Cement producers are seeking environmentally efficient, innovative and responsible manufacturing techniques to establish a clearer path toward carbon neutrality. Mechanical engineering develops the scientific and mathematical principles behind physical machines, but you can’t help feeling a little real-world magic taking place in the manufacture of components needed for large, heavy industrial applications. Cement production, for example, relies on gigantic equipment to grind raw materials using rotary kilns, ball mills, vertical mills and crushers. The challenge in 2026 is to maintain existing plants and provide the production upgrades required for future cement production. Enter FCMD, a Ferry Capitain and CMD Gears company, a single-source supplier in the cement industry offering ring gears and pinions, gearboxes/inching drives, trunnion and ball head mills, pinion bearings out of Babbit Metal, gear/grid couplings and more. “FCMD provides everything from design and manufacturing to installation and maintenance,” said Victor Manoury, sales engineer at FCMD North America. “We focus on high-torque, low-speed applications including custom-made gearboxes, worm gear and planetary gearboxes and kiln gear drives.” Cement Production Strategies Cement producers are seeking environmentally efficient, innovative and responsible manufacturing techniques to establish a clearer path toward carbon neutrality. This aligns with the sustainability push taking place across heavy industrial sectors including mining, construction, aggregate, off-highway and agriculture. “This is truly one of the biggest challenges today in cement,” Manoury said. “Reducing energy consumption, decarbonizing plants and finding cleaner and more efficient solutions to produce cement.”

Furthermore, the cement industry is extremely competitive. Manoury said suppliers must be aware of pricing, lead times, service and support, etc. Companies seeking contracts must assume five other suppliers are working on the same open bid. “Given the larger nature of the products we deal with (high-torque/low-speed applications), naturally buyers turn to worldwide solutions. There’s a constant struggle to fight against cheaper, alternative solutions across the globe,” Manoury added. “To stay relevant in these industries, we focus on quality, reliability and added value, rather than price alone. It helps to offer 150+ years of experience as well as a team of dedicated engineers.” Flexibility—it turns out—is one of the most important aspects of cement production. The success of a component upgrade or a gearbox replacement depends largely on clear and concise communication with the clients. FCMD North America acts as a direct link between the French engineering offices and the U.S. end users, ensuring smooth coordination and quick decision-making. “If our customer is transparent and shares the date of an outage, for example, we can figure out how to get the equipment up and running as quickly as possible,” Manoury noted.

Technologies for Cement Applications With so much experience in cement production, Manoury discussed how CMD knows the customer’s specific difficulties and pain points. They developed the Kiln Gear Drive (KGD), a three-degree of freedom system, that allows perfect meshing from the pinion to the ring gear. Customers provided feedback on issues such as pitting and, in extreme cases, tooth rupture, resulting from the complex running behavior of the kiln. The deformation of the kiln shell often altered the girth gear geometry, creating misalignment and accelerated wear. To address these recurring problems, CMD engineered a completely new solution the “KGD” specifically designed to compensate for kiln movement and maintain optimal gear engagement throughout operation. This unique system includes the gearbox, pinion and ring gear all as one solution. The technology has been around since the late 2000’s and fits the cement industry perfectly. By introducing the Bogiflex KGD (Kiln Gear Drive), CMD made the drive system an integral part of kiln performance by enhancing its reliability and performance. The Bogiflex is a floating and self-aligning gearbox. It follows the movement of the girth gear, and therefore kiln shell, in every direction. It compensates for any kiln deformation or movement and ensures that pinion-girth gear meshing conditions are always constant. The CMD Bogiflex KGD components include standard components and therefore allow commonality of spare parts between several plants. The tuning of the drive reduction ratio is obtained by adjusting the specification of the primary gearbox. Three standard sizes of Bogiflex KGD units exist so far which cover most existing kiln sizes. Another major technological advancement in cement solutions is the development of FerryNod, a proprietary ferrous alloy created by Ferry Capitain. With a hardness range between 250 BHN and 340 BHN, FerryNod is a ductile iron material designed in full compliance with AGMA 6014/ ISO 6336 specifications. “Our foundry capabilities enable the production of large-scale components such as ring gears up to 16 meters in diameter, mill heads and trunnions, all cast using FerryNod. Originally developed to meet demand for larger and more robust equipment in the mining industry, this material has proven to deliver exceptional performance under heavy-duty conditions. The name FerryNod reflects its core achievement: surpassing the stress values defined by AGMA standards, offering our customers a solution with superior mechanical properties, shorter lead times, and lower costs compared to conventional cast steel,” Manoury said.

FCMD’s commitment extends far beyond manufacturing and delivery. The company believes true reliability comes from long-term partnership with each cement producer.