Specialty chemicals firm Lubrizol commits $150m for expansion in India

Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway-owned specialty chemicals leader, is set to bolster its growth trajectory in India with an investment exceeding $150 million.

The commitment includes the establishment of India’s largest CPVC resin plant in Vilayat, Gujarat, doubling production capacity at its Dahej, Gujarat site, opening a new grease lab in Navi Mumbai, and fueling significant in-country job creation and innovation.

In collaboration with Grasim Industries Limited, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, Lubrizol is expected to begin construction on the first phase of a state-of-the-art CPVC resin plant later this year. Located at Grasim’s Vilayat site, the 100,000 metric-ton plant will become the largest single-site capacity for CPVC resin production globally. The resin produced at this facility will be used in Lubrizol’s FlowGuard Plus, Corzan, and BlazeMaster brands.

Lubrizol to double its existing CPVC compound capacity at its Dahej site. Photo courtesy of Business Wire.

Lubrizol also plans to double its existing CPVC compound capacity at its Dahej, Gujarat site from the current 70,000MT to 140,000MT, as well as establish a local R&D center, which will be its second global R&D center after North America. With this expansion, Lubrizol positions itself as the only company in India with end-to-end CPVC capability, capable of addressing the needs of local customers and expanding into high-growth markets like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

Earlier this year, Lubrizol unveiled a new grease lab in Navi Mumbai to support the testing and development of calcium sulfonate greases, offering high-performance, cost-effective solutions to grease manufacturers worldwide.

Since 2020, Lubrizol’s Additives business has launched more than 35 new blends for transportation and industrial applications localized in India, and added a new storage facility and filtration capabilities at its production site in Turbhe.

Rebecca Liebert — Lubrizol President and CEO said: “India is among the fastest-growing global economies with a favorable climate for business investment, including regional growth in many of the industries we support.

“We are building on 50 years of success in India by adding new manufacturing, lab and R&D sites, supporting in-country innovation and adding jobs that capitalize on the great expanding workforce and business conditions in India, allowing us to serve needs not only in India but in surrounding countries.”