Arun Kumar Barad,
Secretary, Bharat Lime Association
Arun Kumar Barad, a Ceramic Engineering Graduate, commenced his illustrious career in 1992 as a lecturer, imparting knowledge to engineering students before transitioning to Steel Plants in 2006. With a remarkable 30 years of extensive experience in steel plants, refractories, limekilns, and lime hydration plants, Barad’s expertise shines in Project Management. He has spearheaded the construction of over 30 Limekiln complexes, overseeing the entire process from conceptualization to fruition both in India and abroad.
Recognizing the need for specialized services, he founded Barad Consultancy Services, offering design, engineering, and supply of Limekilns, Lime Hydration Plants, and Lime Grinding Plants in collaboration with QualiCal International Srl, Italy. Barad’s efforts have firmly established QualiCal International Srl as a leading technology supplier in the Lime domain across India, the Middle East, Japan, and beyond. His ventures extend beyond lime, as evidenced by his exploration and establishment of copper and gold mines in various African countries. Additionally, as the Founder Director of Ulti-Met Technologies Pvt Ltd in Mumbai, he is dedicated to the digitalization of Process Industries. Committed to nurturing the Lime Industry, Mr.Barad serves as the Secretary of the Bharat Lime Association, channelling his wealth of experience towards its advancement.
D A Chandekar, Editor & CEO of Steelworld had an exclusive interaction with Arun Kumar Barad to understand more about the present situation in the lime sector in India, challenges faced by Indian Lime Industry, future of Lime Industry in India, etc
How is the present situation in the lime sector in India?
Presently India is the fastest growing Lime Industry across the globe. The major growth is forecasted in Steel Industry, followed by paper & Chemical Industry. Further AAC Bricks industry is expected to grow exponentially in coming years. Due to strict environmental norms India is expected to replace the huge number of existing kilns with Modern Kilns.
What are the challenges faced by Indian Lime Industry and Steel Plants which are the major user of Lime?
Challenges: Availability of the High-Grade Lime stone locally for steel plants and Fuel(Pet Coke) for the merchant lime producers. Ariel distance in INDIA is 5500 Kms from North to South and 2500Kms from East to West.12 % of High-Grade Limestone reserves are located in the north east part of India basically in Rajasthan. Major consumer of LIME i.e., Steel Plants are located in the eastern part of India. Local transportation of the High-Grade Limestone from West to East is costlier than importing the limestone from Middle East countries / Asia Pacific countries. The rising prices and limited availability of pet coke, a crucial fuel for cement plants, can lead to supply constraints and increased operational costs for the lime industry. Captive lime plants in integrated steel plants are considering waste gases from coke ovens and blast furnaces as a fuel source for lime kilns. However, impurities like tar and naphta present challenges for lime production, impacting operations and the environment.
What is the LIME DEMAND of various sectors in India presently? 16.89 MILLION MT IS THE INDIA’S LIME DEMAND BY SECTOR.
- India’s Metallurgical Industries have a significant lime demand, totaling 10.52 million tonnes each year
- The Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) alone consumes 8.63 million tonnes.
- The Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) uses 1.40 million tonnes,
- Non-ferrous metals like Aluminum, Copper, and Zinc require 0.36, 0.10, and 0.03 million tonnes respectively.
What are the prospects which are going to shape the future of Lime Industry in India?
Steel Industry’s Robust Growth: India’s steel industry is projected to more than double its production, from 120-130 MTPA to 300 MTPA by 2030, creating a growing demand for lime and expanding opportunities for the lime industry.
AAC Block Market’s Promising Potential: The AAC block market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 14.3% from 2020 to 2027, resulting in a volume of 11,095,000 cubic meters. Since AAC blocks use lime as a primary ingredient, lime producers have a valuable opportunity to enter a rapidly expanding market.
Environmental Norms Boosting Lime Usage in FGD: Environmental regulations are driving industries to adopt cleaner technologies, including Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD), where lime is used to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions. The usage of lime in FGD processes is expected to increase due to the emphasis on environmental compliance.
How do you see the future of this industry, especially in the light of emerging concepts like Industry 4.0 and Green Steelmaking?
What support does this industry need from the policy makers?
Reduction in Import Duties on import of HighGrade Limestone. Import duties should be levied on Quick lime imported from Middle East, Asia Pacific countries. Allotment of HighGrade Limestone Mines to the merchant Lime Producers. There should be separate category for the rarely available highgradelimestone in India and the same shall be only allotted to the merchant Lime Producers. GST NO.-22AADCS2665
