Introducing new operations
ACC Limited is pleased to announce that operations of its new project at Wadi II Plant in Karnataka have stabilized and commercial production
The Wadi cement plant of ACC Limited, in India’s southern state of Karnataka, now enjoys the distinction of being the world’s largest cement plant. The company recently completed this challenging integrated cement project in Karnataka comprising an expanded clinkering line of 12,500 tpd at Wadi together with two satellite cement grinding plants manufacturing Portland Slag cement and fly ash based Portland Puzzolana Cement. ACC faced numerous challenges to complete the project without disrupting operations of the existing plant. As the world’s largest kiln line, the commissioning of ACC Wadi marks it, as being among the most notable achievements of engineering excellence in the global cement industry.
ACC first set up a cement plant at Wadi in 1968. Then in 1978 the plant introduced the use of the energy efficient pre-calcinator technology from Mitsubishi for the first time in India. It made news again in 1982 when it inducted India’s first one million tonnes per annum kiln. A new plant was established in 2001 close to the old one. It came to be called New Wadi Plant. Comprising of one cement kiln with a capacity of about 5500 tonnes per day or 2 million tonnes per annum, it was again the largest kiln in India.
All operations at Wadi are now mammoth in scale and setting new trends and benchmarks – the largest limestone mining operations, the largest captive power plant in the industry, largest in inward and outbound logistics and the largest in bulk cement operations. The project reinforces ACC’s commitment to environment conservation in more ways than one. The plant incorporates sophisticated environment management systems and equipment that are designed to maintain very high levels of emission control. The two satellite grinding units manufacture environment-friendly blended cements using hazardous industrial waste by-products such as fly ash from thermal power plants and slag from steel plants. In addition Wadi promotes the use of alternate fuels through the co-processing of wastes.
According to Mr Kuldip Kaura, CEO & Managing Director, “This has been a major milestone not only for ACC but also for the entire cement industry to see the successful commissioning and stabilization of clinker production from the World’s largest kiln at Wadi.
Production stabilizes at Wadi – World’s largest clinkering line. ACC Limited is pleased to announce the stabilization of production at its mega cement project in Karnataka comprising the recently expanded clinkering line at Wadi II and two cement grinding units established at Thondebhavi near Bengaluru and Kudithini near Bellary. Considering the integrated nature of the undertaking, the operations were observed over a period and on complete stabilization and smooth functioning of the entire set-up.
The project was envisaged as a new integrated undertaking since the functioning of each of the grinding units solely depends on clinker manufactured and supplied by Wadi II; similarly the functioning of Wadi II with its enhanced clinker capacity is also crucially dependent upon the efficient functioning of both grinding units in terms of commercial and operational viability. ACC has invested Rs. 1,634 Crore in the State in this split location integrated project comprising the two cement grinding facilities at Kudithini and Thondebhavi and the enhancement of clinkering capacity at Wadi II together with captive power plants and related investments. This kiln at Wadi is now acknowledged to be the largest of its kind in the world.
