As India moves into many plastics markets for the first time, its compounders and concentrate makers want to reap the rewards.
``We saw growth of more than 20 percent in 2005, and we can do it again in 2006,'' said Hemant Minocha, technical director for Mumbai, India-based Rajiv Plastic Industries.
``Our growth has been in automotive and flexible packaging, and our export rate has increased to 20 percent,'' he said. ``It was 8 percent just a couple years ago.''
Rajiv is reviewing a $2 million plan to double the size of its plants in Mumbai and Silvassa, India. Together the sites employ 100 and have annual capacity of about 26 million pounds. Rajiv expects 2006 sales of about $9 million.
Mumbai-based PI Industries Ltd. will install a new twin-screw line this year at its Panoli plant, said marketing manager Amol Samant. PI now operates about 9 million pounds of capacity.
To date, PI has averaged 50 percent growth over the past three years, focusing on mineral- and glass-filled compounds based on polycarbonate, polypropylene and nylon, Samant said, but it wants more work in higher-end, higher-margin engineering plastics.
Plastichemix Industries of Vadodara, India, is commercializing new conductive and flame-retardant masterbatches, and mulling a site in Southeast Asia or the Middle East, said technical director Mayur Sheth. Combined, the firm's four plants have capacity of 22 million pounds, employ 300 and focus on black, white, color and additive masterbatches, mainly based on polyethylene and PP.