Phillips Carbon Black Ltd. (PCBL) plans to establish a greenfield production facility in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu with its recent signing of an MoU with the government of Tamil Nadu for setting up its fifth plant in the country. The company says the plant is targeted to have a capacity of 147 kilotonnes/year of varied grades of rubber and speciality carbon blacks.
The plant is the most recent in an expansion exercise undertaken by the Indian producer. Last year, PCBL added two lines at its facility in Palej with a capability of 30 kilotonnes/year producing carbon black grades for specialty black applications, such as plastics, inks, paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants, fertilisers, batteries and other niche applications.
In 2019, PCBL also expanded its manufacturing at its unit in Mundra, Gujarat, by 50 kilotonnes/year.
PCBL is said to be the largest Indian carbon black producer with 570 kilotonnes/year of manufacturing capability, followed by Birla Carbon, with about 310 kilotonnes/year.