Expansions: Clariant inaugurates flame retardant plant in China; RadiciGroup inaugurates new engineering polymers plant in India

Swiss chemical firm Clariant has officially opened its new production facility for halogen-free flame retardants in Daya Bay, Huizhou, Guangdong.

The CHF60 million investment into the plant’s first production line will provide local customers with access to Exolit OP flame retardants and related technical expertise to support the significant growth of engineering plastics applications in E-mobility and electrical & electronic segments. A second line is under construction and expected to be onstream during 2024, representing a further CHF40 million investment.

The new plant will produce Clariant’s global range of patent-protected organophosphorus flame retardants and supplements the capacity of Clariant’s two Exolit OP plants in Knapsack, Germany. The team at the One Clariant Campus in Shanghai will support customers in the joint development and in-application testing of flame retarded solutions.

“With this world-class manufacturing plant, we strengthen our leading position and global competence in innovative and sustainable fire safety solutions. We have the proximity to better service customers in China and across the Asia Pacific region behind the innovative components, devices and systems advancing technological developments in e-mobility, infrastructure, 5G communications, energy delivery and more. Local production means we can improve cooperation and design tailored solutions to their developing needs as well as significantly reduce delivery lead times,” comments Angela Cackovich, President of BU Adsorbents & Additives, and Clariant EMEA Region.

Angela Cackovich continues: “Brands and equipment manufacturers are switching to non-halogenated flame retardants to address the challenges of increasing safety, sustainability and technical performance requirements in E-mobility and Electronics. For engineering plastics, our Exolit OP solutions can help fulfil needs for application safety improvements and the reliability of maintaining mechanical, electrical and fire retardancy performance properties over a product life cycle and after recycling.”

Despite the challenges posed by delays in equipment delivery, travel restrictions, and unpredictable supply chain interruptions, the teams from Clariant China and Europe, local authorities in the chemical park, and external partners pulled together to ensure the project was accomplished within 18 months, on schedule and on budget. All 1.2 million man hours worked since construction began were accident free, says Clariant.

The new flame retardant plant is operated by a 100-strong team of local employees and is located within the Huizhou Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone (Daya Bay Chem Park) in Guangdong Province. Clariant’s Daya Bay site utilises green electricity, enabling a significant reduction in Scope 2 (CO2) emissions, and is also home to its Care Chemicals Ethoxylation plant, which is currently undergoing a CHF 80 million expansion.

In other news, Italian firm RadiciGroup has inaugurated a new site, its first industrial site owned in India, employing over 100 collaborators and situated in the municipality of Halol in Gujarat: after 15 years of sales presence in the country. The industrial complex of 19,000 sq m, 11,000 sq m of which is dedicated to the manufacture of engineering polymers for numerous application sectors, such as automotive, electrical and electronics, consumer and industrial goods, and telecommunications.

A decision made on the basis of RadiciGroup’s multiyear experience in India, which has allowed the group to get to know the local market better and better, while growing steadily year after year. Today, RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers is a leading partner for many customers and, thanks to its new facility, is better equipped to take on global challenges, says the firm.

“It is a historic moment for us,” stated Maurizio Radici, vice president of RadiciGroup, who inaugurated the new site together with the management and staff of Radici Plastics India Pvt Ltd.

“Now, we are present in India with a manufacturing facility that is part of the RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers global production network, which can count on 7 other plants and numerous sales sites located in Europe, North and South America, and Asia.”

India is a market where having a strong presence is essential to seize growth opportunities in sectors requiring short reactive production chains.

“With this site, we’ll be able to respond much faster to our customers’ needs,” emphasised Federico Percassi, India country manager of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers. “It will enable us to shorten material development and supply times, given the possibility of fine-tuning tailor-made solutions by taking advantage of the skills of our Indian specialists, as well as continuing to rely on the support of our global organization. I’m sure that our teamwork will create valuable synergies and lead to mutual growth. Among other benefits, the new plant is located in an area that can allow for increases in production capacity, if necessary, to meet the growth potential of the market, not only in India.”

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