Page 134 - CW E-Magazine (14-5-2024)

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AUTOMOTIVE COATINGS
BASF expands e-coat manufacturing facility in Mangalore

BASF’s coatings division has
announced the expansion of the e-coat
manufacturing facility at its Mangalore
site. E-coat, also referred to as electro-
phoretic or cathodic dip coating, serves
the purpose of safeguarding the car
body’s surfaces, edges, and cavities
from corrosion. Additionally, it effec-
tively smooths out the roughness of
pre-treated metal surfaces, creating an
ideal foundation for the subsequent
layers of paint to be applied.

BASF said the expansion is driven
by the growing demand for e-coat
solutions by local automotive OEM creased effi ciency, and higher reactivity dent, Global Automotive OEM Coatings,
customers in India, as well as custo- for electric vehicles. BASF. The BASF site in Mangalore has
mers in the South Asian and ASEAN been in operation since 1996, and it is
markets. With the expanded e-coat “India’s automotive market is boom- now BASF’s largest production facility in
manufacturing facility in Mangalore, ing with opportunities. With a mix of South Asia. In 2022, the coatings division
BASF will have the capability to manu- international and local car brands, and expanded the Automotive Coatings Appli-
facture the latest generation of e-coat evolving consumer behaviours, India cation Centre, and has since been utilising
products, such as ‘CathoGuard 800 holds immense potential for BASF,” global resources to bring advanced exper-
RE’ that offers lower consumption, in- said Mr. Patrick Zhao, Senior Vice Presi- tise and methodologies to the market.

PROJECT FINANCING
Adani’s petrochemical plant close to getting

Rs. 17,000-cr loan from SBI-led consortium

Adani Group’s petrochemical plant halted the project saying it had decided capacity of 1-million tonnes. The company
at Mundra is closer to getting a fresh to hold major equipment procurement is said to have secured approvals for a
lease of life as State Bank of India (SBI) and site construction activities pending total of 2-million tonnes per annum capa-
could be close to lending the project fi nancial closure, following the Hinden- city. In its annual report for FY 2022-23,
about Rs. 17,000-crore, according to a burg report that had alleged fi nancial Adani Enterprises had said the company
report in the Mint newspaper. The fi nd- fraud at Adani Group companies. Three would “leverage the group’s resources at
ing would amount to 60-70% of the capi- months later, though, in July, the group Mundra to build a state-of-the-art petro-
tal expenditure requirement of the pro- resumed work on the petrochemical chemicals industry to enhance PVC
ject. The loan, from a consortium led by plant, which requires an overall capex of import substitution”. “The company is
India’s largest lender SBI, will be part of Rs. 25,000-27,000-crore, or about $3-bn. planning to commission refi neries, petro-
a fi nancial closure programme for Adani chemicals complexes, specialty chemi-
Petrochemicals Ltd.’s coal-to-polyvinyl Mint had in July 2022 reported that cals units, hydrogen and related chemicals
chloride plant, which would be India’s Adani Group had approached SBI for a plants in a petrochemical cluster in Mundra,”
largest PVC manufacturing facility once Rs. 14,000-crore loan to build a the petro- it had said, adding that the company in-
completed, the report said. chemical plant in Mundra. Adani Petro- tended to explore opportunities to con-
chemicals expects the fi rst phase of the struct a petrochemical cluster in Mundra
The group had in March last year project to be completed by 2026, with a following the completion of the project.

134 Chemical Weekly May 14, 2024

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