JOIN USTalking to Deccan Herald, Lafarge global Director of Research & Development Pascal Casanova said “With industrial presence in India spanning more than 10 years, Lafarge is seeking to promote innovation for sustainable construction in India and to strengthen its ties with materials science and construction experts across the country.”
He said the fast pace of Indian economic and demographic growth is generating immense needs for new infrastructure and housing and these have to be met through new, innovative approaches to construction that take into account social, economic and environmental imperatives.
Tie-up with IISc
Lafarge, which has tied up with IIT Madras, IIT New Delhi, IIT Bombay for research on concrete, has tied up with Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to facilitate innovation through ‘Lafarge Invention Awards 2011’, a competition to reward innovative projects in India related to building materials and contributing to sustainable construction.
Another research focus of Lafarge is on affordable housing aimed at making such dwellings low-cost yet good quality in terms of construction. We are looking at various alternate materials that can be mixed with concrete to reduce cost without compromising on strength, said Pascal.
Lafarge currently has four cement plants in India --2 in Chattisgarh and a grinding plant each in Jharkhand and West Bengal. It has presence in concrete & gypsum plasterboard and is a big player in ready-mix concrete with units in most major states.