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Future-Proofing the
Cement Industry
Through Knowledge & Innovation

The Council of Industrial Excellence and Innovation (CIEI) is a dedicated industry platform advancing operational excellence, sustainability, and innovation across the Indian cement industry.

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Namaste Cement Newsletter
Namaste Cement — Bi-Monthly Industry Newsletter
CIEI Focus Areas
Energy Efficiency
Carbon Reduction
Alternative Fuels
Waste Heat Recovery
Smart Manufacturing
ESG Implementation
Water Management
Circular Economy
Purpose & Direction

Mission & Vision

The principles that guide everything we do at CIEI.

Our Mission

To Inspire Industrial Excellence and Innovation

Our mission is to foster collaboration, promote sustainable practices, and recognise achievements that shape the future of the cement industry. We aim to empower cement plants to overcome operational challenges, adopt future-ready technologies, improve plant performance, and contribute to the global drive for efficiency, sustainability, and long-term growth.

Through knowledge exchange, leadership dialogue, training, and recognition, we support the industry in building a stronger and more robust future.

Our Vision

Building the Future of Sustainable Cement Manufacturing

Our vision is to become India's most trusted platform for cement industry excellence by driving innovation, sustainability, and technical advancement across plants and operations.

We aspire to create an ecosystem where cement leaders, plant teams, policymakers, and technology experts work together to create measurable impact and long-term industrial transformation.

Context & Urgency

Why Cement? Why Now?

India is the world's 2nd largest cement producer with 570MT+ installed capacity. The industry is now at the intersection of infrastructure growth and the most urgent global sustainability priorities.

Net-Zero Targets

Aligning India's cement sector with global decarbonisation commitments and net-zero pathways.

Green Construction

Building a sustainable future through low-carbon construction materials and processes.

Alternative Fuels & Raw Materials

Accelerating the transition to AFR, RDF, and waste-derived fuel solutions at plant scale.

Carbon Capture Technologies

Exploring and implementing emerging CCUS technologies across the cement value chain.

Renewable Energy Integration

Driving solar, wind, and RE adoption into energy-intensive cement plant operations.

Digital Plant Transformation

Industry 4.0 adoption, AI-powered operations, and smart manufacturing at cement plants.

ESG & Sustainability Compliance

Building frameworks for ESG adoption, reporting, and governance across cement organisations.

Circular Economy

Maximising resource efficiency through waste utilisation and circular production models.

Our Publication

Namaste Cement Newsletter

Our bi-monthly newsletter delivers curated knowledge, industry updates, market intelligence, and leadership insights for cement sector professionals. Designed to keep stakeholders informed, connected, and ahead of industry change.

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Namaste Cement

Bi-Monthly · Curated · Industry-Led

What We Do

Our Initiatives

Driving industry progress through purposeful, research-led action across knowledge, training, recognition and collaboration.

01 · Publication

Industry Newsletters

Through Namaste Cement, our bi-monthly newsletter, we deliver curated knowledge, industry updates, market intelligence, and leadership insights for cement sector professionals.

02 · Research

Industry Reports

Detailed research and survey-based reports on opportunities within the cement sector, plant performance matrix, global industry analysis, and technical reports that influence decision-making.

03 · Engagement

Webinars & Live Sessions

Expert-led webinars and live discussions on the most critical challenges in the cement industry — from decarbonisation to digitalisation — providing practical solutions and real-world learning.

04 · Events

Workshops & Conferences

Workshops, conferences, and technical forums designed to support plant-level excellence and strategic leadership, bringing decision-makers together to build future-ready strategies.

05 · Learning

Training & Certification

Certified programmes for Plant Heads, Technical Directors, Sustainability & ESG Leaders, and Young Future Leaders — focused on practical, plant-level and business growth outcomes.

06 · Recognition

Awards & Recognition

CIEI's awards platforms celebrate outstanding work in sustainability, innovation, operational excellence, energy efficiency, and leadership across the cement ecosystem.

Expert Guidance

Governing Body

Backed by global cement leaders, technical experts, sustainability pioneers, and industry veterans bringing decades of experience in plant operations, decarbonisation, and strategic leadership.

Mr. Ashwani Pahuja

Sustainability & Decarbonisation

45+ years in cement. Former DG at NCCBM & Ex-ED & CSO at Dalmia Cement. Pioneer in carbon-negative and circular economy initiatives.

Mr. Dirk Lechtenberg

Alternative Fuels Pioneer

25+ years in AFR, RDF & waste-to-fuel systems. Founder of MVW Lechtenberg & Partner. Global authority on sustainable fuel innovation.

Mr. A. Emir Adiguzel

Global Industry Leader

Former Founder & President, World Cement Association. 30+ years across 61 countries in M&A, operations, and cement business transformation.

Mr. Ramavatar Somani

Plant Automation Expert

45+ years & 25+ plant projects across India. Respected for plant automation, green manufacturing, and operational excellence.

Mr. Rajnish Kapur

Business Transformation

Former CEO, JK Cement & Holcim Bangladesh. Executive Coach and Independent Board Member with deep expertise in governance and stakeholder management.

Dr. K Mohan

Cement Scientist

55+ years in cement chemistry & research. Former DG of NCCBM. His work has shaped cement standards, innovation, and technical education globally.

Mr Ashok Dembla

The Engineering Strategist

President & Managing Director, Humboldt Wedag India. 45+ years of leadership across the cement industry, with extensive experience in business strategy.

The People Behind CIEI

Our Founders

Experienced industry professionals who built CIEI to bridge knowledge, innovation, and industry leadership across the cement sector.

FOUNDER

Shriyal Sethumadhavan

A B2B media, communications, and research professional with 20+ years of experience across construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, cement, building materials, and healthcare sectors.

She has conceptualised, hosted, produced, and moderated 300+ industry conferences, led high-level panel discussions, and interviewed 1000+ industry leaders, policymakers, ministers, and CXOs.

Editorial leadership across media organisations
Most Influential Woman Leader in B2B Communications, 2023
Strategic moderator and knowledge platform builder
Vrushali Negandhi
FOUNDER

Vrushali Negandhi

A Content Strategist and Conference Producer with 18+ years of experience curating, producing, and moderating 300+ conferences, CXO roundtables, and technical forums across India and the Middle East.

She has worked across manufacturing, infrastructure, cement, construction, building materials, technology, pharma, and healthcare sectors.

Certified Content Strategist from UC Davis Extension
40 Under 40 Award, 2025
Creator of high-value industry engagement platforms
Stay Informed

Industry News

Latest developments shaping the cement sector. This section will be updated regularly — making CIEI a daily destination for cement professionals.

Industry news will be featured here.
This section will be populated with the latest cement industry developments, market updates, policy changes, and technical innovations to make CIEI your daily industry destination.

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Reach Out

Join the Movement Towards Cement Industry Excellence

Whether you are a cement plant head, technology provider, sustainability expert, policy body, consultant, or industry leader — we welcome collaboration. Let's build a smarter, greener, and more sustainable cement industry together.

info@CIEI.IndexGlobalResearch.com
Mumbai, India

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