Copolymer PP from newly converted Reliance line hits market

16 July 2009 10:38  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--India's Reliance Industries has sent first copolymer polypropylene (PP) cargoes from its newly converted line into the local market, a source close to the company said on Thursday.

The 225,000 tonne/year plant, located at Hazira, in Gujarat state, was earlier producing only homopolymer PP.

"The company has installed a new reactor to feed ethylene needed to produce copolymer grade PP from this line,” the source said.

The conversion was completed last week, he said. The first 225,000 tonne/year PP line at Hazira was already producing copolymer PP.

Demand for copolymer grade from the automotive, home appliances, home furniture and crate segments is very strong, the source added.

"The company is currently catering only to the lower end segments such as furniture and paint pails, but will soon also reach out to the high-end sectors such as automobiles and home appliances," he said.

With the conversion of Reliance's second PP line, domestic nameplate capacity for copolymer PP has increased to 520,000 tonnes/year, although actual production is significantly lower. India's consumption of this PP grade material is currently 300,000 tonnes a year.

The only other Indian producer of copolymer PP, besides Reliance, is Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd, which produces around 70,000 tonnes/year of this grade.

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By: Prema Viswanathan
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