FAIRLAWN, OHIO — A. Schulman Inc. has opened a plant making additive concentrates in Vadodora, India.
The plant — Schulman's first in that Asian nation — officially opened on April 29. It is located near the firm's customers' manufacturing facilities in western India, officials with Fairlawn-based Schulman said in an April 25 news release.
The plant also is near the coast line of the Arabian Sea, which will facilitate the shipment of raw materials for production, they added. Products made at the plant will be sold into India's growing flexible packaging, appliance and consumer products markets.
The plant's initial annual production capacity will be about 22 million pounds. Derek Bristow, vice president and general manager for A. Schulman's Asia-Pacific region, said in the release that the plant will be dedicated to providing masterbatch solutions for flexible packaging, white goods and cosmetics manufacturers in India.
"By opening this new plant in Vadodara, we are strengthening our position to serve our growing customer base in this attractive market," added Mannar Mannan Shanmugam, A. Schulman's general manager for India.
Schulman already operates Asia-Pacific plants in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. Prior to opening the new facility, A. Schulman was serving its masterbatch customers in India by exporting products from its Indonesian and Malaysian facilities. Officials said that these facilities will now focus exclusively on serving the growing demand for masterbatch products for flexible packaging applications in their respective markets.
When plans for the Indian plant were first announced in late 2010, Schulman officials said it was expected to employ 25.
Schulman ranks as a leading global compounder and concentrate maker, with sales of $2.1 billion in its 2012 fiscal year.
