AAC block market has grown approximately 20-25 per cent every year. Out of the three main players in AAC, Magicrete is one of them, also being the pioneer of AAC blocks in India. We hold as much as 15 per cent share currently in India.

Makarand Marathe, Director, Cement Division, Thyssenkrupp Industries India (tkII) believes that even as India’s demand for cement shows signs of gradual recovery, equipment makers need to prepare themselves to engage with an increasingly discerning customer.

Geocycle India is co-processing materials ranging from industrial hazardous and non–hazardous waste such as sludges, waste solvents, packaging waste, date expired medicines, trade rejects etc

The cement industry in the world has grown phenomenally in the last decade and the production level of all varieties of Portland cements taken together has crossed four billion tonnes, which is the largest volume amongst all manmade materials.

The Indian cement industry excels because of innovation. There is strong urge to think out of the box. The skill level is very high and training and retraining keep them abreast with the latest in technology.

Over the period of last one year, manufacturers have either been changing over to alternative fuels or, in some areas, to pet coke. Since the need for better and high-performance refractory is increasing, manufacturers are now focusing on performance-based products.

As far as ATS is concerned, in India, we are in regular contact with cement manufacturers mainly in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Cement plants located in in these regions mainly use agriculture waste and Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) such as shredded tyres.

The biggest global cement trend is overcapacity and the rise of China as a cement making superpower. I have spent a lot of time in China and the country is completely revamping its entire cement business to provide greater capacity and quality.

We are focusing on the clinker cooler, which is an important equipment when determining the overall fuel consumption of the pyro line because it recuperates heat of the clinker coming from kiln to the cooler.