The 18th NCB International Conference & Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials concluded successfully on 29th November 2024 at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, IICC Dwarka, New Delhi. This prestigious event brought together key stakeholders from the cement industry to recognise and celebrate achievements in energy efficiency, environmental excellence, and quality improvement.
Ms Arti Bhatnagar, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), presided over the award ceremony. She presented National Awards to the best-performing cement plants across categories, including energy performance, environmental excellence, total quality management, and contributions towards the circular economy. Cement grinding units excelling in energy and environment performance were also honoured. Ms Bhatnagar lauded the cement industry’s progress, highlighting its commendable contributions as a water-positive and plastic-negative sector. The event also witnessed the release of the Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND), a certified reference material for gypsum standards developed by the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory.
This significant development aligns with the “Make in India” and “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” initiatives, reducing dependence on imported materials and conserving foreign exchange. Additionally, the 8th edition of NCB Guide Norms for cement plant operations was unveiled. Dr L.P. Singh, Director General of NCB, emphasised the overwhelming participation at the event, with 1,160 delegates, over 600 visitors, and 140 students in attendance. The conference featured 21 technical sessions where 150 papers were presented, alongside eight poster sessions showcasing 70 digital presentations. Shri Mahendra Singhi, Strategic Advisor to Dalmia Cement, presented certificates of merit for outstanding technical papers. Further underlining its commitment to sustainability, NCB partnered with its incubated start-up, Zero Carbon, to quantify and offset the conference’s carbon footprint. Originating from a recommendation at the first NCB International Seminar in 1987, the National Awards for Energy Efficiency have evolved into a hallmark of industry excellence. Organised by NCB under DPIIT’s administrative control, this conference remains a testament to India’s focus on innovation and sustainability in the cement industry.
