An industrial visit to Ramco Cements , Alathiyur was organized for the students of B.Com(Gen/Hons) and B.Com(PA) programmes on the 30th of July, 2022.Ramco Cements ranks 6th in the top 10 cement manufacturers in India. 64 students were accompanied by three faculties , Dr.Devi , Dr.Ashok , and Dr.Deepesh, and an office assistant Mr.Rajan. Located around 230km from Chennai , it was astonishing to witness a factory up close for the first time. Before we had set foot in the plant , our professors had briefed us about Ramco Cement’s core activities, competitors, financial standing and safety protocols.

Upon arrival at the plant , there were notable facilities that were available to their workers along the pathway to the factory. To mention a few, there were schools, living quarters and a college under construction. We made our way to a room where a HR employee gave the rundown on their company. He spoke about the source of raw materials, competitors , the employee work conditions , their other plants located in India and the process to produce cement

After the briefing , it intrigued the students to learn more about the process which led to a Q&A session. A hearty lunch was served. Upon observation , a biogas dome was found near the canteen. It was found that the food waste is used to produce biogas, which showcases their effort towards sustainability. The employees instructed us once more about the safety protocols, we got our safety helmets on and walked to the first process of the cement making procedure.

It was a very tall machine which transported limestone with the help of a conveyor belt. It dropped the huge chunks of limestone from a height , the heavier rocks sliding to the bottom.

Next , we walked over to another machine which heats the limestone to get rid of any excess water and ground it into a fine powder. They also had a coal burner, their reason being its availability and the low cost of procurement. All the machines were tremendous and it was staggering to look at. The employees, as our guides, had split us into two batches and meticulously explained each step of the process. They were able to tackle any question that was asked about the process. It was notable to mention the numerous signs put up concerning the safety rules. They constantly encouraged their employees to work safely. It was also observed that they follow the Japanese 5S workplace organization method “seiri, seiton, seisō, seiketsu, and shitsuke” meaning “sort”, “set in order”, “shine”, “standardize”, and “sustain” . Finally , the tour had come to an end. We were served snacks of tea and biscuits and we boarded the bus back to Chennai.

Overall , the industrial visit to Ramco Cements,Alathiyur was very informative and enlightening. This visit has sparked up a myriad questions, intriguing us to dig deeper. Getting hands on experience with how a factory functions was extremely riveting. We look forward to more such visits being held.