Page 122 - CW E-Magazine (31-12-2024)

Point of View
FOR YOUR COMPETITIVE AND DIRECT IMPORTS FROM OUR ACCREDITED OVERSEAS
MANUFACTURERS FOR THE ITEMS AS UNDER:-
Pipeline supply of PEO – an important step in chemical logistics
Till recently, all of India’s supplies of purified ethylene oxide (PEO) to consumers was done through road tankers. But in June pipeline 5-Ethyl-2-Methylpyridine Calcium Phospholactate
supplies of PEO commenced from RIL’s Dahej site to Sterling Auxiliaries. This initiative has been a long time coming due the many statutory Ammonium Acetate Calcium Propionate
approvals needed but is welcome as it makes for efficient and, more importantly, safer logistics. Chlorine is already being supplied by pipeline Ammonium Adipate Calcium Saccharate
(over short distances), but India needs more of pipeline transfers. Ammonium Citrate Calcium Stearate
Ammonium Formate Calcium Sulfate
Can the caustic soda industry raise exports to tackle the likely new supply from vinyl producers? Ammonium Lactate Calcium Tartrate
In response to the strong market signals in the vinyl industry, two new projects for PVC resin are under implementation – from RIL Ammonium Oxalate Cyanuric Chloride
and the Adani Group – and one from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is on the drawing boards. All are expected to have their own plants for Ammonium Tartrate Cyclohexene
chlorine, which raises the question as to how the co-produced caustic soda (about 1 tonne for every 0.9-tonne of chlorine) will be utilised. Calcium Acetate Ferric Ammonium Citrate
Calcium Bisglycinate Ferric Ammonium Oxalate
One way is to ramp up exports from the current levels, but this will be challenging as competitiveness in international markets will be Calcium Carbonate Ferric Ammonium Sulfate
determined not just by manufacturing economics here, but also by the cost of logistics to ship a low value product to faraway markets. Calcium Chloride Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate
Calcium Citrate Guanidine Carbonate
Calcium Citrate Malate Guanidine Nitrate
Grasim’s entry into paints – a ‘Jio’ moment with a difference Calcium Copper EDTA Hydroxyacetone
In February 2024, the Aditya Birla Group (Grasim) launched its paints brand ‘Birla Opus’ and commenced manufacturing at three facilities – in
Panipat (Haryana), Ludhiana (Punjab) and Cheyyar (Tamil Nadu) – with a cumulative capacity of with 533-mlpa (million litres per annum). This, Calcium Disodium EDTA Magnesium Acetate
Calcium Formate
Malononitrile
the biggest ever market entry in the Indian paints industry, will eventually see three more plants for architectural paints by the end of FY25, to take Calcium Fumarate N-Valeroyl Chloride
overall capacity to 1,332-mlpa – greater than of second, third and fourth players put together, and catapult Grasim to second spot,only behind Calcium Gluconate O-Cyclohexylphenol
Asian Paints (1,700-mlpa).
Calcium Glycerophosphate Ortho Chlorobenzonitrile
Calcium Hydroxide Para Chlorobenzonitrile
Grasim’s entry is a ‘Jio’ movement in the Indian paints industry. The difference is that the market leader will be seriously challenged, Calcium Lactate Gluconate P-Cymene
not dethroned, with the disruptor only one notch lower in market ranking! Calcium Malate Potassium Carbonate
Calcium Nitrate Potassium Hydroxide
Pen-G production set to revive in India; this time, on firmer grounds Calcium Oxalate Thiophenol
Aurobindo Pharma – one of the leading antibiotics producers – announced the commissioning of its new plant for making Penicillin-G, a Calcium Phosphate Valeronitrile
key building block for antibiotics such as ampicillin and amoxycillin. Set up at an investment of Rs. 2,400-crore, and a world-scale capacity
of 15,000-tpa, it marks a rebirth of an industry that was once sizeable in India but was decimated by Chinese competition.
PLEASE CONTACT WITH YOUR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
While the economics of Pen-G projects are closely guarded by the companies, experts reckon the key to profitability is the development
and use of world-class strains and technologies. CHEMET

Green hydrogen projects take off
In 2023 the government announced a National Green Hydrogen policy and followed it up in 2024 with a slew of measures to encourage
investments. About 10 green hydrogen projects are in the works now, including from two large business houses (Adani and RIL), and the HEAD OFFICE : Span Centre, 2nd Floor, Ramakrishana Mission Road, Santacruz(West), Mumbai - 400 054, INDIA.
national target is to produce 5-mt of by 2030, from virtually nil today. Tel : +91-22-66802222 / 26045601 E-Mail : info@chemetindia.com Website: www.chemetindia.com
BRANCH OFFICES
The government is emphasising holistic development of this sector (unlike lithium-ion batteries wherein there are legitimate fears
of trading fossil fuel dependence to a mineral & metal vulnerability). Substantial public money has been allotted for R&D and technology AHMEDABAD OFFICE : 1101, Safal Prelude, HYDERABAD OFFICE : Flat No. 104, K1 Primo,
development to be on the global frontier in each part of the value chain. One can be optimistic about India’s ability to emerge as a sizeable Corporate Road, Nr.Prahladnagar Garden, Kondapur X Roads, Hanuman Nagar, Kondapur,
hub for green hydrogen. Anandnagar, Ahmedabad - 380 015, INDIA. Hyderabad-500 084, Telangana, INDIA.
Tel : +91-79-40370725
Tel : +91-40-4856 5970 / 71
A herd mentality poses risks E-Mail : chemetahmedabad@chemetindia.com
There are several commonalities amongst the new petrochemical projects. For one, the emphasis seems to be on building the C3 NEW DELHI OFFICE : 214, Hans Bhavan, E-Mail : chemethyderabad@chemetindia.com
(propylene) value chain. This is not surprising as FCC propylene offers a simple, low-cost route to the olefin and one that can be conveniently Wing No.1, Bahadurshah Zafer Marg, KOLKATA OFFICE : Sharma House, 3rd Floor, 1/2, Lord
retrofitted into existing refinery operations. There is also an overwhelming emphasis on PP production, which may not be wise, as it runs New Delhi - 110 002, INDIA. Sinha Road, Kolkata - 700 071, INDIA.
the risk of overbuild should demand growth not pan out as anticipated. There are other propylene derivatives that can be considered, and
these merit attention if not by the refiners themselves then by third party investors for whom it will be more worthwhile. India needs a much Tel : +91-11-45751865 Tel : +91-33-22827247 / 22826511
larger and more diversified chemical industry than now. The former it seems is happening; not so sure of the latter. E-Mail : chemetdelhi@chemetindia.com E-Mail : chemetkolkata@chemetindia.com
CHENNAI OFFICE : 8-J, Century Plaza, 560-562,
Seen alongside announcements made notably by oil refining companies pinning their growth aspirations on petrochemicals, the project Anna Salai, Teynampet, Chennai - 600 018, INDIA.
announcements point to a welcome enthusiasm. But the tough competitive environment in most value chains poses commercial risks. Tel : +91-44-24342245 / 24349301
Ravi Raghavan E-Mail : chemetchennai@chemetindia.com

122 Chemical Weekly December 31, 2024

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