As the Indian cement industry feels the pressures of high raw material costs and reduced coal linkages, companies are exploring alternative options such as rubber tyres and rice husk as substitutes for fuel. 

Companies such as Grasim Industries, ACC, Shiva Cement have started using alternative fuels in their plants while other cement firms are exploring similar techniques to deal with the fuel shortage. 

“As coal prices are rising, there is no other option but to use alternative fuels like rubber tyres, saw dust and sewage as alternatives, though the percentage is small currently,” said Shree Cement managing director Hari Mohan Bangur. Other companies such as JK Cement, too, have plans to use alternatives such as city waste, rubber tyres and saw dust for the production of cement.

Cement firms recently wrote to the coal ministry seeking additional supplies from Singareni Collieries Company, one of the largest suppliers to cement plants in the southern states. 

RP Gupta, CMD, Shiva Cement said, “We have recently started using char (by product of iron steel) as an alternative for coal. As cost saving is concerned, one needs to see things in the long term. Initially, it’s around 3% of total raw material cost but it will increase to 5-10% in the next few years.”

Source: The Economic Times
Advertisement