From 65% to 90% - The Roller Press Story That Pressed Me Forward!

It was 2011-12, and I was serving as HOD-Mechanical.

My Plant Head called me into his office.

He said, “We need to run the Roller Press in Cement Mill #2. There’s no mechanical issue. But I want you to take the lead.”

Now, this machine hadn’t run for a long time. The operational team had faced multiple challenges.

But when the boss puts faith in you, what do you say?

“OKAY SIR.”

That’s it. Challenge accepted.

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We tackled the issues - one by one, patiently, persistently.

Finally, the Roller Press started running smoothly with the Cement Mill.

I was happy. Relieved. I thought we did it.

The boss smiled.

He said, “Good. But we need 65% product in -2mm size. That’s what the system was designed for.”

Again, I nodded. "Okay, Sir." What else could I say?

We adjusted. Tweaked parameters. Solved more bottlenecks.

Soon enough, we hit 65% -2mm product.

I thought, “Yes, now he’ll be satisfied.”

He said, “Great. Now let’s push for 80%.”

No options. No debate. Just a raised bar.

We worked harder. Understood the process deeper.

Hit 80%.

Then came the knockout punch:

“Why stop now? Let’s aim for 90%.”

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Every step was a lesson.

Every new benchmark pushed me and the system beyond what we thought was possible.

We weren’t just fixing a machine - we were building a mindset.

Eventually, we achieved 90% -2mm product.

And just when I thought we’d rest…

He said,

“Let’s now put a conveyor belt at the Roller Press discharge and feed it directly to the Air Separator.”

And just like that - I saw his vision.

He was never chasing numbers.

He was building a flow. A better, sharper, more efficient system.

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Don’t stop when the problem is solved. That’s the beginning.

Never assume the first goal is the final goal.

When your leader sees beyond what’s visible - trust the process.

And sometimes, you need someone to press you like a Roller Press to bring out your best.

That moment shaped my approach to problem-solving and leadership.

And I still carry that spirit today.

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Have you ever had a leader challenge you beyond your comfort zone?
What did you learn from it? 

Let me know in the comments.