From Rock to Reality: Bridging Academia and Industry -

The Department of Chemical Engineering at NED University of Engineering & Technology, in collaboration with Lucky Cement Limited, successfully hosted a highly anticipated academic seminar titled “From Rock to Reality: The Engineer’s Guide to Modern Cement Manufacturing.”

The event, held at the NED University Main Auditorium on October 19, 2026, witnessed an overwhelming response, with the required student registrations filling up within just a few hours of its announcement.

The seminar was meticulously coordinated by Dr. Saad Nadeem from Chemical Engineering Dept. NEDUET, alongside Yazdan Ahmed Khan and Ahsan Burney representing Lucky Cement. The program commenced with a warm note of thanks from Prof. Dr. Saud Hashmi, Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department.

In his address, he emphasized the critical need for industry-academia collaboration and urged both sectors to work together to bridge the prevailing gap between theoretical education and practical industrial application.

The session featured distinguished speakers from Lucky Cement. Mazhar Hussain, Director, Sales & Marketing, opened the floor by providing a comprehensive introduction to Lucky Corporation, its diverse ventures, and its pivotal role in making Pakistan a great nation. He motivated the attending students, highlighting their crucial role in an ever-evolving cement industry.

Nohman Mahmud, General Manager, Quality Control at Lucky Cement delivered an insightful presentation on the technical manufacturing processes. He detailed Lucky Cement’s impressive operational scale of 15.60 MTPA and the intricate journey from quarrying to dispatch.

He elaborated on the raw milling and CF Silo blending, the four dry-process kilns with their specific temperature zones (from preheating to cooling), and the coal-fired system. Highlighting the industry’s future, he discussed Lucky Cement’s “Road to Net Zero” initiatives—including solar, wind, Waste Heat Recovery, and Battery Energy Storage systems—and the integration of Industry 4.0 through IoT, AI, and digital twins. He also touched upon process safety and rigorous quality control standards.

Atiq Naru, General Manager, Plant Operations at Lucky Cement focused on the “Cement Manufacturing Business Operational Cycle.” He provided a macro view of how production plans drive annual budgets, mapping out the various cost centers from mining to dispatch. He discussed the company’s major operational KPIs, including equipment run factors, specific thermal and electrical energy consumption, and the integration of renewable resources.

Naru also highlighted the role of business automation through SAP and the critical importance of process safety, encompassing Process Safety Information, Hazard Analysis, Management of Change, and LOTO systems.

The event concluded with closing remarks by Dean CPE, Prof. Dr. Zahoor ul Hussain Awan, who commended the speakers for their informative sessions. To honor their contributions, shields were distributed to the speakers and coordinators. The AIChE and ACI student chapters played a vital role in all arrangements under the supervision of Dr. Fahim Uddin, Faculty Advisor, AIChE NED Chapter.

The students were ecstatic with the highly informative sessions. The seminar concluded on a high note, with both the Department and Lucky Cement agreeing to continue their engagement and knowledge sharing, ensuring that the bond between NEDUET and the cement industry continues to flourish.

Appeared in ER Nov 2026, Issue – I

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