BKT completes expansion of carbon black production facility

Mumbai, India – Balkrishna Industries Ltd (BKT) has completed its carbon black expansion project at Bhuj, Gujarat: increasing production capacity by 95ktpa to 360 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa).

BKT invested INR8 billion (€75 million) in the overall carbon black expansion, funded through “internal accruals,” the Indian tire maker said in a recent stock exchange filing.

Another internally funded investment of INR1.25 billion, the company has increased the capacity of an associated power plant expansion from 40MW to 64MW.

Both projects are in support of BKT ambitions to expand its tire manufacturing operations and increase its presence in the passenger car and commercial vehicle tire markets.

The carbon black project was approved as part of an INR35-billion capex programme announced in May 2025, covering carbon black, commercial vehicle tires, passenger car radial tires, rubber tracks and power generation.

BKT commissioned phase I of the carbon black expansion in December 2025, increasing annual capacity from 200ktpa to 265ktpa.

As previously reported by ERJ, the company is planning a further major expansion that would add around 300ktpa of additional carbon black capacity. (ERJ report)