production is to blend cements with increased proportions of alternative (non-clinker) feed stocks, such as volcanic ash, granulated blast furnace slag from iron production, or fly ash from coal-fired power generation. Indian cement plants consume a quarter of the fly ash produced in the country annually, according to CMA. For the long run, cement industry lacks a viable carbon-free alternative, and the IEA suggested scenarios imply a heavy reliance on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) cement kilns with xy-fuelling. Waste heat recovery systems are expected to play a much bigger role as more of it gets tapped. "In case of specific heat consumption, approximately 20 per cent losses are through preheater exhaust gases, 12 per cent are through cooler exhaust gases and around 4-5 per cent are radiation losses (for 6 stage preheater – precalciner system with the state-of-the-art cooler), says Ghosh.
The cement grinding department and the raw material grinding are the major consumers of electrical energy. The material transport systems have also to be looked in to ensure that the power consumption is lowered.
Ghosh of Ercom says, "The implementation of MIS (management Information systems) like SAP helps in keeping track of key performance indicators. Management is able to monitor both plant operations and the productivity in a continuous manner for achieving energy efficiency targets."
When comparing the state of the art technologies in terms of sustainability, suitability, performance, robustness, cost-efficiency, patent restrictions (availability), and competence requirements, it can be expected that at least in the short term cement companies are going to be based on pyro processing and grinding mills.
Having tasted the fruits of energy efficiency measures over the recent years, and development of a host of case studies highlighting several achievements and sustainable development, the Indian cement industry is set to reach the pinnacle in energy efficiency in the world.Underutilisation and Energy Efficiency
Consider a Cement manufacturing unit which is designed for clinkerisation capacity of 5000 tpd (tonnes per day) and correspondingly OPC of 5250 tpd for the sake of this discussion.
The specific heat consumption of this precalciner kiln will lie in range of 695-700 kcal/ kg clinker at the design capacity. The operating temperatures for calcination (900-950oC) and clinkerisation (1350-1400oC) will be the same irrespective of the operating level. The gas and material temperatures in the preheater stages will also to be maintained at similar levels. As a result, the total heat loss due to radiation will remain the same at all production levels. This will cause a higher specific heat consumption for lower than design operating levels as depicted in Figure 1.
The specific electrical energy consumption is around 90 kWh/t of Cement (OPC). The electrical drives, the fans and the HT motors are also designed to have maximum efficiency at their design operating levels. As a result, they will have suboptimum energy consumptions at lower than design production levels. This is depicted in Figure 2.
One of the ways to take care of underutilisation is by operating at design capacities and keeping the plant idle for extended periods of time. This may be feasible for those plants with multiple Pyro processing lines. At 80% annual production, the plant can be shut down for a total of 2 more months, and at 70% there are 3 extra months of shut down. However, the clinker storage section will be a constraint for this mode of operation.
Increased number of kiln shutdowns leads to wastage of heat during kiln cool down and start-up. The refractory life also reduced even though these shutdowns are planned. There are maintenance issues if the equipment has extended idle times.
Hence most plants settle for a production level which helps them meet the demands of the market while continuing to keep the kiln under operation for extended levels of time. However, it is important to note that there is a minimum turndown level, below which gas velocities in cyclones will reduce to a value which will not support the efficient heat transfer in the preheater and affect the gas-solid reaction in the calciner.– P. K. Ghosh, Group Managing Director,
Ercom Engineers

– BS Srinivasalu Reddy

Concrete

Budget 2026–27 infra thrust and CCUS outlay to lift cement sector outlook

Published

1 day ago

February 2, 2026

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Higher capex, city-led growth and CCUS funding improve demand visibility and decarbonisation prospects for cement

Mumbai

Cement manufacturers have welcomed the Union Budget 2026–27’s strong infrastructure thrust, with public capital expenditure increased to Rs 12.2 trillion, saying it reinforces infrastructure as the central engine of economic growth and strengthens medium-term prospects for the cement sector. In a statement, the Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) has welcomed the Union budget 2026-27 for reinforcing the ambitions for the nation’s growth balancing the aspirations of the people through inclusivity inspired by the vision of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, for a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and Atmanirbharta.

The budget underscores India’s steady economic trajectory over the past 12 years, marked by fiscal discipline, sustained growth and moderate inflation, and offers strong demand visibility for infrastructure linked sectors such as cement.

The Budget’s strong infrastructure push, with public capital expenditure rising from Rs 11.2 trillion in fiscal year 2025–26 to Rs 12.2 trillion in fiscal year 2026–27, recognises infrastructure as the primary anchor for economic growth creating positive prospects for the Indian cement industry and improving long term visibility for the cement sector. The emphasis on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with populations above 5 lakh and the creation of City Economic Regions (CERs) with an allocation of Rs 50 billion per CER over five years, should accelerate construction activity across housing, transport and urban services, supporting broad based cement consumption.

Logistics and connectivity measures announced in the budget are particularly significant for the cement industry. The announcement of new dedicated freight corridors, the operationalisation of 20 additional National Waterways over the next five years, the launch of the Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme to raise the modal share of waterways and coastal shipping from 6 per cent to 12 per cent by 2047, and the development of ship repair ecosystems should enhance multimodal freight efficiency, reduce logistics costs and improve the sector’s carbon footprint. The announcement of seven high speed rail corridors as growth corridors can be expected to further stimulate regional development and construction demand.

Commenting on the budget, Parth Jindal, President, Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA), said, “As India advances towards a Viksit Bharat, the three kartavya articulated in the Union Budget provide a clear context for the Nation’s growth and aspirations, combining economic momentum with capacity building and inclusive progress. The Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) appreciates the Union Budget 2026-27 for the continued emphasis on manufacturing competitiveness, urban development and infrastructure modernisation, supported by over 350 reforms spanning GST simplification, labour codes, quality control rationalisation and coordinated deregulation with States. These reforms, alongside the Budget’s focus on Youth Power and domestic manufacturing capacity under Atmanirbharta, stand to strengthen the investment environment for capital intensive sectors such as Cement. The Union Budget 2026-27 reflects the Government’s focus on infrastructure led development emerging as a structural pillar of India’s growth strategy.”

He added, “The Rs 200 billion CCUS outlay for various sectors, including Cement, fundamentally alters the decarbonisation landscape for India’s emissions intensive industries. CCUS is a significant enabler for large scale decarbonisation of industries such as Cement and this intervention directly addresses the technology and cost requirements of the Cement sector in context. The Cement Industry, fully aligned with the Government of India’s Net Zero commitment by 2070, views this support as critical to enabling the adoption and scale up of CCUS technologies while continuing to meet the Country’s long term infrastructure needs.”

Dr Raghavpat Singhania, Vice President, CMA, said, “The government’s sustained infrastructure push supports employment, regional development and stronger local supply chains. Cement manufacturing clusters act as economic anchors across regions, generating livelihoods in construction, logistics and allied sectors. The budget’s focus on inclusive growth, execution and system level enablers creates a supportive environment for responsible and efficient expansion offering opportunities for economic growth and lending momentum to the cement sector. The increase in public capex to Rs 12.2 trillion, the focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and the creation of City Economic Regions stand to strengthen the growth of the cement sector. We welcome the budget’s emphasis on tourism, cultural and social infrastructure, which should broaden construction activity across regions. Investments in tourism facilities, heritage and Buddhist circuits, regional connectivity in Purvodaya and North Eastern States, and the strengthening of emergency and trauma care infrastructure in district hospitals reinforce the cement sector’s role in enabling inclusive growth.”

CMA also noted the Government’s continued commitment to fiscal discipline, with the fiscal deficit estimated at 4.3 per cent of GDP in FY27, reinforcing macroeconomic stability and investor confidence.

Concrete

JK Cement Crosses 31 MTPA Capacity with Commissioning of Buxar Plant in Bihar

Published

4 days ago

January 30, 2026

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JK Cement has commissioned a 3 MTPA Grey Cement plant in Buxar, Bihar, taking its total capacity to 31.26 MTPA and placing it among India’s top five grey cement producers. The ₹500 crore investment strengthens the company’s national footprint while supporting Bihar’s infrastructure growth and local economic development.

JK Cement Ltd., one of India’s leading cement manufacturers, has announced the commissioning of its new state-of-the-art Grey Cement plant in Buxar, Bihar, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth trajectory. With the commissioning of this facility, JK Cement’s total production capacity has increased to 31.26 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), enabling the company to cross the 30 MTPA threshold.

This expansion positions JK Cement among the top five Grey Cement manufacturers in India, strengthening its national footprint and reinforcing its long-term growth strategy.

Commenting on the strategic achievement, Dr Raghavpat Singhania, Managing Director, JK Cement, said, “Crossing 31 MTPA is a significant turning point in JK Cement’s expansion and demonstrates the scale, resilience, and aspirations of our company. In addition to making a significant contribution to Bihar’s development vision, the commissioning of our Buxar plant represents a strategic step towards expanding our national footprint. We are committed to developing top-notch manufacturing capabilities that boost India’s infrastructure development and generate long-term benefits for local communities.”

The Buxar plant has a capacity of 3 MTPA and is spread across 100 acres. Strategically located on the Patna–Buxar highway, the facility enables faster and more efficient distribution across Bihar and adjoining regions. While JK Cement entered the Bihar market last year through supplies from its Prayagraj plant, the Buxar facility will now allow the company to serve the state locally, with deliveries possible within 24 hours across Bihar.

Sharing his views on the expansion, Madhavkrishna Singhania, Joint Managing Director & CEO, JK Cement, said, “JK Cement is now among India’s top five producers of grey cement after the Buxar plant commissioning. Our capacity to serve Bihar locally, more effectively, and on a larger scale is strengthened by this facility. Although we had already entered the Bihar market last year using Prayagraj supplies, local manufacturing now enables us to be nearer to our clients and significantly raise service standards throughout the state. Buxar places us at the center of this chance to promote sustainable growth for both the company and the region in Bihar, a high-growth market with strong infrastructure momentum.”

The new facility represents a strategic step in supporting Bihar’s development vision by ensuring faster access to superior quality cement for infrastructure, housing, and commercial projects. JK Cement has invested approximately ₹500 crore in the project. Construction began in March 2025, and commercial production commenced on January 29, 2026.

In addition to strengthening JK Cement’s regional presence, the Buxar plant is expected to generate significant direct and indirect employment opportunities and attract ancillary industries, thereby contributing to the local economy and the broader industrial ecosystem.

Economy & Market

From Vision to Action: Fornnax Global Growth Strategy for 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

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Jignesh Kundaria, Director & CEO, Fornnax Recycling Technology

As 2026 begins, Fornnax is accelerating its global growth through strategic expansion, large-scale export-led installations, and technology-driven innovation across multiple recycling streams. Backed by manufacturing scale-up and a strong people-first culture, the company aims to lead sustainable, high-capacity recycling solutions worldwide.

As 2026 begins, Fornnax stands at a pivotal stage in its growth journey. Over the past few years, the company has built a strong foundation rooted in engineering excellence, innovation, and a firm commitment to sustainable recycling. The focus ahead is clear: to grow faster, stronger, and on a truly global scale.

“Our 2026 strategy is driven by four key priorities,” explains Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Director & CEO of Fornnax.

First, Global Expansion

We will strengthen our presence in major markets such as Europe, Australia, and the GCC, while continuing to grow across our existing regions. By aligning with local regulations and customer requirements, we aim to establish ourselves as a trusted global partner for advanced recycling solutions.

A major milestone in this journey will be export-led global installations. In 2026, we will commission Europe’s highest-capacity shredding line, reinforcing our leadership in high-capacity recycling solutions.

Second, Product Innovation and Technology Leadership

Innovation remains at the heart of our vision to become a global leader in recycling technology by 2030. Our focus is on developing solutions that are state-of-the-art, economical, efficient, reliable, and environmentally responsible.

Building on a decade-long legacy in tyre recycling, we have expanded our portfolio into new recycling applications, including municipal solid waste (MSW), e-waste, cable, and aluminium recycling. This diversification has already created strong momentum across the industry, marked by key milestones scheduled to become operational this year, such as:

Installation of India’s largest e-waste and cable recycling line.
Commissioning of a high-capacity MSW RDF recycling line.

“Sustainable growth must be scalable and profitable,” emphasizes Mr. Kundaria. In 2026, Fornnax will complete Phase One of our capacity expansion by establishing the world’s largest shredding equipment manufacturing facility. This 23-acre manufacturing unit, scheduled for completion in July 2026, will significantly enhance our production capability and global delivery capacity.

Alongside this, we will continue to improve efficiency across manufacturing, supply chain, and service operations, while strengthening our service network across India, Australia, and Europe to ensure faster and more reliable customer support.

Finally: People and Culture

“People remain the foundation of Fornnax’s success. We will continue to invest in talent, leadership development, and a culture built on ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement,” states Mr. Kundaria.

With a strong commitment to sustainability in everything we do, our ambition is not only to grow our business, but also to actively support the circular economy and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Guided by a shared vision and disciplined execution, 2026 is set to be a defining year for us, driven by innovation across diverse recycling applications, large-scale global installations, and manufacturing excellence.