The cement industry in India is probably the most efficient in the world and has a well deserved reputation for technology upgradation. The proper selection of plant and machinery, and process systems and auxiliary equipment is not only important from the energy efficiency point of view, but also critical from the plant´s reliability point of view, as well as its ability to run continuously, avoiding stoppages.

The Indian cement industry is the second largest market after China accounting for about eight per cent of the total global production. It had a total capacity of over 360 million tonne (mt) as of the financial year 2013-14. The industry grew at a rate in the previous decade, registering a compounded growth of about eight per cent.

Indian cement industry is undergoing rapid technological upgradation including modernisation and improvement of plant processes. ICR trains its thoughts on the current scenario Though the Indian cement industry is highly efficient when it comes to energy consumption

We at Penta would like to participate in the growth of our clients in cement plants by picking the right and most effective solutions for them, assures Manoj Thakur, Head GÇô Mechanical, Penta India Cement and Minerals.

We feel that monitoring / automation should follow mechanical upgrade, which will help reap optimum benefits to the customer, says DT Arjun, Vice President (Business Development & Projects), Walchandnagar Industries Ltd.

The newly commissioned WHR unit, set up at a cost of about $16 million, can generate about 7.5 MW of electricity. ACC launched its first waste heat recovery (WHR) system at the Gagal cement plant.

Overall, the modern cement industries hold good health as compared to other continuous process industries in terms of equipment age, efficiency and infrastructure, says Indranil Dutta, Head (E&A), Burnpur Cement.

Cement dealers all over India are juggling with the same universal issues, low margins, logistical challenges, low demand and competition. The community however, has not yet come together as a strong organisation that could do something about it rather than just bearing with the situation.

TAlthough the cement sale this year is better than the one before, it is still too early to celebrate. The demand is yet to pick-up and the dealers are waiting optimistically. Anshay Sehgal talks with ICR about the challenges and threats faced by cement