ABB turns aging drives into a second life at ACC's Jamul plant, without stopping production

ACC Limited is set to benefit from energy appraisals, scheduled drive reconditioning, and digital monitoring to shift maintenance from reactive to predictive.

Bengaluru, October 27, 2026 – ABB has signed a multi-year ABB Motion OneCare service agreement with ACC Limited, a major cement producer in the Adani Group, to improve the operational reliability of ACC's Jamul cement plant in Chhattisgarh, India. The comprehensive maintenance framework, shaped around ACC's needs, encompasses scheduled reconditioning, digital monitoring, and energy appraisals, with the latter extending the program's scope from restoration into ongoing performance enhancement.

Phase one, completed in April 2026, reconditioned 25 ABB ACS800 variable speed drives on site without a major shutdown. By retaining the existing cabinets and reconditioning equipment rather than replacing complete panels, the project avoided approximately 16 tonnes of CO₂ emissions 

A second phase covering the reconditioning of an additional 25 ACS800 drive modules is planned for Q4 2026. As part of the agreement, ACC also began using ABB Ability™ Digital Powertrain Insights, setting the foundation to shift from reactive to predictive maintenance.

The ABB ACS800 drives at Jamul — installed in 2010 — had maintained a strong reliability record  across well over a decade of near-continuous operation in one of the most demanding industrial environments.  Over time, however, the cumulative effects of electrical aging reached a point where trip event patterns were no longer in line with the plant's operational requirements — a natural inflection point for a fleet that had been running full steam since installation, and a clear signal that the time had come to act.

Rather than defaulting to full replacement, ACC engaged ABB's certified engineers for a structured asset health assessment. The finding was clear: the drives' cabinets and enclosures remained structurally sound. Targeted reconditioning was both the technically right and most cost-effective route to extended lifetime and sustained reliability.

Two decades of working knowledge of ACC's equipment and operational calendar shaped the approach. ABB developed a service plan tailored to ACC's shutdown windows and budget cycle. The multi-year ABB Motion OneCare agreement includes scheduled drive reconditioning, ABB Ability™ Digital Powertrain Insights, and energy appraisals.  To start, ABB brought its reconditioning expertise directly to Jamul. Earlier this year, 25 ACS800 drives were restored to factory specification without interrupting production, with the original enclosures retained. Phase two is in planning: an additional 25 ACS800 modules are scheduled for on-site reconditioning in the last quarter of 2026.

In addition, with ABB Ability™ Digital Powertrain Insights now active across the fleet, ACC's teams gain continuous visibility into temperature, current, vibration, and fault patterns — the intelligence to act on emerging issues before they become failures. Energy appraisals, built into the later phase of the program, will extend its scope from restoration into systematic performance improvement. "We know what unchecked wear costs over time: a small inefficiency that eats away at ROI for years. At Jamul, the evidence pointed clearly to assets with productive life still in them," said Amit Gupta, Local Division Manager, Motion Services, ABB India. "Our job was to restore them properly and give the team the tools to stay ahead of the next problem. At ABB, we don't just fix what fails. We want to protect what works."

The program reflects the competitive logic of industrial circularity. Restoring what was installed rather than replacing it kept material and economic value in productive use, and protected continuity — all in one decision. ABB data indicates reconditioning reduces drive lifecycle emissions by 50 to 80% versus full replacement. Digital monitoring gives ACC's teams real-time intelligence: now they know exactly what to fix, and exactly when to fix it, for maximum uptime.

"Moving from reactive firefighting to a structured maintenance plan was exactly what this operation needed. That kind of peace of mind doesn't come easily. It comes from a partner that understands how your business runs," added Vinod Bahety, CEO – Cement Business, Adani Group. "We didn't need a full system overhaul; we needed expert support, actionable insights, and a plan we could execute around our schedule. That's what we got."