14th NCB International Seminar on Cement and Building Materials underway, India

The 14^th NCB International Seminar on Cement and Building Materials officially opened on Tuesday in New Delhi, India, with more than 1000 delegates in attendance from the domestic and international cement industry.

The 14^th NCB International Seminar on Cement and Building Materials officially opens in New Delhi, India

The four-day meeting aims to review developments that have taken place since the last bienniel NCB gathering in 2013, particularly in the areas of alternative fuels and raw materials, ready mix concrete, nano-technology, to name a few.

The inaugural address was delivered by Amitabh Kant, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) – Government of India, expressed the domestic cement industry's need to catch up with the developed world in terms of the adoption of large-scale co-processing. “My view is that although the cement plants have been burning alternative fuels like municipal solid waste, plastic and pollutant waste, processed and industrial waste etc,  the average thermal substitution rate [TSR] in India is less than one per cent compared to average TSR of 40 per cent in European cement plants. In order to bridge this gap, the industry needs to move barriers like the delivery of abundant quantity of alternative fuel with consistent and acceptable quality and at an appropriate price," he said.

The meeting continues with a full technical programme, plus a 90-stand exhibition showcasing the latest technologies and services on offer for efficient plant operation.

The opening morning of the seminar also marked the launch of the NCB's latest publication: “Cement & Construction Industry – Perspective for Sustainable Growth.”