Lubrizol
Corporation has announced the groundbreaking for a new TempRite chlorinated
polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) compounding plant in Dahej in India’s Gujarat state. The
estimated investment in the new plant is more than $50 million U.S (Rs 299
crore approx.), and it will have the capacity to produce approximately 55,000
metric tons of compounds annually, according to a company statement.
This
investment is part of a $400 million global expansion of its resin and
compounding manufacturing capacity. Lubrizol
is the first major global producer of CPVC to establish operations in
India. The plant will be strategically
located in the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), which is one
of the largest chemical parks in the country. Many of the raw materials
required for Lubrizol's specialty chemical product portfolio are produced in
GIDC.
The
plant is located near excellent infrastructure and is well-positioned
geographically to serve the growing Indian market as well as support the
emerging growth of the TempRite CPVC business in South Asia, the Middle East
and East Africa.
The
Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a technology-driven
global company that combines complex, specialty chemicals to optimise the
quality, performance and value of customers' products while reducing their
environmental impact. It produces and
supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and
consumer markets. These technologies
include lubricant additives for engine oils, driveline and other
transportation-related fluids, industrial lubricants, as well as additives for
gasoline and diesel fuel.
In
addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for home care and personal
care products and pharmaceuticals, and specialty materials, including plastics
technology and performance coatings in the form of specialty resins and
additives.
"Our
investment in India is a major step forward for our customers based in the
region," explains Manoj Dhar, head of TempRite Engineered Polymers in
South Asia. "With the projected
growth of our FlowGuard hot and cold plumbing system products, this plant will
be instrumental in enabling us to better meet the growing demands in the
market."
"Lubrizol
remains committed to supplying our customers and manufacturing partners with
quality piping solution products for their continued global growth,"
states John Nunnari, global general manager of TempRite Engineered Polymers. "Utilising the most advanced compounding
technology developed in the U.S., the India compounding plant is expected to
provide us with a strong, reliable manufacturing base for India and other
nearby markets."
A
groundbreaking ceremony at the Dahej site on April 4 was attended by Eric
Schnur, president of Lubrizol Advanced Materials; John Nunnari, global general
manager of TempRite Engineered Polymers; Timothy Madden, managing director of
Lubrizol Advanced Materials, South Asia; and various other members of the
Lubrizol India management team.