White Portland Cement - IS 8042:2015

BIS Certification for White Portland Cement IS 8042:2015

Introduction to IS 8042 & White Portland Cement

The Indian Standard IS 8042:2015 rules the specification for White Portland Cement (WPC). It is a specialized cement variant that is known and distinguished by its whiteness, fineness and its chemical composition. WPC is manufactured by the process of grinding cement clinker (with low iron-oxide content) and with gypsum under strictly controlled conditions. The cement gets its bright white colour from the low iron oxide that is (usually less than 0.5%) and with the suitable kiln treatment.

White Portland Cement is widely used in construction areas of finishing works where the aesthetics and colour consistency matter for Example - decorative concrete, terrazzo flooring, precast panels, coloured mortars, architectural facades, interior flooring and other applications that requires white or coloured concrete.

Why BIS Certification Is Needed for White Portland Cement

Because WPC is more sensitive to the quality of raw material as (especially the amount of iron oxide in them), making it more precise, maintain consistency in colour & performance than ordinary cement, so it becomes critical to ensure conformity with the defined quality parameters. To maintain the quality assurance, safety, uniformity, consumer trust and to prevent the entering of poor-quality White Portland Cement in the market, So BIS makes certification compulsory under IS 8042:2015.

Under the legal framework of Cement (Quality Control Order), 2003 (as amended / enforced under the BIS Act, 2016), that WPC has to be listed among the cement varieties for which the “BIS Standard Mark” (commonly known as “ISI Mark”) is mandatory when it may be manufactured or sold in India.

Therefore, any manufacturer or importer dealing with the White Portland Cement must obtain appropriate BIS certification before placing their products in the Indian market.

Documents & Infrastructure Required for BIS Licence

To get BIS Certification for WPC, applicant must ensure:

• Full details of manufacturing setup (clinker sourcing, grinding, packing, storage).
• In-house testing laboratory (or arrangement with BIS-recognized external lab) and required equipment as per the “Product Manual for IS 8042:2015”.
• Quality-control procedures, standard operating procedures, calibration schedules for lab equipment & production machinery.
• Records of raw-material meted to conformity, batch-wise testing results, production & packing records, traceability from clinker to final packed cement.
• Administrative, technical and commercial details: enterprise identity, manufacturing license, GST/ tax registration (as applicable), personnel details (quality-control staff), sample-testing history, etc. (As per BIS application form & guidelines.)

Process of BIS Certification:
For Foreign manufacturers
For Domestic manufacturers

Applicable BIS Scheme for White Portland Cement

White Portland Cement (IS 8042) falls under the list of products as under the Scheme‑I (ISI Mark Scheme) of Bureau of Indian Standards as indicated on the BIS “Products under Compulsory Certification” list.

Thus, WPC manufacturers must comply with Scheme-I requirements to obtain the ISI Mark licence.

Foreign manufacturers must apply through the “Foreign manufacturer certification scheme” FMCS to obtain a BIS Licence for White Portland Cement as per IS 8042.

BIS ISI mark Testing & Labelling Requirements

As per the official “Product Manual for IS 8042:2015”, the following testing and marking norms are:

• Mandatory tests: Insoluble residue, loss on ignition, fineness, setting time, degree of whiteness, soundness (autoclave or Le-Ch atelier), compressive strength.
• Optional test (on agreement with purchaser): Transverse strength.
• Packaging & Marking: Each bag, drum or package must carry the BIS Standard Mark with licence number, IS number (IS 8042), manufacturer name, and other required details. Mark must be clearly visible; size of the mark depends on packing quantity (e.g. for 50 kg bags standard mark size specified).
• Quality Control & Records: The licensee must maintain the test records, calibration logs, production & batch records, cement sampling logs, packing/weighing records, and submit quarterly/annual production and marking data to BIS.