The Lubrizol Corporation will invest over $150 million (about ₹1,200 crore) across different projects in India. According to the specialty chemicals maker, the investments will be made into setting up CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) resin plant in Vilayat, doubling the capacity at its site in Dahej in Gujarat and opening a grease lab in Navi Mumbai.
These projects are expected to provide 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Lubrizol and Aditya Birla group company Grasim Industries will break ground on the first phase of a 1-lakh-tonne modern CPVC resin plant at Grasim’s site in Vilayat this year. This will be the largest single-site capacity for CPVC resin production globally. The products will be sold under Lubrizol’s FlowGuard Plus, Corzan and BlazeMaster brands.
India is one of the largest consumers of CPVC, primarily in the form of plumbing pipe and fittings, and growing needs for clean water in all residential and commercial buildings will drive continued growth, said the company.
Lubrizol will double its existing CPVC compound capacity at Dahej from existing 70,000 tonne to 1.40 lakh tonne. This capacity will also cater to neighbouring high growth markets like Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia.
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Lubrizol is planning to setup a local research and development centre, which will be its second global R&D centre after North America.
Since 2020, the company’s additives business has launched over 35 new blends for transportation and industrial applications localised in India, adding a new storage facility and filtration capabilities at its production site in Turbhe.
Rebecca Liebert, President and CEO, Lubrizol, said, “Building on 50 years of success in India, the company is adding new manufacturing, lab and R&D sites, supporting in-country innovation that allows it to serve needs not only in India but in neighbouring countries.”
Lubrizol’s work in India dates back to 1966 when the company initiated in-region manufacturing for chemical additives supporting transportation and industrial markets. It expanded significantly since then, supporting a wide variety of industries through products and solutions purpose built for the region.