On 15th March 2009 DIRK India Private Ltd. inaugurated its extended Nashik Fly Ash processing plant. The key note was presented by Professor Ravindra K. Dhir (Dundee University) who had been awarded by the Queen Elisabeth the Order of The British Empire for his outstanding scientific work in the field of concrete. Professor Dhir, a honorary lifetime Fellow of the Indian Concrete Institute, highlighted the importance and the economics to use processed fly ash rather than collected "run off station ash" as fly ash, a waste of the power generation process, is not a stable and thus reliable construction material. Mr. Georg Dirk, chairman of DIRK GROUP and DIRK India explained the new processing plant which is focused on creating more high quality cement replacement material whilst reducing the percentage of low quality filler materials. Dirk regretted that the Nashik plant is only using about 50% of the daily fly ash generation of the Nashik Thermal Power Station, due to certain contractual conditions still not fulfilled by MSEB/Mahagenco. He pointed out the environmental benefits the POZZOCCRETE process, currently providing carbon emission reduction of around 200.000 mt of CO2per year.
More than 150 invited guests from 9 countries attended the festivity plus 350 workforce of the total DIRK workforce at Nashik of 580. Amongst the guests were the Sarpanch of Eklahare, the representative of the British High Commission, Leading personalities from the major cement companies, the Ready Mix Industry, environmental NGO’s, important suppliers to DIRK Group and personal friends of Mr. Dirk.
Nitin Gatkari (Maharashtra State President of BJP) send a video recorded message outlining the achievements of Mr. Dirk by attributing to him the steep increase in fly ash utilization all over India. Also Mr. Baban Golap ( Member of the legislative Assembly of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena Party) send a video recorded message. He stressed the positive impact the POZZOCRETE processing plant had on employment in the neighbourhood and expressed his hope that the remaining 30% of issues between DIRK and MAHAGENCO would be overcome shortly to the benefit of the community and the environment
The plant was started by the grandson of the Sarpanch to express that we have to hand over a clean environment to our children. The Army band, providing the right musical background, was intonating the Indian National Anthem whilst a 15 m long Indian flag was lowered from a specially constructed flag pole from the top of the main plant tower saluted by the large audience.
Following the main event Mr. Dirk additionally presented the newly built state of the art dining hall to the DIRK Internal Employees Union and thanked them for the great effort they have demonstrated whilst installing the new plant. Mr. Dirk stated that DIRK India is a good example of various nationalities, people with different religions and from different background can happily and successfully work together.