PCBL progresses carbon black expansion plans

Mumbai, India – PCBL Chemical has detailed the progress of its expansion plans, with initial procedures underway for a new greenfield rubber carbon black project in Andhra Pradesh, in south east India.

The Indian carbon black and speciality chemicals supplier said it had applied for environmental clearance for the proposed greenfield plant in Naidupeta, which will mark the group’s sixth manufacturing unit.

Speaking during a recent earnings call, group managing director Nilesh Koul said PCBL expected to receive the approvals “within a period of 12 months.”

According to PCBL’s previous announcements, the new facility will primarily focus on rubber black as well as performance and speciality chemicals. (ERJ report)

In the first phase, the group is planning to build a 150 kilotonne per annum (ktpa) unit mainly producing rubber grade carbon blacks.

Koul also pointed to other projects, saying that the group had commissioned 60ktpa brownfield expansion of rubber carbon black at its facility in Tamil Nadu.

With the commissioning, the overall group production capacity stands at 850ktpa, closer to the group’s 1 million tonne per annum target.

In addition to a number of trial runs and pre-commissioning process for speciality carbon blacks across its sites, PCBL said work had been initiated on a 4ktpa acetylene black plant, with commissioning due by March 2027.

“We are committed to meaningful investment in technology and digital capabilities also, aligning with our long-term vision,” said Koul during the earnings call.

PCBL, he added, ‘firmly believes’ that the coming quarter will reflect the benefit of all these investments.

In particular, the group MD believed that recent India-US and India-EU trade deals would position the group “on a stronger, more sustainable growth trajectory.”