The industry is more and more becoming an 'Oligopoly' with just four corporates controlling a major share of cement business. However, UltraTech's acquisition of Jaiprakash Associates' cement business can trigger fight for market share in coming years.

The essential characteristic of a grate cooler is a layer of clinker spread on a more-or-less horizontal perforated grate, through which cold air is blown. This article discusses the importance of grate coolers in cement industry.

Since its inception, Vicat’s focus has been on utilisation of alternative fuels and raw materials (AFR) in its cement plants. Started with a thermal substitution rate (TSR) of around 5 per cent in 2012, Milind Murumkar, Advisor – AFR, Vicat India Group, says that the company has reached to a level of 20 per cent in the last five years.

This, according to Ulhas Parlikar, Deputy Head, Geocycle India, involves levying prohibitive tax on the options of waste management that are not environmentally acceptable.

Cement plants can play a vital role in ‘Swachh Bharat’ mission through municipal solid waste (MSW) co-processing and converting it to refuse-derived fuel (RDF), thinks V Kannan, Counsellor, CII – Godrej Green Business Centre.

For many cement companies in India, AFR represents an important business opportunity because it reduces fuel costs and CO2 emissions. By dealing safely with wastes that are often difficult to dispose of in any other way, cement manufacturers are able to provide an important service to society.

ACC Limited’s carbon footprint continues to be among the industry’s best. Its CO2 emissions stood at 545 kg/t of cement, which is 32 per cent lesser than the 1990 level, but in comparison to 2015, it was two per cent higher.

According to Dr VS Rajan, Vice President – Filter Products, Supreme Nonwoven Industries, all new projects are adopting work practices to comply to dust emission levels of below 10 mg/Nm3.

The pace of M&A activity in the Indian cement industry has picked up over the previous year, with the country’s leading cement producers in particular looking to strengthen their positions at the top.