By Liz White, UT editor
A report in the Economic Times of India says that Narmada Chematur Petrochemicals, a subsidiary of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers, is planning to invest about Rs 11000 million ($250 million) to set up a plant to manufacture toluene di-isocyanate (TDI).
The 4 Jan 2007 report said the project, to make 50 kilotonnes per annum of TDI, is expected to be announced during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit next week.
TDI is used to make flexible polyurethane foam for furniture and bedding uses.
Narmada is India's only isocyanate maker. Interviewed for UT in 2005, Jiten Desai, senior manager, marketing, said the group was about to further debottleneck its TDI plant in Bharuch, raising capacity to 18 from 14 ktpa. Desai added then that Narmada was also aiming to add a new plant, to make 50 ktpa of TDI, and was also interested in making MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate).
NCPL is back-integrated to aniline, where its initial 20 ktpa capacity has been raised to more than 35 ktpa, with a second 35-ktpa unit also being considered, Desai said.
A report on the NCPL website points out that the board has approved this aniline expansion in principle, doubling present capacity, through a capital outlay of about Rupees 1200 million."
