Philips Carbon Black Limited (PCBL) plans to establish a sixth manufacturing facility in India as part of its capacity expansion strategy. The new plant will be located on a 116-acre site in Naidupeta, Andhra Pradesh, and is expected to have a production capacity of 400,000-450,000 tonnes per year.
The first phase of the project will involve setting up a 150,000-tonne-per-year carbon black plant with an estimated investment of INR 9.5-9.6 billion. The company anticipates completing this phase within 2-2.5 years, according to Raj Gupta, Chief Financial Officer of PCBL Chemical Limited. The site’s proximity to major ports such as Kattupalli and Krishnapatnam is expected to facilitate logistics and reduce transportation costs.
PCBL recently expanded its manufacturing capacity with the commissioning of a 20,000-tonne-per-year specialty line in Mundra, bringing its total capacity to 790,000 tonnes per year. Additional expansion plans include a 30,000-tonne brownfield project in Tamil Nadu and a second-phase expansion of 60,000 tonnes, which will be accompanied by a 12 MW green power project.
In the specialty chemicals segment, PCBL has introduced ECOZENT6000, a product developed from recycled materials. The company has also received International Sustainability and Carbon Plus (ISCC) certification.
PCBL has reported increased international sales, particularly in Europe and North America. Export volumes to these regions have grown from a historical 7-8% to approximately 35%, with the company viewing disruptions in Russian carbon black supply as an opportunity for market expansion.
The company is also working on a nano-silica project, with a pilot plant currently under development. Plans include establishing a 2,000-tonne commercial facility for nano-silica production.