Profile

chlor-alkalis | epoxy resins | fluorine chemicals | peroxides | phosphates | sulphites

The Aditya Birla Chemicals business in Thailand operates under the companies — Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand) Limited and Thai Peroxide Company Limited. In India, it operates under four separate companies — Aditya Birla Nuvo, Grasim, Bihar Caustic and Tanfac.

There are six major product segments — chlor-alkali, epoxy, fluorine chemicals, peroxides, phosphates and sulphites.

Products are shipped in bulk to customers by a dedicated fleet of tankers with capacity of 12 mt and 24 mt. Exports of epichlorohydrin and allyl chloride are done in drums and ISO tanks.

Epichlorohydrin is a chemical intermediate used primarily in the manufacture of epoxy resins and synthetic glycerol. Allyl chloride is an intermediate material in the synthesis of many esters and ethers. Chlor-Alkali products such as caustic soda, chlorine, hypchloric acid and sodium hypochlorite are used in the following industries: rayon, pulp and paper, soaps, textiles, water and waste water purification as well as household cleaners and swimming pool sanitisers.

Grasim Industries' chlor-alkali plant is located at Nagda, in Madhya Pradesh state, India. Its capacity is 190,800 TPA, including an 18,250 TPA flake plant, making it the country's second largest caustic soda unit. The chlor-alkali plant of Aditya Birla Nuvo is located at Veraval, in Gujarat state, India. It has a capacity of 58,400 TPA of caustic soda which is being expanded by another 14,600 TPA.

Bihar Caustic and Chemicals Limited (BCCL) is one of the leading chlor alkali companies in India. Located in Palamu district in Jharkhand, the plant was commissioned in 1984 and become a subsidiary of Hindalco, an Aditya Birla Group company in 2003.The plant uses the most-modern, energy-efficient and environment friendly membrane cell technology. The company also has a state-of-the-art 30 mw captive power plant for uninterrupted power supply. BCCL is a member of several chemicals manufacturers' associations including Alkali Manufacturers Association of India (AMAI), Indian Chemical Council (ICC) and American Chemistry Council. Its product range includes caustic soda lye with a capacity of 92,750 tpa, liquid chlorine (6,500 tpa), hydrochloric acid (43,750 tpa), sodium hypochlorite (1,800 tpa), compressed hydrogen gas (17,42,400 Nm³/A), aluminium chloride (12,000 tpa) and stable bleaching powder (17,500 tpa).


Epoxy Resins

The company offers a wide range of epoxies and modifiers with different chemical structure, molecular weight, viscosity and functionality. All products are marketed under the brand name of EPOTEC, including liquid, solid, solutions, blends and other multifunctional epoxy resins.

The unit started off with a capacity of 10,000 tpa which was later expanded to 35,000 tpa. It has ISO 9001: 2000 and ISO 14001 certifications for its quality and environment management systems. The company has come a long way from being a 'product' to a 'solutions' provider. It works very closely with customers to provide superior value through tailored solutions and specialty formulations and systems.

Epoxy products find applications in adhesives, civil engineering, composites, casting and encapsulation of electrical components, and coatings including protective, marine, floor, powder, can and coil. A large part of the company's success can be attributed to a full-fledged in-house research and application development centre.

Its plant and facilities are spread over 60 acres in the chemical complex of SIPCOT at Cuddalore near Pondicherry, about 200 km from Chennai, Tamil Nadu state.

Tanfac, an ISO 9001, 14001, TPM certified company, is engaged in the manufacture of inorganic fluorine based chemicals such as aluminium fluoride, anhydrous hydrofluoric acid, sodium silico fluoride, ammonium bifluoride, potassium fluoride, cryolite and various other organic fluorine based chemicals.

Inorganic fluorine based chemicals manufactured by Tanfac have vital applications in industries as varied as aluminium smelting, petroleum refining, refrigerant gases, steel re-rolling, glass, ceramics, sugar, fertilisers, heavy water, etc.

Organic fluoro chemicals are used as intermediates in the manufacture of pharmachemicals and agrochemicals.

Tanfac — an ISO 9001, 14001, TPM certified company — focuses on a variety of specialty fluorides which are developed and manufactured depending on specific requirement of customers.

The plant at Saraburi, Thailand, which began operations in 1989, also offers special product grades to suit the customer's application needs. The company provides technical support to its customers for safe and economical usage of the products.

The plant uses state-of-the art technology from FMC Corp., the fourth largest producer in the world. It is one of the best bench-marked companies amongst FMC plants. FMC has made major contributions to the field of peroxygen technology for over 60 years from its extensive research facilities at Princeton, NJ, USA. With more than 70 years experience behind it, FMC produces 10 per cent of the world's hydrogen peroxide (50 per cent concentration).

The phosphate division (earlier known as Thai Polyphosphate & Chemicals Company Limited) was commissioned in 1984 to produce POLYPHOS® sodium tripolyphosphate. Its range of products includes sodium tripolyphosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monosodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, trisodium phosphate and speciality blended phosphates. The products are marketed and sold in 20 countries, including the USA and Asian countries.

The company helps the Thai economy generate foreign exchange by exporting a wide range of high quality specialty phosphates. It was the world's first manufacturer of sodium phosphates to receive (in 1997) the ISO-140001 certification, given to companies with outstanding environmental management systems. It has also received the prestigious Thailand's Prime Minster Award for Outstanding Performance in Environmental Conservation and the OHSAS/TIS18001 for safety management.

The division has all along focused on developing processes and technology in-house. It enjoys the status of 'preferred supplier' with clients located across the globe.

The division — with its manufacturing plant located in Saraburi province of Thailand —- markets its products, sodium sulphite and sodium metabisulphite, under the brand names Birlasulf®-SS and Birlasulf®-SM. The company has also developed value-added liquid sodium bisulphate that is marketed under the brand name Birlasol®-35. The products are used primarily in the photographic, food, water treatment, pulp and paper, leather, textiles, mining, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.