Swiss/Indian tie-up for masterbatch facility in India

Swiss masterbatch producer Granula has formed a joint venture with Som Shiva (Impex), an Indian plastics company, under the name Granula Masterbatches India Pvt. Ltd. to produce and sell masterbatches in the local market.

The new company will build a masterbatch production facility equipped with the latest production technology near Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat. Granula Masterbatches India (GMI) will be one of the first occupants of the new industrial zone that is being developed here. The company will mainly target sectors including the food packaging, medical, cosmetic and automotive industries in India. According to Granula, production is projected to start in the second quarter of 2017.

The increasing need for technical competence in plastics in India is boosting market demand for masterbatches. Granula’s masterbatch formulations modify and enhance end product properties, providing the consistent results that global brands depend on. Where international food contact approvals and competence for the medical or the automotive section is required, the new company will be one of the first addresses to contact.

“Right now, there is a huge, unmet demand for basic consumer goods in India. But this is changing fast with a vastly increasing middle class,” explained Jürg Weibel, owner and director of Granula. “As masterbatch producers, we see enormous opportunities in the steps India is taking to open up the domestic market and moving to higher quality products. We want to be part of that change.”

Granula says it combines technological strength with flexibility to respond quickly and effectively to customer demands, from colour matching and sampling through the development of new products. The product databases of both Granula and GMI are linked, providing the new company with access to thousands of existing and new formulations, and ensuring the highest levels of quality and consistency across the board.

“Granula is a development partner for numerous international brands,” said Weibel. “We want to have a presence on where we see great growth potential. GMI will not only bring latest technology to India, but also work closely with local partners and customers to jointly create value for their products in whatever polymer or end application they are in.”

Granula is a member company of Granula Group, a specialised supplier of colour and functional masterbatch solutions for plastics. Founded in 1961, the privately-owned Group currently operates at three production locations in Switzerland, Germany and India. Granula Group produces and sells a wide range of proprietary compounds and formulated colour, additives and combination batches in markets around the world, including Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.