The Hindu Business Line : Raw material transportation — Cement makers switching to conveyor belt system

HAULING huge quantities of limestone from the remote mines to cement plants by road, often through treacherous and difficult terrains, has always been a bumpy ride for Indian cement manufacturers. But, in the years to come, transportation of this vital raw material may become less bumpy for the cement majors, as they are increasingly thinking in terms of switching over to the cost-effective and relatively safer conveyor belt system of transportation.

Understandably, this trend augurs well for the domestic suppliers of both textile-reinforced conveyor belts, used for short hauls, and steel cord belts, as they gear up to meet the projected growth in demand, especially from the cement and mining industries.

After ACC took the lead in doing away with road transportation for bringing limestone to its cement plant near Jabalpur by taking up installation of a 22-km (11-km x 2) conveyor belt system, other cement majors are putting up similar projects on their drawing boards. ACC expects to wrap up installation of the conveyor belt system by December-end, with Phoenix Yule, a joint venture between Phoenix CBS of Germany and state-owned Andrew Yule, supplying the special steel cord belt.

Industry sources say that while Grasim is thinking of installing a bigger conveyor system for transportation of raw materials in Andhra Pradesh, other cement manufacturers, including Ambujas and Kesoram industries, are planning similar ventures. "We see the market for conveyor belts opening up significantly in the coming years. For, it has been proven that transportation of bulk material through conveyor belt is about 30 to 40 per cent cheaper than road transportation, besides being safer and easier to operate," says Mr T.K. Mukherjee, Managing Director of Phoenix Yule.

Another major conveyor belt project that is set to take off is the one being installed by L & T for the 1.2 million tonne cement plant being set up by cement major Lafarge, which has a strong presence in Asia, in a joint venture with Cemento Milnos in Sylhet on Bangladesh border. The 34 km (17-km x 2) conveyor belt will link the Kurmi limestone deposits of Meghalaya with the Sylhet cement plant. The Indo-Bangla conveyor belt, which will be the biggest in this part of the world with a carrying capacity of 800 tonnes per hour, is likely to be completed by 2005.

"Transportation of the limestone from the Kurmi deposits to the plant on Bangladesh border through the mountainous terrain by road is next to impossible. The conveyor system, on the other hand, will be easier, although the route has to be carefully plotted, circumventing hills and other obstructions," said an official connected with the project.

Apart from the cement sector, the mining sector is also expected to throw up opportunities for belt suppliers, especially the textile-reinforced conveyor belts used for shorter hauls.