Expansions: Cosmo expands BOPP capacity; Solvay adds thermoplastic composite capacity in US

Indian packaging films maker Cosmo Films Limited has expanded by launching what it says will the world’s largest BOPP film production line at Aurangabad, India, with a rated capacity of 67,000 tones/year. The BOPP line will require investment of about US$47 million to be funded through internal accruals and debts and is expected to be commencing commercial production within FY 2024-25.

Backed by strong financial performance, the company has also declared its first interim dividend for FY2021-22.

Commenting on company’s performance Pankaj Poddar, CEO, Cosmo Films Ltd. said, “With current capacity expected to produce primarily speciality films (80%+) in next two years and projected BOPP film demand growth in India, the company has planned a capacity expansion that will be world’s largest production line with annual rated capacity of 67,000 MT with lowest cost of production.”

The company has also recently launched ZIGLY – said to be India’s first tech-enabled integrated pet-care platform – through the launch of its website www.Zigly.com and the opening of its flagship experience centre in New Delhi. Other growth plans include specialiaed BOPET line, focused towards growing specialty sales, said Poddar.

Cosmo Films was established in 1981 and founded by Ashok Jaipuria. Today, it specialises in specialty films for packaging, lamination, labelling and synthetic paper. Its customer base is spread in more than 100 countries with sales & manufacturing units in India and Korea and additionally sales & distribution base in Japan, US, Canada and Europe.

In other news, materials firm Solvay has completed its new thermoplastic composites (TPC) manufacturing facility at its Greenville, South Carolina site. At full production capacity, the new line will add more than 30 positions at the 27,000-sq-ft facility.

The project represents a major milestone in Solvay’s efforts to industrialise its TPC capacity. A key driver for the world-class facility is growing demand from energy companies, supported by increasing aerospace and automotive demand. The new product line will have the ability to manufacture unidirectional composite tape from a range of high-performance polymers including PVDF, PPS and PEEK.

“The TPC solutions that will be manufactured in our Greenville facility will help our energy, aerospace and automotive customers achieve better environmental responsibility by making cars and planes lighter, thereby reducing emissions,” said Mike Finelli, president of Solvay’s growth platforms. “Our new capacity and differentiated technologies will allow us to expand with our customers as TPCs gain momentum in a growing number of applications and play an important role in the energy transition.”

The Greenville facility is part of a series of recent strategic investments in line with the Group’s commitment to build the infrastructure required for the growing TPC market. Other recent commitments to the industry include Solvay’s addition of capacity for TPC tape in Anaheim (CA), two new R&I centres in Brussels (BE) and Alpharetta (GA), and Solvay’s membership in the TPRC consortium.

“Solvay’s expansion is yet another example of the unparalleled success companies are finding in South Carolina. We thank Solvay for their continued partnership with our state and look forward to their future growth in Greenville County and beyond,” said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.

Upon commercialisation of the Greenville facility, Solvay will be uniquely positioned with proprietary technologies enabling the company to position the right product for the right application. Solvay’s TPC portfolio includes Evolite, which offers reliability and lower total cost of ownership in markets such as energy and automotive, and APC tapes, which offer significant weight and cost advantages in aerospace and urban air mobility applications.

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