Chemical World - April 2011

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Dear Reader,

‘Chemical World’ solicits original, well-written, application-oriented, unpublished articles that refl ect your valuable experience and expertise in the chemical process industry.

You can send us Technical Articles, Case Studies and Product Write-ups. The length of the article should not exceed 3000 words, while that of a product write-up should not exceed 200 words.

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Published by Infomedia 18 Ltd, ‘Chemical World’ is the leading monthly magazine exclusively meant for producers and user fraternities of the chemical process industry (CPI). Well supported by a national readership of over 80,000 and our strong network of 26 branch offi ces across India, this magazine reaches out to key decision makers among the Indian CPI. Moreover, it offers a broader platform facilitating effective interaction among several fraternities of these industries by enabling them in reaching out to their prospective buyers & sellers through better trade contacts and more business opportunities.

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7April 2011 | Chemical World

EDITORIAL

F or a chemical process plant, both safety and performance matter a lot towards achieving optimum output. In this context, and given the increasing need

for systematic integration of process technology, plant engineering and energy management, among others, the role of information technology (IT) and automation cannot be overemphasised. The effects can be seen from the field level to the Manufacturing Execution System (MES)/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) level, from process development through engineering to intelligent processes, quality monitoring and process optimisation.

As a result of integration, plant productivity gets a boost right from the planning stage through operation, maintenance and modernisation up to the next phase of expansion. Here, it will not be an overstatement to say that automation can play a decisive role in raising the competitiveness of a production unit.

Process simulation, thanks to IT and automation, can be a strategic enabler to not only drill deeper into plant performance-related parameters, but also ensure plant optimisation and explore new opportunities to increase capacity. Moreover, it can go a long way in precise prediction of process conditions, parameters, quality & yield of products as well as design requirements.

New production units especially can benefit from process simulation even before the construction begins. As an ideal tool to help lay out machinery, controls and inventory storage locations, it can add to the efficiency of plant operation right from the beginning. To know more as to how IT and automation technologies are helping the chemical process industry achieve operational excellence and implement safety measures, turn to the ‘Sector Watch’.

Now, let us look at another segment, which forms an intrinsic part of the process industry. With steady growth in the country’s economy, the industrial valves are witnessing a significant increase in demand, arising from an array of end-use sectors like chemicals & petrochemicals, power, water & infrastructure projects, metal & mining, drugs & pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, etc. Also, with safety being the buzzword, it is critical to choose the right valve for the right application that may vary from expansion of capacities to de-bottlenecking or routine maintenance and repair of process plants. The ‘Industry Update’ offers further insights into it. Read on...

Integrating productivity and safety

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Editor: Manas R Bastia

Editorial Advisory Board

Pothen Paul Executive Chairman, Aker Powergas Pvt Ltd

D P Misra Director, TCE Consulting Engineers Ltd and Former Director General, ICC

P D Samudra Executive Director (Sales) & Member of the Board, Uhde India Ltd

Manas R [email protected]

Chemical World | April 20118

CONTENTS

Highlights of Next Edition

LEADERS SPEAK “India is an important market for Dow Corning’s future” 24...says Jean-Paul Mollie, Regional President - Middle East, South Asia and Africa, Dow Corning

FACILITY VISITWACKER Chemie AG: Revolutionising salt processing technology 26

SECTOR WATCHIT and automation: Giving a safe touch to the industry 32

INDUSTRY UPDATEIndustrial valves sector: E‘valving’ from strength to strength 35

PRACTICAL TIPS Vacuum pump selection: Systematic approach key for optimal benefits 38Courtesy: Everest Blower Systems

TREND ANALYSIS Peristaltic pumps: Not Just for labs anymore 40Courtesy: Cole-Parmer India

COATINGS CORNER Global economic recovery: On the right track? 42Dr Mosongo Moukwa, Vice President - Technology, Asian Paints Ltd

SAFETY ZONE Walkthrough audit: Keeping occupational hazards at bay 47K N K Murthy, Consultant

MARKET ANALYSIS C5 tackifier adhesives market: On a ‘bonding’ note 49Vivek Patel, Consultant

REPORT Engineering Expo Chennai 2011: Channelising knowledge, building brands 54

REGUL AR SECTIONSEditorial ...................................................... 7National News ......................................... 10World News............................................. 16Tech Updates ........................................... 20Project Updates ....................................... 22Events Calendar ....................................... 52Technology Transfer ................................. 58Product Update........................................ 60Product Index........................................... 71Advertisers’ List ....................................... 72

2424

3232

3535

Note: ` stands for Indian rupee, $ stands for US dollar and £ stands for UK pound, unless mentioned otherwise

The chemical industry: Towards a sustainable futureRenowned industry experts deliberate upon some of the key areas such as technology, energy & waste management, safety, R&D, logistics, etc, to achieve sustainability in business

Industry Update: Alternative Energy/Fuels Details on page no. 28, 52

3838 4040

7th Anniversary Special


NATIONAL NEWS

NEW FACILITY

Deepak Fertilisers plans ` ` 1,500-crore plant in Australia

Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd (DFPCL), one of the leading chemical companies in the country, plans to set up a mega chemical plant in Australia to tap its booming mining sector. This will be Deepak’s first major overseas venture and its first step towards setting up a global footprint. DFPCL has earmarked

an investment of over ` 1,500 crore to set up a 300 kilo tonne per annum Technical Ammonium Nitrate (TAN) plant in South Australia.

“South Australia is rich in minerals but much of it is not exploited. That gives us a lot of opportunity to manufacture a product and a ready market for it,” said Shailesh Mehta, Managing Director, DFPCL.

The company will be able to use its expertise in manufacturing chemicals, particularly TAN, to offer a quality product, he said, adding that DFPCL might look at importing ammonia for the plant from Middle East and

Southeast Asia. DFPCL is one of the leading TAN manufacturers in India and is in the process of trebling its capacity in the country from the current 1.32 lakh tonne per annum to over 4 lakh tonne per annum within this calendar year. The company gets 90 per cent of its revenues from manufacturing and marketing of chemicals.

Mehta said the South Australian Government has already allotted land for the project and now the company will embark on the next phase of preparing a detailed feasibility report and environment impact assessment study.

INAUGURATION

H2O Innovation sets up first plant in India

H2O Innovation Inc recently announced that its Indian joint-venture H2O Innovation India Ltd, Mumbai, has inaugurated its first manufacturing plant near Vadodara, and secured $ 4.2 million in bookings of water treatment systems and equipment for industrial Indian customers within its first year of operation. The plant’s manufacturing

capabilities are equivalent to those of the company’s plants located in Ham-Nord, QC and Minneapolis. This new production capacity will enable H2O Innovation India to locally ensure detailed engineering, together with assembly, welding, pipe fitting, in-house performance testing and programming, among other operations. It will also enable H2O Innovation India to have a better control on delivery schedule and to strictly honour its commitments towards its customers.

As part of the contracts awarded this year, H2O Innovation India provides custom-designed plants for specialised applications and also offers

packaged units, system optimisation & after-sales service.

“We are proud to see that H2O Innovation India has successfully secured these contracts within the first year of operation, while constituting a sizeable backlog and developing a growing sales pipeline in such a short period of time,” stated Nirmal V Shah, Managing Director, H2O Innovation India.

Firmly open to renewable energy & sustainability, the company believes that the Indian industrial and commercial water treatment market should give H2O Innovation India the opportunity to actively make use of its advanced water reuse applications.

TAKEOVER

Huntsman acquires Laffans PetrochemicalsThe American chemicals major Huntsman Corporation recently announced its takeover of Gujarat-based chemicals producer Laffans Petrochemicals, and has also taken the ownership of the company’s 60 kilo tonne ethylene oxide derivatives facility at Ankleshwar.

The $ 9-billion Texas-based Huntsman is a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals to industries such as chemicals, plastics,

automotive and aviation, among others. Huntsman India has its facilities at Navi Mumbai and has been having a technical collaboration with Laffans for the past two years. India contributed a little over 3 per cent of its global revenue of $ 9.2 billion in 2010. Laffans, set up in 1994 to manufacture ethylene oxide derivatives, had revenues in excess of $ 50 million in 2010.

The Ankleshwar unit operates the largest loop reactor in the country and its glycol ethers and acetates unit has a capacity of 30,000 tonne per annum. The Ankleshwar plant of Laffans

produces specialty intermediates for use in agrochemicals, household & personal care products, oil & gas applications and automotive lubricants & brake fluids.

Post-deal, the chemicals business of Laffans becomes an integral part of Huntsman Performance Products, giving the division its first dedicated production plant in the country.


NATIONAL NEWS

JOINT VENTURE

UPL to buy 50 per cent stake in Sipcam Isagro BrazilUnited Phosphorus Ltd (UPL), one of the largest agrochemical companies in India, recently said that it will acquire a 50 per cent stake in Sipcam Isagro Brazil. Sipcam Isagro Brazil is a joint venture between two Italian firms – Sipcam-Oxon group and Isagro. Both the companies have signed a pact under which Isagro will exit the joint venture and UPL will join

with 50 per cent stake. The deal size is being pegged around $ 600 million.

Sipcam, a local producer and distributor of agrochemicals, has a formulation plant in Brazil with capabilities in various formulation types for crop protection products. Its revenue stood at about $ 1 billion last year. With this acquisition UPL will make its entry into Brazil’s $ 7-billion crop protection market, among the five largest in the world. “Given the high entry barriers this

market enjoys coupled with UPL’s limited presence locally, Sipcom represents a unique opportunity to kickstart operations on a larger scale,” said Jai Shroff, Chief Executive Officer, UPL. Through this new venture, the company will target untapped and better market opportunities, Shroff added.

CAPACITY EXPANSION

Sudarshan Chemicals pumps in ` 100 crore at Roha plant

Pune-based pigment manufacturer Sudarshan Chemical Industries Ltd is upgrading its manufacturing facility

at Roha in Raigad district with an investment of ` 100 crore. The new plant will cater to the automotive coatings, plastics and cosmetics industry. The plant will also recycle 1,000 cubic metre of water per day. This pigment production plant is spread over 89 acre and includes a warehouse, R&D and application laboratory.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajesh Rathi, Director, Sudarshan Chemical

Industries Ltd, said, “The current expansion at Roha is part of a phase-wise strategy for the company to become the 4th largest pigment company in the world, by the end of 2014, with a focus on high performance pigments for the coatings, plastics and specialty ink markets.”

Sudarshan exports 60 per cent of its total production. It spends ` 14 crore annually on R&D.

ACQUISITION

Emerson acquires Fisher Sanmar joint ventureEmerson Process Management recently announced that it has acquired full ownership of its Fisher Sanmar Ltd joint venture from Sanmar Engineering Corporation, expanding its capabilities in India. This acquisition adds to Emerson Process Management’s offering of control valves, industrial

regulators and other process technologies & services through the Fisher brand. The purchase price was $ 135 million for the business and additional land.

The company, expected to be renamed Emerson Process Chennai Pvt Ltd, will expand sales, service and industry coverage of Emerson Process Management in India. Sales of the joint venture in FY 2010 was about

$ 40 million. “We have had a productive partnership with Sanmar. Over the last 18 years, they have established excellent customer relationships and built a strong foundation,” said Terry Buzbee, President, Emerson Process Management - Fisher business.

PLANT COMMISSIONING

Uhde India commissions caustic soda project for Jayshree Chemicals

Uhde India has successfully commissioned Jayshree Chemicals’ 152 Tonne Per Day (TPD) membrane cell caustic soda conversion

project at Ganjam, Orissa. The scope of the contract covered know-how, basic & detailed engineering, project management services, supply of membrane cell elements, procurement & site supervision services for cell assembly, start-up, commissioning & performance test run.

The 152-TPD plant uses the latest 5th generation membrane cells involving Uhde’s proven energy-efficient and environment-friendly membrane cell technology, which is at work in over 70 per cent of the membrane cell plants

in India. The contract to convert the 70 TPD mercury cell plant was awarded to Uhde India in mid-2009.

Jayshree Chemicals is primarily engaged in manufacturing of caustic soda – chlorine and distribution of caustic soda, chlorine & hydrochloric acid. Uhde India is among the leading engineering consulting companies in India, with the distinction of being the only consultant to offer comprehensive solutions for the caustic soda industry under a ‘single roof’.


NATIONAL NEWS

EXHIBITION

LANXESS showcases latest offerings at Aquatech 2011

LANXESS, one of the leading specialty chemicals company in the world, participated at the recently held Aquatech India trade show to showcase the applications of its premium products, namely Lewatit® ion exchange resins. At this exhibition, LANXESS showcased

products for industrial and potable water treatment.

The main products for industrial water treatment are Lewatit® MonoPlus S 108 and Lewatit® S 1667. Lewatit® MonoPlus S 108 is a new strongly acidic, gel-type cation exchange resin with beads of uniform size (monodisperse). Due to a special manufacturing process, this resin is extremely resistant to chemical, osmotic and mechanical stress. Lewatit® S 1667 is a monodisperse, strong acidic cation exchanger, which was newly developed for industrial water softening.

LANXESS has more than 70 years of experience with the production and application of ion exchange resins. The Lewatit® brand stands for innovative

filtration media and at the same time, also for innovative and highly efficient technologies, such as the fluidised bed or multistep process.

LANXESS is investing globally in new production facilities for ion exchangers and other products that are key to water treatment. LANXESS has set up a new state-of-the-art production facility for ion exchange resins in Jhagadia, Gujarat, which is operational since December 2010. It boasts of an annual capacity of 35,000 metric tonne. Around 200 employees from the Ion Exchange Resins (ION) business unit manufacture products for industrial water treatment for the semiconductor, pharmaceutical, food and power industries.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Dow Formulated Systems showcases technologies at PU Tech 2011

Dow Formulated Systems, a business unit of Dow Chemical International Pvt Ltd (Dow India), participated at PU Tech 2011 held from March 09-11, 2011. Dow showcased the latest in molecular

chemistry and process technology solutions, which enable the development and offering of products & solutions for a variety of customer applications.

Commenting on Dow’s participation at PU Tech 2011, Vipul Shah, President, South East Asia, India and Pakistan, said, “India is a key market for Dow Formulated Systems. We constantly look forward to engage with our customers and share Dow’s progress in understanding molecular chemistry and process technology. Through our participation in PU Tech, we highlighted our ability to deliver advanced,

affordable and sustainable solutions for commercial buildings, household appliances and automotive industries.”

During PU Tech, Dow Formulated Systems offered energy-efficient solutions for commercial buildings and recent advancements in environmental solution for cold chain; high resilience (HR) and viscoelastic (VE) specialty foams that provide improved comfort and support in ‘all foam’ mattresses; and product & technology expertise that create solutions for the household appliance markets.

CORPORATE RESTRUCTURE

Tata Chemicals rebrands global subsidiariesTata Chemicals Ltd (TCL), part of US $ 67.4 billion Tata Group, recently announced a major rebranding initiative embracing its subsidiaries in the UK, the US and Kenya under the Tata Chemicals corporate brand. The Tata brand today is well-recognised in these geographies and this move of creating a common global identity for Tata Chemicals is envisaged to strengthen the Tata Chemicals brand across the globe.

Following the operational integration across the subsidiaries, this move will open up opportunities for Tata Chemicals to be more customer-centric, with a strong supply chain capability spanning four continents under a common corporate brand.

The following corporate brand transition would be effective from April 1, 2011; General Chemicals Industrial Products Inc to be called Tata Chemicals North America Inc; General Chemicals (Soda Ash) Partners to be called Tata Chemicals (Soda Ash) Partners; Brunner Mond (UK) Ltd to

be called Tata Chemicals Europe Ltd; Magadi Soda Company Ltd to be called Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd; Brunner Mond SA (Pty) Ltd to be called Tata Chemicals South Africa Pty Ltd.

R Mukundan, Managing Director, Tata Chemicals, said, “This transition demonstrates Tata Chemicals’ intention to build a strong and sustainable global Tata Chemicals brand.”

R Mukundan

LANXESS’ stall at Aquatech


NATIONAL NEWS

NEW EXPORT CLIENT

HTW adds China to its export destinationHindustan Tin Works (HTW) continues its success story in exports, with a fresh order from China, potentially making India another export hub for the metal can industry in Asia. Exports from HTW have grown by 341 per cent in last 5 years, with HTW now exporting to 22 regions across the world including,

the US, Australia, Europe, Africa, Middle East and South East Asia, with its latest customer being in China.

“Since 2006, HTW has invested over $ 11 million in technology upgrades and quality improvement, bringing our plant up to a world-class manufacturing standard. The exports to China, marking a strengthening of our global relationship with an existing multinational customer, is a milestone

for an Indian can maker and shows that like China, India has the potential to become a major exporter of printed sheets, components and cans to the world,” said Atit Bhatia, Senior Vice President, HTW.

SAFETY AWARD

BASF’s Mangalore site awarded by Government of Karnataka

As part of the 40th National Safety Day 2011 celebrations held in Bellary recently, the Government of Karnataka announced the results of its state-level safety awards. BASF’s Mangalore Site was declared the winner of the ‘Safe Industry Award’ in the medium-scale category and the ‘Safe Boiler Award’ in the State of Karnataka.

P P Shetty, Senior GM, BASF Mangalore Works, accepted the awards

on behalf of BASF at the hands of B N Bachegowda, Minister for Labour & Sericulture, Government of Karnataka.

“At BASF, economic considerations do not take priority over Environment Health and Safety (EHS) issues. We hold regular safety audits and training programmes to sustain our EHS performance,” said Prasad Chandran, Chairman, BASF Companies in India and Head - South Asia.

PRODUCT LAUNCH

Jotun launches premium decorative paint range in IndiaJotun Paints, one of the leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings globally, has announced the launch of its latest premium paint range Lady Effects in India. The company claims that the new line offers superior finish and new interior effects, which allows customers to be more artistic in selecting the

colours to complement their lifestyles and personalities.

Percy Jijina, General Manager, Decorative, Jotun India Pvt Ltd, said, “As a firm believer of innovation, we have developed Lady Effects to offer customers the opportunity to use their homes as the canvas where they can showcase their personality and preferences. It is our most exclusive product range to be launched in the premium product category in India

and is targeted at high-end consumers for decorative application.”

Jotun has formulated a new innovative product line that can create unique effects for walls and marble floorings.

CAPACITY UTILISATION

IFFCO’s Paradip unit achieves record production

Fertiliser giant IFFCO’s plant at Paradip, Orissa, has achieved record production of 16.62 lakh tonne during 2010-11, surpassing the target of 16.30 lakh tonne for the year. The highest-ever

yearly complex fertiliser production of 16.62 lakh MTs was achieved during 2010-11 as against the previous annual record of 15 lakh MTs in 2009-10.

Similarly, the highest-ever production of 6.56 lakh MTs phosphoric acid was achieved during the year surpassing the previous production record of 4.62 lakh MT in 2009-10, according to M R Patel, Sr Executive Director. The highest-ever yearly sulfuric acid production of 19.00 lakh MT was achieved by the

Paradip plant in 2010-11 surpassing 14.28 lakh MT in 2009-10, he said.

Record diammonium phospate (DAP) production of 9.16 lakh MT was achieved in 2010-11 surpassing the previous yearly highest production of 5.93 lakh MT 2007-08.

Capacity utilisation of the plant was also impressive as it achieved the highest-ever yearly complex fertiliser plant capacity utilisation of 94.81 per cent surpassing previous highest of 90 per cent achieved in 2009-10.

P P Shetty (first from left) receiving the award

Atit Bhatia

Jotun Paints’ new decorative paint range

WORLD NEWS


MEGA DEAL

Solvay makes $ 4.8 billion offer to buy Rhodia

The Belgian plastics and chemicals company, Solvay SA, has agreed to buy Rhodia SA of France for Euro 3.4 billion ($ 4.8 billion) in cash to add specialty chemicals spanning ingredients for moisturisers and car-part polymers. Including debt, the deal has an enterprise value of Euro 6.6 billion.

The deal ends Solvay’s year-long search for a takeover after it sold its drugs unit to its US partner, Abbott

Laboratories, in September 2009 for Euro 4.5 billion. The deal will significantly lift Solvay’s exposure to emerging markets, increasing its percentage of sales from fast-growing economies to 40 per cent. Rhodia is particularly strong in China & Brazil, and nearly 50 per cent of its sales came from high growth regions in 2010.

It will also enable Solvay to tap into higher-margin specialty chemicals, a fertile area for M&A in the chemicals sector, as some firms seek more profitable businesses and shift away from traditional low-margin bulk chemicals production.

According to Solvay, Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, Chairman and Chief Executive, Rhodia, will become Solvay’s

Deputy CEO and take over from Solvay’s current CEO, Christian Jourquin, once he retires.

Jourquin commented, “We are proud to announce this proposed friendly business combination. We have a shared vision in that we want to create a new group to achieve our goal of sustainable growth and development in chemistry. We see the possibility of creating a major global chemicals platform under the banner of Solvay.”

“The project is a fantastic opportunity for Rhodia. By joining Solvay, we will accelerate the overall development of our business, capitalising on a strong financial structure, our leadership positions, and an exceptional geographic footprint,” said Clamadieu.

PRICE HIKE

DuPont increases price of ethylene copolymer resins in Asia-Pacific

DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers recently announced a price increase of $ 20-40 per kilogram on all grades of DuPont ethylene copolymer resins for Asia-Pacific. This increase

will be effective soon. Despite its productivity efforts, this price increase has become necessary as a result of significant rise in raw material costs. This is also needed to support the continued reinvestment required for future market demand of high quality ethylene copolymers.

DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers is one of the leading manufacturers of high-performance resins and films for a variety of packaging and industrial applications. Its best known ethylene copolymer

products include DuPont™ Surlyn® resins for packaging and industrial applications, Bynel® coextrudable adhesives, Selar® PA amorphous polyamide barrier resins, Nucrel® acid copolymers, Elvax® EVA copolymers, Elvaloy®, Elvaloy® AC, Entira™ and Fusabond® modifiers.

Operating in more than 90 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture & food, building & construction, communications and transportation.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Arch Chemicals’ research summit focusses on biocide productsArch Chemicals research scientists and business personnel from around the world gathered recently for a Research Summit that highlighted progress towards the development of new biocide products and the opening of a new Innovation and Technical Center in Georgia.

Dr Alex Valcke, Vice President, Innovation, Arch Chemicals, said that Arch is well on its way towards its interim goal of generating 25 per cent

of revenues by 2013 from new products, services and technologies introduced in the past five years. The company has a number of new products in various stages of development, including some with game-changing potential in terms of safe and sustainable approaches for satisfying vital and unmet consumer needs.

The summit also included a progress report on Arch’s plan to consolidate most of its US-based research and technical customer support operations at a new Innovation and Technical Center in Alpharetta, Georgia. Led by Dr Valcke, the company’s innovation

research team will move into the facility in July, and by year end the new centre will be fully operational. Existing Arch research facilities in Connecticut and Delaware are being closed and the majority of its researchers and technical experts are relocating to Georgia. In addition, the company also has key research and technical centres worldwide to serve its global customers, including many in developing regions.

WORLD NEWS


CAPACITY EXPANSION

AkzoNobel plans to boost growth momentum with China expansion AkzoNobel is planning to invest more than Euro 60 million in boosting production capacity for its Bermocoll cellulose derivatives (paint and building material thickeners), providing additional momentum to the company’s accelerated growth strategy. The strategy includes doubling revenue in China to $ 3 billion

by 2015. In addition to the construction of new facility at its Ningbo multi-site in China, the company will also debottleneck the existing manufacturing site in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The two projects will increase capacity to close to 40,000 tonne per annum and elevate AkzoNobel to a global leadership position.

“This investment is all about meeting rapidly increasing customer demand and seizing an ideal opportunity to become market leader by establishing production

in Asia. High growth markets are central to our growth strategy and adding a second production unit for Bermocoll in Ningbo will add further impetus to our ambition to double revenue in China by 2015,” explained Rob Frohn, Board Member, Specialty Chemicals, AkzoNobel.

STRATEGIC INVESTMENT

Berkshire Hathaway to acquire Lubrizol for $ 9.7 billion

Berkshire Hathaway Inc and The Lubrizol Corporation have announced a definitive agreement for Berkshire Hathaway to

acquire 100 per cent of outstanding Lubrizol shares for $ 135 per share in an all-cash transaction. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of each company, is valued at approximately $ 9.7 billion, including approximately $ 0.7 billion in net debt, making it one of the largest acquisitions in Berkshire Hathaway history.

Warren Buffett, Chief Executive Officer, Berkshire Hathaway, said,

“Lubrizol is exactly the sort of company with which we would like to partner – the global leader in several market applications.”

James Hambrick, Chairman, President and CEO, Lubrizol, said, “This transaction provides compelling value to our shareholders and is a clear endorsement of the growth and diversification success Lubrizol has achieved. ”

TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

Aker Solutions builds technology experience centre in Oslo The Norway-based Aker Solutions will open the doors to its new 2,000 square metre technology experience centre in April 2012 in Oslo. The centre aims to demonstrate the art of engineering at its best, and show how science subjects contribute towards

development of technology and what this means to society as a whole.

The technology experience centre, with the current working title of Engineering Expo, is part of a new large-scale construction project at Fornebu outside Oslo. At the K2 lot, close to Aker Solution’s headquarters, new offices for Aker Solutions is currently being built, with Engineering Expo and a new hotel and conference centre by Nordic Choice

Hotels – called Quality Hotel Expo – part of the same complex. A unique collaboration is planned between the hotel and Engineering Expo. The partnership is the first-of-its-kind in Norway, where a technology experience centre and a hotel plus conference centre are co-operating closely.

ANALYTICAL TOOL

Cole-Parmer announces partnership with picoSpin

As a revolutionary breakthrough in spectrometry enters the market, its creators at picoSpin, LLC have engaged Cole-Parmer to sell their product

internationally. These exclusive rights apply to the picoSpin™ Benchtop NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectrometer, an innovative and disruptive technology that combines low price and a compact footprint, with true spectroscopic capability. With this combination of sought-after features, research labs and educators now have affordable access to a dedicated NMR spectrometer.

“NMR is the most powerful analytical tool in chemistry. One can now have

an NMR system right at his/her lab bench. He or she can deploy multiple units within a factory to continuously monitor process fluids and control them all from a web browser anywhere in the world,” said John Price, President and Chief Scientist, picoSpin, LLC.

The new device is a complete liquid-phase proton NMR system, including permanent magnet, transmitter, receiver, data acquisition, programmable pulse sequencer, ethernet interface, and intuitive web-based control software.

picoSpin™ Benchtop NMR

WORLD NEWS


NEW LAUNCH

Dow launches next generation water-based adhesives Dow Packaging and Converting, a business unit of the Dow Chemical Company, recently introduced ROBOND™ L-95D and ROBOND™ L-188, water-based laminating adhesives tailored to meet the requirements of the Asia-Pacific food packaging market. These two products will further strengthen its leading position in the market as an innovative solutions provider.

In compliance with the latest food safety regulations, the ROBOND™ L series adopts green technologies that help converters to provide safer food packaging solutions. In order to assist convertors improve product performance, increase efficiency and enable sustainable development, Dow has developed two products for the Asia-Pacific market that can be used across a wider range of applications compared with previous generations of water-based adhesives.

ROBOND™ L-95D is suitable for both transparent and metalised structures, and ROBOND™ L-188 technology is the first product in the market to solve the friction problem that is frequently encountered in the global food packaging industry.

EPC CONTRACT

Uhde to supply turnkey chlor-alkali electrolysis plant to Leuna-Harze

Uhde has begun construction of its first ever skid-mounted chlor-alkali

electrolysis plant in Leuna, Germany. Uhde was awarded the contract by Leuna-Harze GmbH, one of Europe’s leading producers of epoxy resin, to build a turnkey membrane electrolysis plant with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tonne of chlorine. Commissioning is planned for mid-2012. Uhde’s scope of services includes the process licence, design and engineering, procurement, construction work and commissioning

support. The world’s first skid-mounted chlor-alkali electrolysis plant is to be successfully implemented for the first time in Germany. The concept, which was developed by AkzoNobel, UHDENORA and Uhde, enables the economic viability of plants with annual capacities of up to 15,000 tonne of chlorine to be improved. For many chlorine consumers the concept will represent a viable alternative for the supply of liquid chlorine.

EXHIBITION

Pittcon attracts attendees from 87 countries Pittcon 2011, the world’s premier conference and exposition, has reported that 17,098 attendees participated in the annual conference and exposition, which was held from March 13-18, 2011, in Atlanta, Georgia. Twenty-five per cent of the participants came from 87 countries outside the US.

Penny Gardner, President, Pittcon 2011, said, “At a time when many other shows are experiencing a decline in attendance, Pittcon’s attendance is strong and steady, which indicates that the economy is moving in the right direction. Many exhibitors expressed that it was the best show they have had in years in terms of the number of generated leads for equipment purchases.”

The exposition included 979 exhibiting companies occupying 2,059 booths showcasing latest laboratory instrumentation, equipment and services across a broad range of applications and technologies.

PRICE HIKE

WACKER Polymers increases prices of dispersions in Europe

WACKER Polymers has raised the prices of its VINNAPAS® and VINNOL® vinylacetate and acrylate-

based dispersions in Europe. Prices for vinylacetate and acrylate-based dispersions have been increased by up to Euro 80 per tonne.

Despite ongoing cost optimising measures and productivity improvements, this measure has been necessitated by the continued increase in raw material prices. This price adjustment will further ensure constantly high product quality and technical innovations as well as optimum customer service & technical

support. VINNAPAS® and VINNOL® dispersions are applied in a broad variety of industries, ranging from adhesives, non-wovens, paints and coatings to paper, carpet and textiles.

WACKER Polymers is one of the leading producers of state-of-the-art binders and polymer additives based on polyvinyl acetate and vinyl acetate copolymers. These take the form of dispersible polymer powders and dispersions, polyvinyl acetates, resins and solutions.

WORLD NEWS


AUTOMATION

Rockwell Automation offers lifecycle service agreement to its customersRockwell Automation has developed a support offering to minimise the risk associated with using older or discontinued Rockwell Automation products. The Lifecycle Service Agreement is a single, comprehensive package of three unique services designed to provide ‘intensive care’ for obsolete

automation products. The agreement helps manufacturers minimise the serious financial consequences that can occur due to extended unplanned downtime when spare parts or speedy repair are unavailable for outdated Rockwell Automation components.

“There are many companies around the globe, which rely on legacy systems to meet today’s production demands, either because they do not have the capital to upgrade or because there are simply

too many outdated systems to address all at once,” said Lonnie Morris, Senior Manager, Rockwell Automation.

He further added, “In fact, ARC Advisory Group recently reported that 88 per cent of process manufacturers acknowledged the use of automation beyond the manufacturer’s obsolescence date.”

NEW PRODUCT

Waters introduces UPLC-based analyser

Waters Corporation recently introduced the Waters® PATROL UPLC® Laboratory Analyzer designed to meet the needs of process development laboratories for

real-time quality analytical data. Built on proven Waters UltraPerformance LC® (UPLC®) technology, this new solution provides scientists with mission-critical analytical data to guide decision-making at the earliest stages of manufacturing process development.

With the introduction of the Waters PATROL UPLC Laboratory Analyzer, scientists can now deploy Real-TIME LC™ in an automated manner for

process-related data acquisition and decision-making on two new fronts: on the manufacturing floor with the PATROL UPLC Process Analyzer and, now, in the process development laboratory. “The path to better process management and lower cost manufacturing passes through the process development laboratory,” said Craig Dobbs, Program Manager, Process Analytics, Waters Division.

WATER CONSERVATION

Nalco celebrates World Water Day with multi-year commitments Clean water is a necessity, both for human survival and economic growth. Nalco recognises this simple fact, which reflects in its daily efforts to help industry reduce water use. It also collaborates with various globally-recognised non-

governmental organisations (NGOs) to contribute in this area.

“Freshwater conservation and overall water quality improvement are important steps to solve growing water scarcity needs worldwide, but especially so in countries like India and China, facing stress from the combination of rapid economic and population growth,” said Erik Fyrwald, CEO, Nalco.

In recognition of the United Nations’ Annual World Water Day, The Nalco Foundation has approved two, multi-year grants funding important water programmes in the both countries.

PRODUCT LAUNCH

Mercury Scientific launches Evolution powder flow tester

Mercury Scientific Inc has added a new static powder flow tester, Evolution Powder Tester (EPT), to its existing powder testing product line. The EPT is an economical and easy-to-use powder flow tester that measures the unconfined yield strength of a material (a critical flow property) at pressures up to 500 KPa. The unconfined yield strength can be measured at one pressure or at many different pressures in order to create a flow function. The flow function presents the material’s gain in strength as more pressure

is applied to it. EPT offers many advantages over traditional shear and other uniaxial testers. It is a standalone instrument designed just for powder testing and is not an accessory to a general purpose instrument. This allows the design to be cost-effective, easy to operate and suitable to any laboratory or manufacturing environment. In addition, EPT takes approximately three minutes for a user to test one sample. This is significantly less testing time than other shear or uniaxial testers.

TECH UPDATES


Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc, a global leader in thermoset resins, has developed a new specialty EPIKURE™ Curing Agent for ‘2K waterborne, zinc-rich epoxy primers’. The new product, when used with Momentive’s EPI-REZ™ Waterborne Resins, has a potential to set up high standards in a segment where solvent-borne coatings dominate, claimed the company. EPIKURE™ Curing Agent 8538-Y-68 is an amine curing agent that makes the performance of this waterborne system truly competitive with traditional solvent-borne epoxy/polyamides.

Significant advances in the performance of waterborne epoxy coatings that meet stringent volatile organic compound (VOC) regulations have enabled replacement of solvent-borne coatings in high performance coating applications. When appropriately formulated, Momentive’s waterborne epoxy systems provide good corrosion resistance with low VOCs. The high-performance of Momentive’s NewGen™ binder system has been extended using a new curing agent technology that is suitable for development of zinc-rich primer formulations.

Eastman introduces GEM™ technology for sustainable manufacturing Eastman Chemical Company has developed GEM™ technology, a green manufacturing process that uses the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 12 principles of Green Chemistry. Eastman will use its GEM™ technology to launch ingredients in the colour cosmetic and skincare markets, with future product extensions into other markets and applications.

Eastman GEM™ technology, formerly called the green biocatalytic process, was awarded the EPA’s Presidential Green Chemistry Award in 2009. “Eastman’s GEM™ technology is a demonstration of the company’s commitment to create more sustainable manufacturing and innovative solutions for our customers. It enables to reduce waste, energy & water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, thereby providing sustainable benefits,” said Marcie Natale, Biocatalysis Platform Manager, Eastman Chemical Company. Eastman’s GEM™ uses enzymatic technology and closely controlled manufacturing conditions to make esters (a vital building block in thousands of products) eliminating the high temperature and strong acids traditionally required in their manufacture.

Microreactors can lead to improvements in biodegradable polymersA team of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Polytechnic Institute of New York University is developing an improved Green Chemistry method for making biodegradable polymers by using a small block of aluminium with a tiny groove carved in it. Their recently published work is a prime example of the value of microfluidics, a technology more commonly associated with inkjet printers and medical diagnostics, to process modelling and development for industrial chemistry.

“We basically developed a microreactor that enables us to monitor continuous polymerisation using enzymes. These enzymes are an alternative green technology for making these types of polymers. We considered the polyester option too, but the processes are not really industrially competitive yet,” explained Kathryn Beers, Materials Scientist, NIST.

Data from the microreactor, a sort of zig-zag channel about a millimeter deep crammed with hundreds of tiny beads, shows how the process could be made much

more efficient. The team believes it to be the first example of the observation of polymerisation with a solid-supported enzyme in a microreactor.

WACKER develops novel silicone intermediate for coatings WACKER has launched SILRES® IC 368, a new, liquid, solventless silicone resin intermediate for highly weatherable coatings. A surface coating is usually composed of several layers. The first is the primer, which is followed by the fillers and then the pigmenting layer. Finally, the topcoat is applied, which is particularly important. Being the uppermost layer, it is responsible for the entire coating structure’s mechanical and chemical resistance as well as for the coating’s colour and gloss. Sunlight, oxygen, rain, airborne pollutants and temperature changes can, over time, exact a severe toll on the topcoat, however, causing

it to lose its protective function.As a solution to this challenge,

WACKER has developed a solventless silicone resin intermediate, which significantly boosts the protection and durability of coatings. The recently launched silicone resin is formulated such that an addition of just 15 per cent increases the UV resistance and weatherability of the organic binder in the coating system, without impairing its mechanical properties.

Momentive’s new curing agent offers better performance

Gloss measurements confirm that SILRES® IC

368 significantly improves the durability of coatings

TECH UPDATES


Symbion’s software enhances performance of Analect FTIR spectrometersSymbion Systems Inc, a leader in providing analytical instrument control, analysis, and connectivity software, has announced the release of its SII-AN03 third generation driver for the Applied Instrument Technology’s Analect FTIR spectrometers. The new driver integrates all of the functions of the Analect instruments into the Symbion-DX and RX analytical instrument software suites, providing a comprehensive capability for both laboratory development and on-line chemical process monitoring. The availability of the full range of Symbion functionality broadens the already substantial capability of the Analect FTIR spectrometers by allowing them to operate as autonomous analytical systems provided with complete sample system control, database storage and integral chemometric modelling & prediction.

Symbion-DX and RX provide standardised platforms for controlling a wide range of spectrometers and other analytical instruments. In addition, they feature extensive data manipulation and application development capabilities as well as the ability to communicate with numerous third party programs, and enterprise-wide data systems. Symbion-DX and RX streamline the development of comprehensive analytical methods encompassing instrument and sample system control, data analysis, process trending and database archiving, among others.

GE develops desalter emulsion breaker chemistry for light and medium density crudesGE has introduced the next generation of its innovative Embreak* emulsion breakers. Coupling the new chemistry for light and medium density crude oils with the first generation heavy crude oil emulsion breakers, GE now offers a full suite of products that spans the entire range of crudes, delivering optimal desalter performance, potentially reducing total costs of operation and increasing environmental benefits.

Building on the success of the first generation, GE’s new emulsion breakers continue the trend of improved chemistry with a lower environmental footprint that delivers better performance. The new suite of Embreak products is designed to help light-to-medium crude oil refineries reduce nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE), a chemical byproduct of emulsion breaker intermediate products. “With this next generation of emulsion breakers, refineries can optimise desalter performance at reduced chemical costs, while also reducing potential environmental impact. This expanded spectrum of Embreak chemistries will allow us to serve a larger number of refineries around the globe that can benefit from our technology,” said Buzz Barlow,

GM, Hydrocarbon Process - Water and Process Technologies, GE Power & Water.

Mays Chemical implements affordable virtualisation projectMays Chemical, a fully integrated chemical distributor in the US, has reportedly executed affordable virtualisation project with the help of Scale Computing, a developer and manufacturer of intelligent, clustered storage solutions that are tailored to the needs of the small and medium-sized businesses (SMB). Mays Chemical has deployed Scale’s intelligent storage to complete its virtualisation project. Scale’s S-Series, 4TB cluster has delivered a simple, scaleable, VMware Ready™ storage solution. In addition, Scale’s cost-effective storage, combined with VMware’s vSphere™ Essentials Kit, made Mays Chemical’s virtualisation project an economic reality.

“As a small business, our budget was more limited than that of a large enterprise. We knew that we wanted to virtualise our servers but were concerned about the costs associated with virtualisation solutions and the necessary storage. VMware’s vSphere Essentials Kit was a cost-effective solution to consolidate our servers, but we needed to find a storage solution that had enterprise-level

performance and power at a price that was within our budget,” said Tony Davitto, Network A d m i n i s t r a t o r, Mays Chemical.


PROJECT UPDATES

Anti-ulcer drugsIOL Chemicals and PharmaceuticalsProject typeNew facilityProject newsIOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals (IOLCP) will invest ` 130 crore to set up a manufacturing facility to produce anti-ulcer drugs in Punjab. The plant, to be located at Dhaula, Barnala in Punjab, will have a proposed capacity of 150 tonne per annum for Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) - a group of drugs whose main function is to reduce excessive gastric acid production. The company, which reported revenue of ` 372 crore in the last fiscal, expects to add another ` 100 crore as additional sales revenue from the new facility.Project locationDhaula, PunjabProject cost` 130 croreImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:IOLCP85, Industrial Area- ALudhiana 141 003, PunjabTel: 0161-222 5531-33Email: [email protected]

Butyl rubberReliance Industries LtdProject typeNew facilityProject newsReliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is planning to invest $ 450 million along with Russian petrochemical firm Sibur in setting up a butyl rubber plant at Jamnagar, Gujarat. The joint venture facility will have an initial capacity of 1,00,000 tonne of butyl rubber at RIL’s integrated refining-

cum-petrochemical site in Jamnagar, and is expected to be commissioned by 2013. The plant will initially produce regular butyl rubber and is expected to manufacture other types of butyl rubber specialties in the future. The setting up of domestic manufacturing plant of butyl rubber will fulfill a long-standing demand of the Indian tyre and rubber industry and this investment is part of RIL’s vision to emerge as a significant global payer in the synthetic rubber business. Project locationJamnagar, GujaratProject cost$ 450 millionImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:Reliance Industries Ltd Makers Chambers - IV Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 Tel: 91-22-2278 5000Telefax: 91-22-2278 5185Email: [email protected]

Fatty acidsGodrej Industries - Chemicals DivisionProject typeNew facilityProject newsThe Chemicals Division of Godrej Industries has planned a capex of over ` 250 crore to fuel its capacity expansion plans and is eyeing a 20 per centgrowth in its sales in FY 11.

The company has earmarked a capex of ` 230 crore for setting up a new chemicals manufacturing unit at Ambarnath in Thane. This unit would be mainly manufacturing different kinds of fatty acids. Project locationAmbernath, Mumbai

Project cost` 230 croreImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:Godrej Industries Ltd Pirojshanagar, Eastern Express HighwayVikhroli, Mumbai 400 079Tel: 022-2518 8010/20/30Fax: 022-2518 8074Email: [email protected]

Hydrogen PeroxideGujarat Alkalies and Chemical LtdProject typeNew facilityProject newsGujarat Alkalies and Chemical Ltd (GACL) and Evonik Industries are reportedly working on a new multi million dollar project in Dahej, Gujarat. The aim is to produce propylene oxide using the environment-friendly hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide (HPPO) process. This route has clear advantages compared with the conventional production process for propylene oxide. Investment in the HPPO process is far lower, making it more economical. Moreover, the process is extremely environment-friendly; gives high yield and generates minimum amount of by-products.Project locationDahej, GujaratProject costNot KnownImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:GACL P O Petrochemicals Vadodara 391 346 Tel: 0265-223 2681/2 Fax: 0265-223 2130

New projects and expansion activities are the barometers of industrial growth. These also present

business opportunities to service providers like consultants, contractors, plant & equipment suppliers and

others down the value chain. This feature will keep you updated with vital information regarding new

projects and capacity expansions being planned by companies in the chemical and allied industries.


PROJECT UPDATES

Paper manufacturingITC LtdProject typeNew facilityProject newsDiversified conglomerate ITC Ltd will be investing up to ` 3,000 crore to set up a paper manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh as a part of plans to double capacity over the next five years. The company’s Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division, which caters to a wide spectrum of packaging, writing and printing paper requirements, has four manufacturing units at present, with a total capacity of 5.5 lakh million tonne per annum. Project locationKhammam District, Andhra PradeshProject cost` 3,000 croreImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:ITC LtdITC Bhadrachalam House106, Sardar Patel RoadSecunderabad 500 003Tel: 040-2784 6566–73Fax: 040-2784 2997Email: [email protected]

PigmentsSudarshan Chemical Industries LtdProject typeNew facilityProject newsSudarshan Chemical Industries Ltd is upgrading its manufacturing facility at Roha in Raigad district with an investment of ` 100 crore. The new plant will cater to the automotive coatings, plastics and cosmetic industry. The plant will also recycle 1,000 cubic metres of water per day. This pigment production plant is spread over 89 acre and includes a warehouse, R&D and application laboratory. Sudarshan has a range of organic, inorganic and pearlescent pigments and dispersions catering to the coatings, plastics, inks, cosmetics, textiles and construction Industries.

Project locationRohaProject cost` 100 croreeImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:Sudarshan Chemical Industries Ltd162 Wellesley RoadPune 411 001Tel: 020-2605 8888/8046Email: [email protected]

Sulfuric acidParadeep Phosphates Ltd Project typeNew facility Project newsParadeep Phosphates Ltd is mulling an investment of ̀ 500 crore to set up new plants and undertake major expansion work over the next three years. The company will invest ` 250 croreto set up a new 2,000-tonne per day capacity sulfuric acid plant.Project locationParadeep, Orissa Project cost` 500 croreImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:Paradeep Phosphates LtdPandit Jawaharlal Nehru MargBhubaneswar 751 001Tel: 0674-239 3931Fax: 0674-239 2631/1669Email: [email protected]

Synthetic rubberIndian Oil Corporation LtdProject typeNew facility Project newsIndian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC) and its partners Marubeni Corp and Taiwan’s TSRC Corp will be investing ` 900 crore to set up a unit for manufacturing synthetic rubber for tyres. The three will build a plant at Panipat in Haryana by September 2012 for manufacturing 1,20,000 Tonne Per Annum (TPA) synthetic rubber from

butadiene. The plant has been planned to benefit from the rising auto demand in India. The SBR would produce high-quality synthetic rubber used in the manufacturing of automotive tyres, conveyors and fan belts.Project locationPanipat, HaryanaProject cost` 900 croreImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:Indian Oil Corporation Ltd Indian Oil BhavanG-9, Ali Yavar Jung MargBandra (East), Mumbai 400 051Tel: 022-2642 7363, 2644 7528Fax: 022-2644 3880Email: [email protected]

Technical Ammonium NitrateDeepak Fertilisers & Petrochemicals CorpProject typeNew facilityProject newsDeepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd (DFPCL) has earmarked an investment of over ` 1,500 crore to set up a 300 kilo tonne per annum Technical Ammonium Nitrate (TAN) plant in South Australia. The company will be able to use its years of expertise in manufacturing chemicals, particularly TAN, to offer a quality product. DFPCL might look at importing ammonia for the plant from Middle East and Southeast Asia.Project locationSouth AustraliaProject cost` 1,500 croreImplementation stagePlanning

Contact details:Deepak Fertilisers & Petrochemicals CorpOpp Golf Course, Shastri NagarYerwada, Pune 411 006 Tel: 020-6645 8000, Fax: 020-2668 3727Email: [email protected]

“India is an important market for Dow Corning’s future”

LEADERS SPEAK


…says Jean Paul Mollie, Region President - Middle East, South Asia and Africa, Dow Corning. A veteran in the chemical industry, he joined Dow Corning in 1987, as a technical service professional. He holds a technical engineering degree in electrical and electronics from PTI, Belgium. Mollie also did marketing and general management courses from Vlerick Management School, Belgium, and Cranfield University School of Management, the UK. In a tete-a-tete with Prasenjit Chakraborty, Mollie highlights the market potential of silicone-based products and Dow Corning’s growth plans.


LEADERS SPEAK

Silicone rubber chemical market in India…Silicone has a dynamic market in India and we are competing in this sector by focussing on innovations, and broadening our product portfolio. The demand from manufacturers and end-users acts as a driving force for us to come up with new products and stay ahead of the curve. Today, customers ask for many features in cars, be it in terms of safety or luxury or both. Here comes the prominent role of silicone rubber, which is long-lasting. The demand for silicone rubber in India is growing because of the increasing boom in energy, automotive and infrastructure segments.

Silicone product potential…We ensure that the lifecycle of our products is long. While launching new products, we make sure that we take note of climatic aspects as well. And these are applicable from raw material stage to final product. Our focus varies from segment to segment. For instance, when it comes to automotive, our focus is on safety, and in terms of energy, it is sustainability. Today, without silicones or Si element, the world would not have been what it is today. Silicones add vibrance to segments like electronics, micro-electronics, energy, automotive, avionics, infrastructure, etc. We have touched all the soft elements of silicones and that gives us confidence in dealing with the same. However, there is lot of scope for further development. The potential in the area of silicones is huge, and so far we have tapped only some portion of it. Silicone products can also be developed depending on local applications. In this direction, we are leveraging the skills, capabilities and expertise available in the country and are also working with universities & other educational institutions.

Specialty chemicals industry in India… Today, ‘sophistication’ has become a buzzword in the industry. Its importance is seen in the entire manufacturing

process. With increase in sophistication, the demand for specialty chemicals is witnessing a surge in India. The custom-design helps customers and manufacturers to do things differently and gain a competitive advantage. Air bag in car, mobile phone, among others, would not have been possible without silicones.

Three important developments in specialty chemical segment in 2010…Customisation is a major development. We have seen that manufacturers are getting into customisation, and specialty chemicals are required for almost every customised product. Second, manufacturers are giving due consideration to the welfare of the planet as well as to sustainability. This issue caught up late in India but is gaining momentum now. Third, customers are looking for material alternatives for various applications.

Product offerings in 2010…We have not changed our strategy in India; it remains the same even after the 2008-2009 downturn. During the downturn, we transformed our business globally and revitalised our two brands – Dow Corning® and XIAMETER®. We have continued our two-brand strategy and the focus is on meeting customer needs via efficiency, innovation and sustainability. This focus has been the key reason which enabled us to pick up every single opportunity that market offered and become successful as soon as we came out of the economic recession.

R&D initiatives…Dow Corning is active in every single industry and market. If something goes well in the market, we are at the top and when things do not go well, we feel the impact. Overall, we can balance, whatever the situation be, which is important. In India, there is huge demand for green and alternative energy. We are making efforts and doing R&D in the area of solar applications. Within the

energy segment, the market for solar energy has tremendous potential. We are spending around five per cent of the total turnover on R&D.

Globally, we have around 10,000 employees. Of these, we have a specialised group of people involved in innovation, product and market development.

Importance of Indian market… India is an important market for Dow Corning’s future. India has a huge population and not everyone in the country has access to silicones. However, the number of people spending on silicones is increasing. In India, the per capita consumption of silicones is less when compared with that of the developed world. We have huge expectations from India.

Special strategy for Indian market…We have adopted a couple of strategies for tapping the Indian market. One of them is energy sector – solar. So, we are developing some specific strategies for solar energy sector in India. Besides, we are concentrating on the automotive sector. Today, the focus on car sophistication offers tremendous opportunity for us.

India vs China market…Both markets are important to Dow Corning’s future and represent the strong growth opportunities. The company sees a huge potential in both India and China, as well as other emerging markets globally.

We have seen that m a n u f a c t u r e r s are getting into customisation, and specialty chemicals

are required for every customised product. Moreover, they are giving due consideration to the welfare of the planet as well as to sustainability.


FACILITY VISIT

Prasenjit Chakraborty

T he Stetten salt mine, located in the Zollernalb county of Baden-Württemberg, is one of the oldest of its kind in Germany. WACKER leased

the mine in 1924 to meet the increasing demand for rock salt at its production site in Burghausen. The chemical firm decided to acquire the mine in 1960 after many years of involvement there.

Currently, it employs roughly 70 employees at the Stetten site and produces around 5,00,000 metric tonne of salt each year. Common salt, also known as sodium chloride, is found in large quantities in nature, both in solution and mineral form. Seawater, for instance, is a three per cent salt solution. The sodium chloride content of underground rock salt deposits can be as high as 98 per cent. In Germany alone, underground salt deposits are estimated at around 1,00,000 cubic kilometre.

Salt production overviewThe salt industry offers sodium chloride in the form of brine, rock salt, sea salt and evaporated salt. The total salt production in 2007 was estimated at around 257 million tonne, around 70 per cent of which constituted rock salt. China, the US, Germany and India are the world’s leading salt producers. Only three per cent of the world’s salt production is currently used in the food sector, despite the fact that sodium chloride forms an important component for all forms of life. Roughly 80 per cent of the salt mined in Germany is used for industrial purposes as an auxiliary for producing chemical products. Some 80 per cent of all pharmaceutical products undergo reaction with salt derivatives at some point during the manufacturing process.

Interestingly, rock salt from Stetten is used primarily in the chemical industry, and for winter road maintenance, with the most important products being de-icing salt and brine. It is also used for industrial and commercial purposes.

FACILITY VISIT

WACKER Chemie AGWACKER Chemie AG

Extraction of salt from salt mine involves several intricate processes. In its endeavour to produce quality salt, WACKER Chemie AG has efficient grinding and sieving system in place. Besides, it has a magnetic separator, which is positioned directly above the conveyor belt to remove metal impurities.

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FACILITY VISIT

“Its chemical properties and high level of purity make Stetten salt extremely suitable for use in chlorine-alkali electrolysis,” says Alfred Hoellerbauer, Site Manager, Stetten Salt Mine, WACKER Chemie AG.

A major portion of Stetten rock salt is transported 400 km by rail to WACKER’s Burghausen site in upper Bavaria, where it is used as a chemical feedstock for manufacturing silicones, hyperpure silicon, organic intermediates and pyrogenic silica.

In the pre-industrial age, salt was used mainly for human consumption. However, the balance has tipped in favour of industrial use. The reason behind this can be found in the chemical components of the sodium chloride molecule. Application of electrical energy to a salt water solution produces the highly reactive products chlorine (Cl2), hydrogen (H2) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). These high-energy compounds are indispensable when it comes to manufacturing of an extremely wide variety of chemical products.

The salt mine & manufacturing set-upThe WACKER Stetten salt mine sprawls over 1,20,000 square metre and extends 100 metre underground. The rock salt is extracted by drilling and blasting using a ‘room and pillar’ system. Only about 35 per cent of the deposits are mined. The rest remains untouched. Salt mining involves blasting holes up to seven metre deep in the salt deposits. The blasting debris is then removed from the site on dump trucks and wheel loaders, and run through feeder-breakers, after which cutter-crushers and hammer mills break the salt down into smaller pieces. A magnetic separator is positioned directly above the conveyor belt to remove metal impurities.

“The sodium chloride content of the rock salt extracted at the Stetten site ranges between 92 and 94 per cent, but can be concentrated to over

99 per cent using modern separation techniques. At 92 to 94 per cent, the sodium chloride content of the roughly 1,000 metric tonne of raw salt obtained from each blast is very high,” notes Hoellerbauer. The salt proceeds to a modern, efficient grinding and sieving system, which separates it into grain fractions, after which numerous separation processes are performed to remove any sort of mineral impurities.

Best practicesA process known as ‘slope mining’ is a unique feature attributed to the Stetten salt mine, because the burden is only 100 metre thick. The strata containing the salt can be reached via two inclined accesses big enough to accommodate vehicles. As a result,

salt can be removed continuously through the inclined shaft, resulting in production and delivery capacities that are difficult to achieve using conventional vertical shafts. This, in turn, makes Stetten one of the most modern and – for its size – productive salt mines in Germany.

The company intends to introduce the cutting technology for salt extraction instead of drilling & blasting and is currently testing the technical equipment needed for this method. “By doing so, the vibrations caused by the mining activities can be reduced to a minimum – an improvement that becomes increasingly important as the underground mining field pushes towards inhabited regions above ground,” he points out.

The new salt blasted out of the rock

Fact sheet Area above ground : 120,000 m²

Area below ground : 10 km² (approx)

Authorised mining area : 42 km² (approx)

Employees : 70

Salt production : Average 500,000 mt/a

Underground caverns : 10 mn m³ (approx)

Total mine length : 30 km (approx)

Thickness of the salt stratum : 15 m

Salt extraction chambers : Length/width/height 250 m / 12 m / 6 m


FACILITY VISIT

Management tools and systems WACKER generally controls its operational processes via its Integrated Management System (IMS). It stipulates uniform standards throughout the Group for issues including quality, environmental protection, health and safety. The system has been implemented and certified at all key sites and is also applied at the

Stetten salt mine, where it has helped to improve EHS conditions continuously. The local mining staff also is proactively involved in the improvement process, creating effective & practical mining solutions and work processes. “All miners working at the WACKER salt mine are trained both as industrial mechanics and as miners. Due to this, they are versatile and able to cope with all key tasks in the salt mine, ranging from salt mining to equipment and facility maintenance,” observes Hoellerbauer.

Innovation & R&DOne of WACKER’s key innovations at the Stetten site is the inclined shaft, built way back in 1968. It is equipped with a conveyor belt, which makes it possible to continuously haul salt to the surface. Another unique feature is (Stetten’s) underground grinding and sieving system that makes it possible to process salt and remove its impurities in the mine before hauling it to the surface. “The system sorts salt by grain size, after which numerous separation

processes are performed to remove mineral impurities such as anhydrite,” says Hoellerbauer.

Since 1998, WACKER has been using an optical sorting method for the production of road salt. It set up a magnetic processing system for industrial salt in 2004. The system enables to remove ferrous impurities efficiently.

The inclined shaft constructed in 2008 (called Clara tunnel) facilitates more efficient mining operations. “The opening of the Clara tunnel in 2008 was another milestone for the site. The second inclined shaft not only provides another access to the mine, but also allows trucking backfill materials directly into the mine. In simple terms, because it can accommodate relatively large, roadworthy vehicles, the Clara tunnel also provides a direct means of transporting backfill material for filling in underground chambers. The materials are stored in water-tight caverns where they are safely isolated from the biosphere and also provide long-term mine stability,” explains Hoellerbauer.

Industrial safety standardsWorkplace, plant and transport safety have always been a top priority at WACKER. The measures form the basis for uninterrupted production, says Hoellerbauer. Having joined the German Chemical Industry’s Responsible Care initiative back in 1991, WACKER is committed to adhere and fulfill the national EHS standards at all its sites including Stetten. Systematic work safety at WACKER includes the regular evaluation of hazards and work area monitoring. Additionally, it attaches great importance to basic and advanced employee training. Also, the company regularly holds seminars on plant and work safety.

Through a systematic approach to salt mining, WACKER has been continuously making attempts to delve deeper into the process and come out with breakthrough technologies & innovations in the field. Salt produced at WACKER’s salt mine

The sodium chloride content of the rock salt extracted at the Stetten site ranges between 92 and 94 per cent, but can be concentrated to over 99 per cent using modern separation techniques. At 92 to 94 per cent, the sodium chloride content of the roughly 1,000 metric tonne of raw salt obtained from each.

Alfred HoellerbauerSite Manager, Stetten Salt Mine

Safety acquires prime importance when it comes to the chemical industry. IT and automation, primarily aimed at process efficiency and enhancement, is now being harnessed to promote safety. Advanced technologies in IT and automation are proving to be inevitable resources for the industry.

SECTOR WATCH


SECTOR WATCH


Mahua Roy

T he high requirements in the field of chemicals can be met by optimal plant performance. Absolute Just-in-Time delivery,

consistent quality and low production costs are crucial factors for the commercial success of a chemical plant. Solutions tailored to meet these needs are rising in demand in order to provide systematic integration of process technology, plant engineering, energy management and automation systems. It ranges from the field level to the Manufacturing Execution System (MES)/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) level, from process development through engineering to intelligent processes, quality monitoring and process optimisation.

The solutions offered by service providers include safety and explosion protection by means of safety-oriented controllers, integrated fail-safe functionalities, and the comprehensive, plant-wide determination of safety-relevant substance property data. Such systems result in increased productivity throughout the entire lifecycle of a chemical plant – from the planning phase through operation, maintenance and modernisation up to the next expansion. Automation holds the key to increasing competitiveness.

Historically, process control relied on experience and instinct as much as on engineering analysis to maintain stable & consistent operations. Control rooms had walls diagramming the process, appropriately intermingled with charts and dials. Process data recording was done in pencil and periodically bundled & warehoused. Now fast-forward to the 21st century. Today’s process control room resembles more like a NASA facility. “Measurements permeate every single aspect of a manufacturing process. Measurements per operator now far exceed the ability of a human to absorb, let alone comprehend, the volume of process data that is available. But with this enormous amount of data, one cannot ignore safety. Leading business enterprises know that safety is not incompatible with efficiency; as a best practice, safety enhances productivity. Safety is a competitive advantage,” says Dr Hari Reddy, Director – R&D, NLC Nalco.

IT stimulating safetyThe manufacturing industry has used process simulation as an aid to achieve higher levels of safety. The goal of process simulation is to test ideas for possible modifications to the current manufacturing arrangements without incurring a lot of expenditure to

physically change machinery, recalibrate timings, hire or reassign employees, etc. Using a simulation model, one can run a variety of scenarios to view the impact of the proposed changes, and then decide which option is the most suitable. This way, one can gain the ability to test ‘what if’ scenarios to see how the processes in the actual manufacturing set-up will work when various parameters like time, materials used, position of equipment, etc, are altered. In other words, one can experiment with changes in the virtual process to see the eventual outcome in the real process.

“Process simulation is an invaluable tool to investigate performance-related issues, ensure plant optimisation as well as study further opportunities to increase capacity. Modelling can help minimise capital & operational costs, enhance plant availability & reliability, and reduce time to attain optimal operations. Process simulation helps in accurate prediction of process conditions, parameters, quality & yield of products and design requirements. This helps the designer to optimise equipment sizing with enhanced safety,” says C Manoharan, Head - Refinery, Essar Oil Ltd.

Simulations help identify supply chain problems, and areas in an assembly line where bottlenecks are

Process automation for safetyProcess automation depends on the scale of a project and it is essential to set up the infrastructure for successful development of any project. Automation is needed at all process levels, from the organisational meta-processes to project wide macro-processes and tool level micro-processes. The different areas of automation depend on the workflow of a project that includes:

Management using metrics and cost estimation

Environment using change management and version control

Design using visual modelling

Implementation using editors, compilers, linkers and debuggers

Assessment and deployment using test automation and defect trackingDifferent environments are critical for round-trip engineering, change management, organisational and stakeholder information exchange; so process automation goes a long way in streamlining the management of the project. Besides, it helps design safety measures in a streamlined manner.

Source: Software Project Management, Royce W

The System Integrator is changing from an engineering services-only provider to that of a consultative partner that identifies opportunities for improvement while recommending solutions for achieving manufacturing operational excellence and safety measures.

Dr Hari ReddyDirector – R&D, NLC Nalco

SECTOR WATCH


likely to occur. New manufacturing plants can also benefit from process simulation. It is an ideal tool to help lay out machinery, controls, and inventory storage locations before the construction of a facility begins. This will help create the most efficient plant right from the beginning. Extrapolation of process simulation to enhance safety measures is being realised.

Plant and equipment are complex systems that can perform or fail due to variety of causes. Failure can occur due to the malfunctioning or breakdown of any of the subsystems

or parts in such complex systems. Prediction of high-risk failure areas and proper provisioning of spares & redundant resources become critical for smooth running of operations.

Simulation can help build scenarios on the basis of known component failure rates. This helps in predicting the high-risk failure modes in a system. Thus, proper optimisation yields real savings and increases the bottom lines. Manoharan adds, “Essar has been using process simulation software since its conception and design stage. Each refinery plant is modelled and being used for daily process monitoring as well as optimisation of yields and quality of products. These simulation models also help in doing ‘what if’ analysis for planning exercises. In the end, all these enable us to adopt the highest level of safety.”

System integration through manufacturing intelligenceManufacturing software vendors have recently introduced products that enable rapid identification of true manufacturing cost savings and response improving opportunities. This category of solution, often known as Manufacturing Intelligence (MI), allows

manufacturing companies to ‘mine’ data from disparate systems (control, process data gathering, laboratory, asset management, production scheduling, resource planning and accounting), then analyse, correlate, and act on manufacturing anomalies. Thus, a proper chain of events helps maintain integrity of the process, and predict shift from normal, if any. This way, safety measure is adequately taken care of.

Traditionally, the function of a manufacturing System Integrator (SI) was to engineer, install and configure systems that enabled automated, high-speed production of consistently good products, such that companies could meet their customers’ quantity and quality demands.

“Today’s manufacturing SI not only adds value through traditional automation systems, but also by integrating control systems, quality systems, supply chain networks, enterprise documentation systems, asset management systems, business systems, and intra/internet to provide a holistic view of all aspects of a manufacturing company’s business. Thus, the SI is changing from an engineering services-only provider to that of a consultative partner that identifies opportunities for improvement while recommending solutions for achieving manufacturing operational excellence and safety measures,” says Dr Reddy.

Equipping the futureIT and automation technologies are going hand-in-hand to deliver productivity, with emphasis on safety. The chemical industry needs such technologies to make concerted efforts for dealing with hazards of the manufacturing processes. The future of this industry is bright with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), advanced Human Machine Interface (HMI), robotics, etc, playing a major part in contributing to the highest level of safety desired.

Benchmarks to achieve through automation and ITLean Manufacturing: A process management philosophy focussed on the elimination of non-value-adding steps in manufacturing procedures.

Six Sigma: A set of practices developed to systematically improve processes by eliminating defects. It asserts that continuous efforts to reduce variation in process outputs is key to business success. Moreover, manufacturing and business processes can be measured, analysed, improved and controlled.

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM): TPM is a proactive methodology that aims at preventing any kind of slack before occurrence. Its motto is ‘zero error, zero work-related accident, and zero loss’. One way to think of TPM is deterioration prevention and maintenance reduction, not just fixing machines when they break down. TPM is also referred to as ‘Total Productive Manufacturing’ or ‘Total Process Management’.

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE): A measure comparing how well manufacturing equipment is running compared to the ideal plant. The resulting measurement is expressed as the ratio of the actual output of the equipment divided by the maximum possible output of the equipment under ideal conditions. The higher the OEE number, the better.

Modelling can help minimise capital & operational costs, enhance plant availability & reliability, and reduce time to attain optimal operations. Process simulation helps in accurate prediction of process conditions, parameters, quality & yield of products and design requirements.

C ManoharanHead - Refinery, Essar Oil Ltd


INDUSTRY UPDATE

E‘valving’ from strength to strength

Industrial valves sector

Prasenjit Chakraborty

A huge consumer demand and competition contribute immensely to the growth of any market or segment. This holds true for the Indian valve

industry as well. With increasing competition in the global valve market, many reputed international valve manufacturers have relocated their factories in North America, Europe and Japan to China, India, South Korea and Central Europe in order to leverage on the emerging opportunities and benefit from the cost advantage. “Over the years, the valve industry in China has progressed to such a large extent that the country accounts for the highest number of valve enterprises in the world. However, the quality of Indian valves is far better than Chinese valves,” observes Prakash J Lakhapate, Founder, Akash Consultants.

One of the most critical issues the Indian valve industry is facing today is pertaining to the availability of quality castings on time. The foundry capacity in the country is adequate, but the closure of foundries in the West has resulted in heavy export demand. As a result, many Indian foundries are now expanding their capacity. “The valve finish over the years has improved significantly. New low fugitive (emission) & low noise special internals

in exotic materials, and new control systems like smart positioners are now used in India in large quantities,” says Lakhapate.

According to I S Malhotra, Managing Director, Tyco Valves & Controls India, the country today boasts of a world-class manufacturing footprint. “Some of the world’s leading players in the valves arena have established their presence in India,” he says. Take the example of Tyco Valves & Controls India, which has set up its own design centre to undertake research and development for creating new designs. Not only that, it employs some of the best engineers in India who, in turn, collaborate with other Tyco engineers based in different parts of the world, thereby sharing knowledge and expertise.

The advent of foreign players in the Indian market has ushered in a new era enabling the local manufacturers to gain knowledge on various technical aspects from them. “A number of European, Korean, Taiwanese and Chinese manufacturers have entered the Indian market by way of strategic alliances with Indian players. This is not to be viewed as a threat but an opportunity to enter global markets,” says S V Raja, CEO, Industrial Equipwash Inc.

The quality of Indian valves is, by and large, acceptable to domestic users depending on

Flow control and safety parameters are of prime importance for ensuring optimum yield in any chemical process. Today, valve manufacturers have come out with efficient methods to prevent any untoward incident. Further, the advent of foreign players in the Indian market has given the much-needed momentum to the valve industry.

Courtesy: Tyco Valves & Controls India


INDUSTRY UPDATE

the service and application. However, large organisations in key sectors follow stringent buying criteria and the best brands are purchased after a complete techno-commercial scrutiny of offers depending on the criticality of the application. S L Abhyankar, Hon Technical Advisor, Indian Pump Manufacturers Association (IPMA), notes that a valve, unlike pump, is substantially static equipment, and hence does not have many technical complexities, especially with respect to design aspects. “When it comes to valves, design complexities are mainly involved for regulating duties in applications for process control, pressure-reducing, pressure-relief and safety duties. But designs of these valves are more dictated by empirical approaches than by well-established formulae and equations,” he says.

Role of valves in plant safetyThe failure of a valve can result in loss of production and also cause serious accidents such as fire, release of harmful gases into atmosphere, etc. In extreme cases, such incidents can have catastrophic consequences, as these could result in fatalities or cause damage to the surrounding community. “In the absence of proper maintenance, a tragedy like Bhopal accident involving many deaths can occur,” cautions Lakhapate. If safety valves are not tested annually, there is a possibility

of explosion due to build-up of high pressure. In case of steam valves, the loss of steam through the stem gland results in a direct loss of energy, if they are not maintained properly. “Therefore, enough emphasis must be given to the importance of proper valve maintenance and the usage of original spare parts. Besides, one should only rely on technically competent service engineers from original valve manufacturers,” opines Malhotra.

In industrial applications, valves need to meet many challenging parameters – high pressures, high temperatures, corrosion resistance, etc. Most common demand for a valve is that it should close leak-tight. “But a minute foreign particle stuck at the valve seat can cause a valve to leak. It is usually a difficult task for a user to ensure that there would be no foreign particle in the flow,” observes Abhyankar.

Pressure pointsCost is one of the aspects that deter the industry from using automatic control valves everywhere, except large continuously operated plant. Cost of such valves is too high. According to Lakhapate, fugitive emission reduction is another critical issue in this direction. “Its control is the most important issue that should be considered on a priority basis, as it affects all the living beings and the environment,” he exhorts. Besides, assimilation of new technology is also important. “The industry has to ensure good quality at globally competitive prices. Top grade R&D and testing facilities will have to be established, while small players can go for a collaborative approach. Country- and region-specific solutions have to be evolved,” says Lakhapate.

Malhotra strongly believes that major issues faced by leading users are on the flow control solution front and also with regard to the selection of appropriate products for difficult applications. “Here comes in our expertise, which enables us to provide in-depth insights right at the start of

the process, which pays dividends to the customer downstream in terms of efficiency and total cost of ownership,” claims Malhotra.

Other important factors are related to commissioning support to ensure that products are installed properly, and after-sales service. “We provide support on a large scale, which also include setting up a dedicated service centre on a customer’s premises, if required. We also maintain a detailed service record on every product, tracking it throughout its entire lifecycle so that we know exactly what we need to do without having to inspect a particular product,” adds Malhotra.

Organised vs unorganised sector Like other countries, India too has small-scale manufacturers, and almost all manufacturers have their own niche markets. The market offers huge opportunities to all manufacturers, irrespective of the size of their operations. “The Indian valve industry is growing exponentially, but still quite fragmented. If the industry has to rise up to the global challenge, it has no option but to get together and grow. Also, the end-users and the industry have to work together with an open mind to meet the requirements of each other,” observes Lakhapate.

According to Raja, the valve manufacturing industry is segmented into the organised sector (marketshare

Companies in the chemical and petrochemical sectors have become vigilant. Safety Integrity Level – SIL 3 or 4 – requirements are being increasingly specified. Based on the criticality of applications, this mandates the use of only those products, which can demonstrate field experience and reliability data.

I S MalhotraManaging Director, Tyco Valves & Controls India

The industry has to ensure good quality at globally competitive prices. Top grade R&D and testing facilities will have to be established, while small players can go for a collaborative approach. Country- and region-specific solutions have to be evolved.

Prakash J LakhapateFounder, Akash Consultants


INDUSTRY UPDATE

of 55 per cent) and unorganised sector (marketshare 45 per cent). “The organised sector comprises 20 manufacturers whereas unorganised sector includes over 200 manufacturers. The valve manufacturers depend largely on the supply of quality castings, and hence are located close to the casting hubs like Hubli, Rajkot, Coimbatore, Chennai, among others. Valves for critical services are supplied by manufacturers in the organised sector, as they have the technology and manufacturing facilities for the same,” he opines.

Raja further adds, “The organised sector is not at all affected by the presence of unorganised sector, as it (organised) has a niche market by way of superior technology and excellent manufacturing infrastructure. It is the small-scale manufacturers who are facing difficulties due to limited resources and manufacturing facilities.”

The evolving scenario In the recent past, the valve segment (catering to chemical plants) has witnessed some significant changes. Taking due note of the fact that chemical and petrochemical sectors choose valves cautiously, safety has become the buzzword, over the years. “Companies in the chemical and petrochemical sectors have become vigilant. Safety Integrity Level – SIL 3 or 4 – requirements are being increasingly specified. Based on the criticality of applications, this mandates the use of only those products, which can demonstrate field experience and reliability data,” says Malhotra. That means independently verified statistics such as mean-time-between-failures (MTBF) duly checked by independent third-party consulting and inspection organisations in the field have become essential.

The use of smart actuators and control accessories are also rising. “This facilitates communication through hand-held devices or computers and built-in diagnostic features, making all information available to users in the control rooms,” observes Malhotra.

The valve industry has seen change in other arenas as well. Take the example of block and bleed valve arrangement. Traditionally, this arrangement consists of two flanged valves in series, with a flanged drain valve in between. This arrangement is provided for highly hazardous chemicals and those involving high pressure/temperature. “Now instead of providing three valves separately, manufacturers have come up with single piece having three inbuilt valves. Thus, the number of flanged joints is reduced to 50 per cent (three instead of six). This reduces the fugitive emission by 50 per cent, thereby reducing the carbon footprint up to 50 per cent,” says Lakhapate.

On the export frontThe demand for valves is witnessing growth in almost all core sectors of industry, namely power, oil & gas, water & infrastructure projects, metal & mining, chemicals, drugs & pharmaceuticals and food & beverages. These sectors require various types of valves for expansion of capacities, de-bottlenecking or routine maintenance and repair of plants.

The engineers in India have made a mark when it comes to innovative products. Hence, Indian companies work towards development of solutions, while China makes the goods in large numbers. “We are naturally the leader in the valve sector, with many companies leveraging on the capabilities for the world market. As a result, the exports of the Indian valve is expected grow 30 per cent annually during the next few years. However, we have to gear up and make the best of both the challenges and opportunities,” opines Lakhapate.

According to him, the Indian valve industry is on rapid expansion mode, with annual turnover of ` 5,000 crore and export accounts for ` 1,000 crore. “The valve market, by and large, includes various manufacturers who can be categorised based on technology, production

capacities, brand names, quality & price competitiveness, etc. The world’s best brands are also produced locally in the country through fully-owned subsidiaries or joint ventures. India today produces world-class products and the country is emerging as a leading exporter of valves,” he revels.

India is gaining prominence on the export front, now that free imports do not really pose a problem for market growth. The valve industry will continue to grow at 10-12 per cent per annum. “Indian manufacturers are exporting valves (gate, globe, check and ball) to the Middle East and Africa. India is also a leading manufacturer of instrumentation valves and these are exported worldwide,” opines Raja.

Interestingly, large Indian manufacturers are exporting a part of their production back to parent companies located all over the world. “A few Indian manufacturers have been exporting valves to customers in China, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the US and Europe,” says Malhotra.The ongoing developments certainly augur well for the valve industry. What is most positive for the industry is the technical collaboration by Indian manufacturers with foreign companies. This will help the industry in many ways in achieving total customer satisfaction.

The valve manufacturers depend largely on the supply of quality castings, and hence are located close to the casting hubs like Hubli, Rajkot, Coimbatore, Chennai, among others. Valves for critical services are supplied by manufacturers in the organised sector, as they have the technology and manufacturing facilities for the same.

S V RajaCEO, Industrial Equipwash Inc


PRACTICAL TIPS

Systematic approach key for optimal benefits

Vacuum pump selection

Selecting the right vacuum pump system with all the characteristics necessary to meet various process requirements is a challenging task. Right from the design stage, pumping system configuration needs to be given priority as even small changes can make significant improvements to the system.

A wide range of vacuum pumps available today presents situations wherein users get confused regarding their optimum selection. Some

pumps can be used as ‘stand-alone’ solutions to pumping problems while others have to be used in combination along with intermediate essentials such as inter-stage condenser, traps, filters, etc. To add to this confusing array of pumps and inter-stage accessories, there is need for their integration and automation, which in turn demands specific instrumentation, controls, interlocking, etc. Moreover, while designing the products, it should be done in such a way that they meet process requirements, fulfill safety considerations, and yet allow for easy operation & maintenance. The selection of a vacuum system, thus calls for expertise, knowledge and experience, with technical trouble shooting skills to stabilise the process and maximise process efficiency.

The simplest way to find a convenient solution is to approach a specialised vendor, capable of providing a packaged vacuum pumping solution. The essential input a specialist would require is inlet pumping speed/mass throughput, working pressure levels and process details. Generally, this basic information is sufficient to design an efficient vacuum pumping system guaranteed for performance. Most of the batch processes have

variable vacuum and temperature requirements that keep changing during the process.

An experienced vacuum pumping system designer is aware of process requirements, which may go through a drastic pressure/temperature change during the process. For example, in vacuum drying application, the rate of evaporation is not constant, since the ratio of solvent to solute continuously changes as the process advances. A competent designer would design a vacuum pumping system suitable for specific applications meeting the process inputs, allowing suitable compensation to process variations, as would be encountered during the actual process. The designer would address all safety, automation and instrumentation issues mandatory to meet process requirements. The user just has to connect the package vacuum system to the load and everything is ready to go.

Advantages of professional approachIt is best to let a specialist design the complete vacuum package and guarantee its performance than to graduate in-house to do the same. The major advantages of doing so are as follows:

Optimum sizing of system capacity: The user may be fully aware of process requirements, but may not have the experience and inclination to calculate & select the optimum hardware required. A system vendor, on the other hand,

A typical vacuum system designed for drying in a pharmaceutical industry

Courtesy: Everest Blower Systems


PRACTICAL TIPS

has plenty of experience and generally knows what works best and most economically. The system vendor can also provide the most effective product combination to meet users’ process requirements.

Automation and instrumentation: The actual user has to depend on the system vendor to deliver the proper equipment as in-house maintenance staff needs to focus more on just keeping the existing systems in operation. Further, it is impossible and uneconomical to keep all spare parts.

Future upgrades: The system vendor not only keeps an inventory of essential spare parts, but has the service personnel for performing repairs and replacements. The users are required to focus their attention and energy on attaining business efficiency and developing good relations with the vendor.

Safety issues: The system vendors usually focus on continuous

improvement of both hardware and software. Over the expected five to twenty years of equipment life, such improvements are vital for ensuring efficient performance as well as economies of scale. The system vendor provides guidance to the actual users on all safety practices and appropriate use of the equipment supplied. Factory production staff tends to neglect these issues and take shortcuts that often prove expensive.

In today’s world and business environment, managements have to maintain a clear focus on their objectives. A major part of this exercise is the ability to use the services provided by the system vendors correctly. An even more basic issue is to evaluate the system vendors and use their capabilities to maximise plant productivity and profitability. Presently, a ‘do-it-yourself’ attitude is not always the wisest course of action and neither is the motto ‘select the cheapest’.

Evaluating a system vendorThe most fundamental rule is to look for ‘track record’. The vendor’s ‘reputation’ in the market; whether the product has ISO & ISI ratings and designability aspect, and more importantly, whether it is the latest version, are some of the factors to be taken into consideration while making the choice. Apart from this, an across-the-table meeting will quickly firm up one’s opinion about the vendor’s ability or lack of it. Even if one does not have great engineering abilities, attention to basic factors will ensure that there are no miscalculations in vendor selection.

Courtesy: Everest Blower Systems

Everest Blower Systems is one of the leading suppliers of vacuum pumping systems for chemical, pharmaceutical, food and waste oil purification applications. For details, contact on email: [email protected]


O ne of the fastest growing types of positive displacement pumps in the market is the peristaltic pump – also referred to as tubing pump.

The popularity of the peristaltic pump can be attributed to its design. An electric motor turns a set of rollers, which compresses and releases flexible tubing as they rotate. This squeezing action creates a vacuum that draws fluid through the tubing. Because the flexible tubing is the only wetted part, maintenance and clean-up activities are simple and convenient.

Advantage peristaltic pumpsSome of the advantages of this pump are as follows:

Non-contamination: The peristaltic pump creates a contamination-free pumping system. The fluid being pumped remains inside the tubing at all times, and thus, never comes into contact with any pump gears, seals, diaphragms, or other moving parts. As a result, finding a pump compatible with a particular solution is as simple as choosing a chemically-compatible tubing. This makes peristaltic pumps ideal for transferring chemically-aggressive or abrasive solutions as well as high-purity fluids.

Moreover, most types of pump tubing can be sterilised through autoclaving, gamma irradiation or ethylene oxide gas application, and most systems facilitate Steam-in-Place (SIP) and Clean-in-Place (CIP) techniques. This ensures

complete sterility of the entire pump system with minimal cost.

Simple operation: Peristaltic pumps are simple to operate and easy to customise. They are self-priming, and many models have interchangeable pump heads that can be mounted in minutes using finger-tightened screws. Engineering advances have yielded designs that allow the tubing even in large process pumps to be loaded or replaced in seconds. In addition, most pumps feature simple controls, with a dial or keypad for speed control, and straightforward menus for programming more complex tasks.

Low maintenance: Peristaltic pumps require little maintenance beyond tubing replacement. Tubing must be replaced periodically to offset reduced flow performance. This procedure typically takes just seconds, which can be an advantage when using the same pump to transfer or dispense different chemicals. When solutions are changed, only the tubing needs to be changed, and the pump can be up and running within minutes. In addition, many tubing pumps are designed with high Ingress Protection (IP) rating, which means they can be hosed down for quick and thorough cleaning.

Multimedia pumping capabilities: In addition to generating enough suction to self-prime, peristaltic pumps create sufficient vacuum to successfully pump even the most viscous fluids – including those too heavy for

Not just for labs anymore

Peristaltic pumps

Once used exclusively in the laboratories, the peristaltic pump has found many new applications. It has been transformed for use in process control, water treatment and plant production. Yet, many people remain unfamiliar with this evolving pump technology and its advantages. Read on to know the benefits offered by this pump. A process tubing pump that can be easily loaded with two hands

Courtesy: Cole-Parmer India

TREND ANALYSIS


TREND ANALYSIS

other types of pumps. Yet, because these pumps employ a gentle pumping action that leaves solid components of the fluid intact, including cell walls and particulates, they are excellent for moving sensitive fluids, slurries and suspended solids. Peristaltic pumps are also used to move liquids, gases and mixed-phase fluids.

Cost-effective operation: Peristaltic pumps are relatively inexpensive to operate. They are cost- effective because they are easy to clean; they are effectively impervious to the most abusive, pump-damaging chemicals, and because the same pump can be used for multiple applications. These result in lower labour & maintenance costs, less downtime and increased production.

Tubing materialsPeristaltic pump systems are compatible with a wide range of tubing materials, including silicone, thermoplastics and even rigid polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). There are also newly developed formulations of bi-layer, or co-extruded

tubing – such as the new Masterflex® Chem-Durance™ tubing – in which a long-life tubing material is laid over a thinner inner material that is compatible with aggressive chemicals, resulting in a tubing whose collective properties in a pump exceed those of either material alone.

Many tubing types also meet United States Pharmacopeia (USP), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and/or National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) approvals. This makes peristaltic pumps suitable for handling a variety of fluids, from sensitive cell cultures to industrial solvents, and allows the same pump to be used in multiple applications simply by changing the tubing. Peristaltic pumps can be optimally used by following the right handling procedures.

Pump application tipsBecause peristaltic pumps use flexible tubing, as the pressure inside the tube increases, the tube has a tendency to swell, pressing against the rollers and causing premature wear. To reduce wear, it is important to make sure that the tubing is properly loaded in the pump head; and only quality tubing should be purchased. For example, PerfectPosition™ tubing, developed specifically for the new Masterflex® B/T® process pump, is designed for managing high flow rates and has markings printed on the surface to facilitate optimal tubing alignment.

If there is a problem with the pulsation inherent in peristaltic

pumping, it can be reduced by using a pump head that has more rollers, and thus produces less pulsation. A pulse dampener also helps in this situation.

Easy to use pumpPeristaltic pumps have become a critical and reliable part of processes ranging from chemical transfer to pharmaceutical processing to wastewater treatment. Their versatility and ease of use has helped various industries meet a multitude of fluid-handling challenges.


Cole-Parmer is one of the leading global companies delivering solutions to the scientific community. It has over 50 years of expertise in fluid handling, life science, general laboratory and process instrumentation. For details, contact Vinita Singh, Assistant Manager - Marketing & Communication, Cole-Parmer India, on email: [email protected]

To reduce wear, it is important to make sure

that the tubing is properly loaded in the pump head;

and only quality tubing should be purchased.

Self-priming pumps have interchangeable pump heads that can be mounted in minutes

High flow Masterflex peristaltic pump

IP66 and NEMA 4X rated. Stainless steel housing and sealed keypad – apt for washdown

environment – simply hose down to clean

Magnetic stirrer




COATINGS CORNER

Every nation is anxiously keeping a tab on the happenings in the global economy, especially giving due cognisance to the current growth phase being witnessed, following the aftermath of economic recession. Yet, there are some global issues such as the US fiscal deficit, Chinese monetary policy, food and energy scenario worldwide, to name a few, that will determine whether the fate of the economic recovery would continue on a positive note or take an undesirable turn.

On the right track?Global economic recovery

Photo DINODIA

Dr Mosongo Moukwa

L ast February, the finance ministers and central banks of the G-20 countries held a meeting in Paris to ponder about the direction the economic recovery is

moving. There were several briefings and talks about some major issues likely to impact the world economy. In this context, there are some pointers on things to watch, which might happen in the coming months. At the heart of the matter is whether the present growth phase of the economy will encounter some sort of early pause, and if so, how serious that might be. Experts believe that there are a number of unresolved issues that will determine whether the present recovery will take a pause, depending on how they are handled. Those unresolved issues include: The US fiscal deficit; the Chinese monetary & currency policy; European sovereign solvency; global energy and food production; and the fate of the dollar. Therefore, what one should be looking for are hints about future policies on those issues.

The growth phaseIt is not easy to predict the future. No one knows how long the present expansion will last, but it is

reasonable to expect several years of solid growth. In the past, growth phases have lasted seven to nine years. The present phase would be different from the previous ones in the sense that most of the growth is expected to come from the fastest growing and largest emerging economies. At the moment, the developed world still accounts for 65 per cent of the global GDP. Of the rest, a new paper by Goldman Sachs identifies a number of large emerging economies, which it describes as the ‘growth markets’. Going forward to 2020, these markets will deliver most of the growth that is bound to happen.

As per the study, among the developed countries, only the US will deliver a significant portion of global growth. Japan and Korea get onto the chart, but no European country seems to be able to make it. It is a somewhat sobering thought for some that Turkey and Indonesia will add more to global wealth over the next decade than Germany, France or the UK. However, these countries will only be able to deliver that growth within a freely trading world economy, and this is the crucial point. So, what the G-20 has to confront are the threats that can be summed up under the global imbalances. The issues to be considered are as follows:


COATINGS CORNER

The US fiscal deficit: The first and foremost critical issue is the US fiscal deficit. In the US Budget for the coming fiscal year, President Obama has projected that the deficit will come down from 12 per cent of GDP to 7 per cent. That would actually be a faster decline than, for example, that predicted in the UK. If the US were to achieve this goal, it would be a huge step forward. Unfortunately, in subsequent years, the pace for correcting the deficit eases back and the US is still likely to run a deficit of 3 per cent of GDP in 2017. This is only the US President’s plan and it can be changed by the US Congress. Which way this will go is anyone’s guess.

There are few months to determine how serious the US is in cutting its fiscal deficit and that will have significant impact on elements of global imbalances. The savings imbalance, whereby Chinese savings finance the US deficit, is one

destabilising element in the world economy. Though the link between the fiscal deficit and the current account deficit is a loose one, a narrowing of the former is an essential pre-condition for the narrowing of the latter. If debtors must take responsibilities for their debts, creditors must also take responsibility for their lending.

Chinese monetary and currency policy: The second issue is the Chinese monetary and currency policy. Here three things are happening that needs to be looked at. One is that the trade surplus is declining fast; it has halved in the past few months. The second is that inflation has become a serious problem in China and export prices are rising fast. Finally, the third one is that monetary policy is being tightened at last, and it would be consistent were China also to permit some further upward creep of the Yuan/Dollar exchange rate. As a result of all these, it is at least plausible that the trade

imbalance between China and the rest of the world will decline in the coming months. In short, China’s contribution to global imbalances will decline.

European sovereign solvency: The third issue is European sovereign solvency. When will the first EU state default? Could it be Greece? These are the questions one is afraid to ask, and many observers predict that default may happen within three years. The new Irish Government’s efforts, post the forthcoming elections, to renegotiate its loan package will probably trigger a reassessment of the dangers of the sovereign default, and the need for a sovereign default. In the meantime, the financing needs of other much larger EU nations in the coming months are huge and it needs to be accepted that there will be further bail-outs. Things could become difficult indeed.

Global energy and food production: The fourth issue is global


COATINGS CORNER

energy and food production capacity. There is great pressure on the oil and food prices very early in the growth phase of the cycle. If growth happens on the scale envisaged by Goldman Sachs, the pressure will remain and indeed grow in the years to come. One of the things being talked about is the role of speculation in raising food and raw material prices. Whatever the impact in the short term, in the long run it will all even out.

Today, it is pretty clear that the last spike in oil prices was indeed driven by speculation. The question therefore remains, what will hold down the prices? Will it be the ability to increase capacity? This is difficult in the case of oil. Will it be possible to hold down the demand? This is difficult in the face of rapid growth.

The fate of the dollar: Fifth comes the issue related to the fate of the dollar. The basic question here is how long the dollar retains its role as the global currency as there is lot of talk about its replacement by some other currency. At the head of the queue is the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Special Drawing Rights. But there is no point talking about this, if central banks, particularly the Chinese, go on buying dollars and keeping them in

their reserves. In any case, it is expected that within the foreseeable future, the dollar’s role will decline. What will happen in the coming months may give a clue to the speed of that decline.

Now let us take a look at the paints and coatings industry and how it is faring in these times.

Paints and coatings industryThe recession in the recent past two years has affected the paints and coatings industry as never before.

Today, there is a shortage of key raw materials; main among them is TiO2 representing 60 per cent of raw materials for the industry. The growing markets are China, Mexico, Korea, Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia and India. Several suppliers are flocking to those countries, and some are moving away from the paints and coatings industry towards more lucrative market segments. At the same time, new suppliers from these growing markets are also emerging.

What this will mean for the industry is anyone’s guess. What needs to be kept in mind is from where the growth is coming, and as a result, how the balance of power is changing or bound to change.

Dr Mosongo Moukwa is Vice President (Technology), Asian Paints Ltd, Mumbai. He was Vice President (Global Technology), Reichhold,

North Carolina. He holds a PhD from the Universite de Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada and an MBA from Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the Commercial Development and Management Association and the Licensing Executive Society.Email: [email protected]

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%China US India Brazil Russia Mexico Japan Korea Turkey Indonesia

Figure 2: Share of total GDP increase (%) 2010-2020

9%

2%2%1%2%

2%

3%

2%

Break-up of world growth markets (total - 23%)

China Mexico Korea Turkey Indonesia Brazil Russia India

Figure 1: Fast growing emerging markets

23%

65%

12%

GDP share (%), 2010 World

Growth markets Developed markets Emerging markets

SAFETY ZONE


K N K Murthy

T op driven efforts hold the key to success in every walk of life. Same is the case with companies aiming to scale new heights. The initiatives from senior management

have always been instrumental in integrating various aspects, especially occupational safety issues, into the business mainstream in several industries. This point has to be duly borne in mind especially while dealing with employees or

groups having certain specific goals pertaining to their primarily assigned tasks such as production, maintenance, marketing, etc, to be fulfilled in addition to safety and loss prevention.

Inspections, surveys, audits, etc, are highly significant functions aimed at ensuring conformance and sustainability of well-formulated/established and even foolproof systems/procedures/work practices in all types of business enterprises including those prone to specific high hazards or accidents. These functions are carried out

Walkthrough audit

Keeping occupational hazards at bayWalkthrough audit is a popular and time-tested technique adopted by topmost level officials for addressing several concerns, especially the ones pertaining to the application of a variety of safety systems already in vogue. This article attempts to reveal the nuances of a systemic approach in this direction.

Check list-cum-action plan format for walkthrough safety audit through sensory experience

Audit date:________________ Period: _____ hrs to _______ hrs

Name of auditor:_____________________ Signature: _______________

Accompanied (if) by:____________, ______________, ___________, __________, _________

Plants/areas/depts/sections covered: __________, __________, _________

Figure 1: A format for walkthrough safety audit

Sl No Check point Ok/Not okRecommendations in

case of ‘Not ok’ responseRemarks Action by

Target date

Status after target date

SAFETY ZONE


meticulously in most of the establishments by dedicated personnel at various ranks (managers, engineers and supervisors) in pursuance of their Key Performance Areas (KPAs). Such activities encompass various elements in productivity chain, including regular operational activities and service functions like maintenance, quality control/assurance, marketing, etc.

In most cases, topmost executives lead the way by setting examples themselves and conducting field exercises whenever they are on rounds in different work areas. Walkthrough audit is one of the most practical ways of executing this task by the leaders at the highest levels of organisation hierarchy – CEOs/directors/site heads, functional managers, for instance. It involves the following key points:

Mission: This includes effective utilisation of the technique being adopted, considering the time and efforts being put in for smooth conduct of all business activities by those officials having maximum stake.

Vision: This involves observance of safety-related issues and identification/assessment of inherent or residual hazards followed by scaling up of consequential risks.

Objective: Broadly, the programme must facilitate easy identification/detection/assessment of any type of vulnerable hazard and consequential risk, which could be detrimental as observed in all the areas subjected to the audit.

Corrective actions that are suggested subsequently should be also to address the situation, along with appropriate action plan as deemed fit.

Resources: Upgraded ‘competency’ level among the persons required to perform the audits needs to be ensured through adequate training, which includes group discussion, brainstorming, case studies, table-top assignment and field demonstration. A general/predetermined check list (objective questionnaire type) is desirable; but the areas of specific observations may go beyond what is covered therein.

Planning & scheduling: Considering the time management concerns among senior officials, viable planning and scheduling strategy needs to be adopted. As a thumb rule ‘once a week’ periodicity is being adopted in many organisations (preferably during the middle of the week) to ensure uninterrupted execution.

Audit team: This must strictly be restricted to just two or three officials, including the senior-most executive. The officer accompanying the chief auditor could be the overall in-charge of the area. In case a second person is required to be drafted, the maintenance service chief of the same location could be the appropriate choice.

Methodology: ‘Walk the talk’ method has proved to be the most effective wherein the lead auditor shares views and calls for the knowledge/competency/

experience-based information available among the working personnel while doing the rounds. The endorsement or clarification can be sought from any of the person accompanying him. Thereafter, based on one’s perception/conception, conformities are accepted and variance points (as applicable) duly communicated for corrective actions. The recording of observations can be done by the team members, compiled and circulated along with action plan soon after the completion of the task.

Checklist: An indicative checklist cum worksheet (purely an abstract/condensed version) pertaining to a ‘walkthrough exercise’ at a chemical unit is shown in Figure 1. Depending on the nature, size and complexity of the installation, similar checklists can be compiled, reviewed and improved upon.

Looking beyondLike any other tool, walkthrough audit programme also calls for sustainability and continual improvement through periodical assessments/surveillance checks, etc. This would specifically address time-bound compliance of action plans that have been notified and also highlight the commitment/sincerity/interest among all concerned in effectively pursuing the system. As mentioned earlier, ‘top driven’ programmes always yield better results.

K N K Murthy has been in the fertilisers and petrochemicals industry for 38 years and retired as Senior Manager (Safety) from Indian Petrochemicals

Corporation Ltd, Vadodara. Currently, he works as a Safety Consultant and is attached to Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute (MGLI), Ahmedabad. He has done pioneering works in various aspects like hazard identification, risk assessment, safety audits/inspections/surveys, training, emergency preparedness planning, selection/development of need-based safety appliances, community awareness programmes, quality/environment standards (ISO), accident investigation/analysis, etc. He can be contacted on [email protected]

Some of the check points to be considered for walkthrough safety audit

Safety/security relevant checks/control at main entry point

Overall standard of conformance/compliance to safety, health and environment policy at employees’ level

Awareness level among individuals & groups regarding inherent potential hazards & preventive/corrective measures

Maintenance/upkeep of house-keeping (offi ces/control rooms/ fi eld/offsites/perimeter, etc)

Compliance of system, practices like permit-to-work system, standard operation/maintenance procedures (SO&P), etc

Upkeep/maintenance of emergency equipment/services

Safe upkeep & operability of electrical devices

Movement of service providers & their safety-consciousness level

Recording of accidents, mishaps & ‘near-misses’, upkeep of fi rst aid boxes, rescue gears, etc

Preparedness for emergency response among working personnel


MARKET ANALYSIS

On a ‘bonding’ note

C5 tackifier adhesives market

C5 tackifier-based hot melt adhesive is among the premier emergent adhesives segments in India. However, while demand for this type of adhesives is booming, the supply is low. Hence, adhesive manufacturers need to focus on leveraging the emerging opportunities to meet the market requirements.

Vivek Patel

H ot melt adhesives include all adhesives that are essentially solvent-less solid materials at ambient temperature and must be

applied to the bonding surface at elevated temperatures to permit adequate flow. The usage of hot melt adhesives continues to grow in India, thanks to their exclusive properties that include adhesion to a broad assortment of surfaces; effortless use; ageing features and strength, among others. Hot melt adhesives are distinctively superior in terms of speed & cost-efficiencies, and at par with water-based alternatives in terms of adhesion and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emissions. However, escalating raw material prices represent a daunting challenge for hot melt adhesive market players.

C5 aliphatic hydrocarbon resins are mainly used in hot melt adhesives having the character of tackifying with the substrates. On the basis of raw material, these can be roughly divided into mixed, aliphatic, dicyclopentadiene (DCPD), copolymerised and hydrogenation-modified varieties. These resins are ideal for tackifying Styrene-Isoprene-Styrene (SIS) and Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene (SEBS) block copolymers.

Primary functions and selection parametersC5 hot melt adhesives are available in various physical forms – solid, molten, liquid – to meet specific logistics requirements. Tackifier selection depends primarily on softening point, composition, molecular weight & molecular weight distribution and glass transition temperature (Tg). The tackifier can also be used to make other adhesive additives compatible.

The primary functions of C5 tackifier adhesives include ensuring compatibility with adhesive polymer (not a filler); reducing average molecular weight (viscosity adjustment); raising the blended Tg (not a plasticiser); and improving adhesion. Their desirable attributes are low colour, increased stability, tuned polarisability, and increased compositional variation. These consist of both pressure-sensitive adhesives as well as non-pressure sensitive ones.

Targeted & potential markets C5’s hot melt adhesives find applications in the following sectors:

Automotive: The areas of application include carpet and sound-dampening insulation, headliner attachment and decorative decals

Building & construction: The adhesives are used as sealants, mastics, roofing membranes, plastic composites, concrete modifiers and industrial cleaners.

Courtesy: Shandong Huijin Chemical Co Ltd


MARKET ANALYSIS

Non-wovens: Hygiene industry almost exclusively use them for the manufacture of non-woven products including baby diapers, adult incontinence products, and feminine care personal hygiene products.

Packaging: These find applications in flexible packaging, corrugated converting, case & carton closure, envelopes, among others.

Indian C5’s hot melt adhesive industry is in the development stage in terms of many applications, with focus on the product lifecycle curve. Therefore, any judgement for entry into the market should include the following analysis along with penetration and growth potential:

Porter’s Five Forces analysis Porter’s Five Forces model – a framework for industry analysis – comprises factors such as supplier power, buyer power, barriers to entry, threat of substitution, and rivalry.

Supplier power: Suppliers are generally considered as powerful, if they are highly concentrated, sell specialised products, and have significant switching costs from end-users who wish to purchase competitors’ products. This is true for the hot melt adhesive marketplace in India, where supplier power is high due to a number of significant factors. First, the market is consolidated and constitutes only few players in hot melt adhesive segment relative to its size. Second, adhesive products are standardised and specific so that buyers will purchase quality and high standard products, therefore, switching costs from one supplier to another will be higher. Moreover, high

standardisation leads to low level of price competition in the marketplace. The low levels of competition tend to keep margins at a higher pace.

Buyer power: It is high in the marketplace, as buyers are extremely concentrated with high collective buying power. In addition, for the majority of segments, manufacturers are free to set and change prices. This offers an advantageous position to manufacturers in this industry.

Barriers to entry: They are moderate to medium in the marketplace as a result of particular specifications. Besides, technical & proprietary knowledge and economies of scale needed for competitiveness are on a medium level.

Threat of substitution: It is low in the marketplace and is typically driven by costs & material properties.

Rivalry: It is low to medium in the marketplace due to solid industry concentration among leading firms, few number of players, and high levels of product differentiation – any new product cannot be easily copied or updated by another (to take IPR protection). Rivalry in the marketplace for hot melt adhesive in India remains low to medium in the concentrated and standardised marketplace. At the same time, specialised products do have proprietary methods for production or features that separate one from another.

Market potential in IndiaIn Indian hot melt adhesives industry, non-pressure sensitive adhesive represents high growth rate while traction is towards non-wovens and automotive applications. The demand

for this type of adhesive is booming in the country and producers are also looking at expanding the business here. The strongest demand for adhesives in India is for water-borne products. Though their demand is high, supply is low.

The cumulative FDI in India is approximately $ 100 billion, but adhesives-related investment is less than 1 per cent, lower than China, but with potential to compete.

The C5 petroleum resin production is mainly concentrated in countries with advanced petroleum and chemical industries such as the US, Japan, Germany, Russia, France, the UK and the Netherlands. The total capacity of C5 petroleum resins in the world is around 1,100,000 metric tonne per annum and the capacity in the US and Japan accounts respectively for around 59 per cent and 22 per cent of the total global market.

C5’s hot melt adhesives

Pressure-sensitive adhesives

Non-pressure sensitive adhesives

Applications:

TapesLabels

Applications:

Packaging

Bookbinding

Disposables

Non-woven

Others

Figure 2: C5’s hot melt adhesives applications

0

1

2

3

4

5Softening point

Molecular weight

TgInitial colour

Others

Figure 1: Spider chart for C5 tackifier specification requirement

Table 1: Typical specification

Softening point

Initial colour in 50% toluene Tg

Molecular weight

Mn MwUnit 0c YI 0c g/mol g/mol

Test method ASTM 4027 ETM-E 90ASTM D

3418ASTM 4017

ASTM 4017


MARKET ANALYSIS

Worldwide, the C5’s hot melt adhesive market has recorded an annual growth rate of 4 per cent, but in India it is witnessing a double-digit growth rate (18.7 per cent) despite the influence of economic recession of the recent past that tremendously affected adhesive markets in North America, Japan and Western Europe. Contributing to this boom was the unprecedented growth of the emerging markets in the rest of Asia and India.

Changing dynamicsHistorically, the adhesive industry was dominated by a few industrialised countries. Now, a significant portion of demand is being generated by emerging countries such as China. The next major growth driver could be India. In India C5’s hot melt adhesives industry is growing somewhat faster than GDP due to industrial development, and at the same time, innovations in adhesive formulations and polymer & resin technologies result in new applications for hot melt adhesives. There is a huge gap between demand and supply

of the hot melt adhesives, which leads to tightening supply and growing demand push price escalation up the tackifier chain.

Market fragmentation continues as higher demand is generated from the supply and demand standpoint. The demand growth is also supported by the emergence of new market applications that result from changing substrates and evolving assembly processes. On the supply side, despite ongoing industry consolidation and M&A activities at the level of the multinational companies, new small- and medium-sized companies are beginning to serve targeted market niches and/or specialised in a specific state-of-the-art technology.

India, perhaps, holds the maximum potential for growth in hot melt adhesives market, globally, given its 4 per cent share of the APAC market, compared to its neighbour, China, with over 18.8 per cent share. The hot melt adhesive industry in India is growing rapidly and is projected to grow at a rate of 18.7 per cent in the next four years. In the last five years, the growth rate witnessed in India for this segment has been approximately 16.4 per cent annually.

The benefits offered by hot melt adhesives in terms of ease of use, applicability of numerous surfaces, cost-effectiveness, strength, etc, opens a plethora of possibilities for the manufacturers in this segment.

Vivek Patel is a consultant in the domain of polymers/plastics/chemicals/composites. He has enormous industry experience & expertise in

market research, consultancy, technical sales & marketing, R&D, QC, IPR and business development. He has developed zero halogen flame retardant compounds and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) compounding formulations.Email: [email protected]

Driving factors for the growth of Indian C5’s hot

melt adhesive market Good GDP growth rate

Burgeoning manufacturing sector

Growing urban infrastructure need

Sectoral boom in automotive industry, greater usage in oil & gas segments

With the slowdown of North American and European market, global players are increasingly investing in the Indian industrial market

Challenges High raw material costs

High energy costs

Quality compatibility

Barriers to entry - moderate to medium Technical/proprietary knowledge moderate to mediumMedium economies of scale

Threat of substitution - lowDriven by costs and material properties

Supplier power - highConsolidated marketFew playersStandardised productsHigh switching cost

Buyer power - highConcentrated buyersProducers are free to set prices as they seem fi t

Competitive rivalry - low to mediumSolid industry concentrationFew number of playersHigh levels of product differentiation

Figure 3: Porter’s Five Forces analysis of Indian C5’s hot melt adhesive industry

In Indian hot melt adhesives industry,

non-pressure sensitive adhesive represents

high growth rate while traction is towards

non-wovens and automotive applications.


EVENTS CALENDAR

National

PVC 2011The event will display the latest innovations in pumps, valves and compressors (PVC) for various industries; May 06-08, 2011; at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai

For details contact:Conventions & Fairs (India) Pvt LtdE 519, Floral Deck PlazaCentral MIDC RoadOpp SEEPZ, Andheri (East)Mumbai 400 093 Tel: 022-2839 8000 Fax: 022-2839 0502Email: [email protected]

Eastern Plastic & Rubber ExpoExhibition offering a comprehensive coverage for the plastics & rubber industry; June 16-19, 2011; at Milan Mela Trade Complex, Kolkata

For details contact:VNB InternationalD-435, Clover Centre7-Moledina Road CampPune 411 001Tel: 020-4006 8318/3291 1450Fax: 020-2605 4870

IORS 2011Symposium and international exhibition for oil & gas industry; September 08-09, 2011; at Taj Lands End, Mumbai

For details contact:Oil Asia Publications Pvt Ltd530, Laxmi Plaza5th Floor, Laxmi Industrial EstateNew Link Road, Andheri (West)Mumbai 400 053Tel: 022-4050 4900, Fax: 022-2636 7676Email: [email protected]

Automation 2011 International exhibition & conference dedicated to process automation, instrumentation & controls, factory automation, robotics, power plant automation, drives automation, bus & wireless technology, building automation, hydraulics and pneumatics; September 20-23, 2011; at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai

For details contact:IED Communications Ltd64 Mahendra ChambersD N Road, Mumbai 400 001Tel: 022-2207 9567/3370Fax: 022-2207 4516Email: [email protected]

Analytica-Anacon 2011International trade fair and conference for analytical instrumentation, laboratory technology and services; October 12-14, 2011; in Mumbai

For details contact:ImagAm Messesee 2, 81829 Munich, GermanyTel: +49 (0) 89 949 22 0Fax: +49 (0) 89 949 22 350Email: [email protected]

IPVS 2011Industrial trade fair for pumps, valves and systems; November 11-13, 2011; at the Gujarat University Hall, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

For details contact:Orbitz Exhibitions Pvt Ltd101, Navyug Industrial EstateSewri (W), Mumbai 400 015Tel: 022-2410 2801/02, Fax: 022-2410 2805Email: [email protected]

Enviro Tech India 2011Expo on environment-friendly technologies and systems including solar panels, hybrid solutions, wastewater management, effluent treatment plants and solutions; November 14-27, 2011; at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

For details contact:ITPO (India Trade Promotion Organisation) Pragati MaidanNew Delhi 110 001Tel: 011-2337 1725Fax: 011-2337 8464Email: [email protected]

SUGARASIA 2011 Exhibition showcasing cane sugar and downstream products such as distillation of molasses & ethanol, blending and power generation; November 21-25, 2011; at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

For details contact:Nexgen Exhibitions Pvt Ltd1201 Pragati Tower, 26 Rajendra PlaceNew Delhi 110 008Tel: 011-4153 6990, Fax: 011-4153 6991Email: [email protected]

CPhI INDIA 2011 International exhibition on pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates; December 01-03, 2011; at NSE Exhibition Complex, Mumbai

For details contact:CMP India (UBM India Pvt Ltd)Sagar Tech Plaza, A, 615-617, 6th FloorSakiNaka JunctionAndheri-Kurla RoadAndheri (E), Mumbai 400 072Tel: 022-6612 2600, Fax: 022-6612 2626Email: [email protected]

PLASTINDIA 2012International plastics exhibition & conference; February 01-06, 2012; at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

For details contact:Plastindia Foundation 401, Landmark B, Suren RoadOff Andheri Kurla RoadAndheri (East), Mumbai 400 093Tel: 022-2683 2911-14 Fax: 022- 2684 5861Email: [email protected]

India’s premier industrial trade fair on products and technologies related to Machine Tools, Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Process Machinery & Equipment, Automation Instrumentation, Packaging & Auxiliaries, IT

Products, Electrical & Electronics, Material Handling and Safety Equipment.

For detailsInfomedia 18 Ltd

Ruby House, 1st Floor, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. • Tel: 022 3003 4651 • Fax: 022 3003 4499 • Email: [email protected]

RUDRAPUR: Uttarakhand, Sept 23-26, 2011, Gandhi Park

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat, Nov 14-17, 2011, Gujarat University Exhibition Hall

CHENNAI : Tamil Nadu, Dec 16-19, 2011, Chennai Trade Centre

INDORE: Madhya Pradesh, Jan 6-9, 2012, Poddar Plaza, Nr Gandhi Hall

AURANGABAD: Maharashtra, Feb 17-20, 2012, Garware Stadium

PUNE: Maharashtra, Nov 18-21, 2011, Auto Cluster Exhibition Centre


EVENTS CALENDAR

InternationalFILTSEP 2011A trade fair for equipment and technologies for filtration and separation; April 26-29, 2011; at Crocus-Expo IEC, Moscow, Russia

For details contact:MVK - International Exhibition Company1 Sokolnichesky ValPavilion 4, Moscow 107113, RussiaTel: +7 (495) 995-05-95Email: [email protected]

Dye+Chem Indonesia 2011Exhibition focussing on all kinds of dyes and fine & specialty chemicals; May 12-14, 2011; at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), Indonesia For details contact:CEMS Bangladesh House # 119, Unit- A3Road-1, Banani Block-FDhaka 1213, BangladeshTel: +880 2 8812713Fax: +880 2 9894573Email: [email protected]

SCHÜTTGUT 2011Industry forum for manufacturers of powder, granules and bulk solids; May 18-19, 2011; at Exhibition Centre Westfallenhalle Dortmund, Germany

For details contact:easyFairs - Brussels Rue Saint Lambert, 135B-1200 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +32 (0)2 740 10 70Fax: +32 (0)2 740 10 75Email: [email protected]

Oil and Gas Asia 2011Asian oil, gas and petrochemical engineering exhibition; June 01-03, 2011; at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia For details contact:Allworld Exhibitions 12th Floor, Westminster Tower3 Albert Embankment, LondonThe UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7840 2100Fax: +44 (0)20 7840 2111Email: [email protected]

Chemspec Europe 2011An exhibition for performance & fine chemicals and organic intermediates; June 15-16, 2011; at Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland For details contact:Dmg World Media (UK) LtdWestgate House120/130 Station RoadRedhill, Surrey RH1 1ET, The UKTel: +44 (0)1737 855000Fax: +44 (0)1737 855475Email: [email protected]

CO2 Expo 2011Exhibition dedicated to the climate and greenhouse emissions; September 14-16, 2011; at Fiera di Roma, Rome, Italy

For details contact:Artenergy Publishing srl Via Antonio Gramsci, 5720032 Cormano (MI), ItalyTel: +39 0266306866Fax: +39 0266305510Email: [email protected]

PEPP 2011A business forum dedicated to polyethylene & polypropylene (PEPP) products, technologies and market; September 20-22, 2011; at Swissôtel Zurich, Switzerland For details contact:Maack Business ServicesMoosacherstrasse 14CH-8804 Au/ZurichSwitzerlandTel: +41 1 781 30 40Fax: +41 1 781 15 69Email: [email protected]

ChemMash-Pumps 2011A trade fair on chemical engineering and pumps; October 24-27, 2011; at Expocentre Krasnaya Presnya Fairgrounds, Moscow

For details contact:ZAO Expocentr1A Sokolnicheski ValMoscow 123100, RussiaTel: +7 (495) 255 37 23/33Fax: +7 (495) 205 80 55Email: [email protected]

INCHEM Tokyo 2011Trade fair showing latest developments in chemical engineering; November 16-18, 2011; at Tokyo International Exhibition Center, Japan

For details contact:Japan Management Association (JMA) 3-1-22, ShibakoenMinato-ku, Tokyo 105, JapanTel: +81 (0)3 3434 0093Fax: +81 (0)3 3434 8076Email: [email protected]

Saudi Petrochem 2011International exhibition for chemicals and chemical technology industry; November 21-24, 2011; at Riyadh International Exhibition Centre, Saudi Arabia

For details contact:Riyadh Exhibitions Co Ltd Olaya Road PostfachP O Box 56010SA - 11554 Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaTel: +966 1 454 1448Fax: +966 1 454 4846Email: [email protected]

Chemspec Middle East 2011Exhibition for performance and fine chemicals; November 28-29, 2011; at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE

For details contact:Dmg World Media (UK) LtdWestgate House120/130 Station RoadRedhill, Surrey RH1 1ETThe UK Tel: +44 (0)1737 855000Fax: +44 (0)1737 855475Email: [email protected]

Chemical Process Plant and Machinery Middle East 2011Exhibition and seminar for the chemical, petrochemical, chemical process technology and corrosion control industries; December 07-08, 2011; at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE

For details contact:International Expo-Consults LLC PO Box 50006, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 (4) 343 5777Fax: +971 (4) 343 6115Email: [email protected]

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective organiser. In any case, it does not represent the views of Chemical World


Annabel Dsouza

T here is no denying that entrepreneurship and initiatives are integral to industrial success of

companies as well as the entire trade ecosystem of a region. Facilitating this culture of business expansion through technological advancements, the third edition of Engineering Expo Chennai was held from March 11-13, 2011, at the Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam. During the three days of intense networking, the city’s burgeoning engineering industry received a further impetus in terms of information upgradation as well as profitable partnerships.

The event was marked by the presence of V Arumugam, Zonal GM-South I & III, National Small Industries Corporation Ltd (NSICL); R Selvaraj,

President, Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturers’ Association (AIEMA); and Sunil Kaul, Senior GM, Power Transmission Division, Fenner India Ltd; as Guests of Honour. The esteemed guests highlighted Chennai’s emergence as a manufacturing hub and sourcing base for India’s auto industry. Further, they emphasised on the pivotal role played by trade shows and exhibitions in supporting entrepreneurship in the region.

Awareness and expertise go a long way in constructing the right environment for competitive businesses. As the global economic scenario converges to become more inclusive, local players have to compete with products and services in the international market for harnessing export demand. Selvaraj said, “Chennai is bestowed with abundant technical knowledge and skill sets. The educational initiatives

of the State have yielded good results in tapping the vast human capital in the region. However, industry collaboration is the need of the hour at student and professional level.” He further added, “Besides commercial gains, trade fairs offer entrepreneurs an opportunity to grasp technical developments and convert them into profitable business ventures.”

The knowledge factorThis year’s edition of Expo

performed exceptionally well in terms of business generation and networking prospects. Around 80,000 kg of machinery was displayed at the event while business leads worth ` 39.34 crore were generated. However, the key highlights were the knowledge and technology sharing offered by the 200 plus exhibitors at the event.

As the famous adage goes, one cannot deliver today’s solutions

Chennai charms…The city is emerging as a major player in the auto components and ancillaries industry. Its strategic location as a seaport city is reinforcing its status as a leading sourcing hub for most brands in the engineering industry. An abundance of skilled workforce and thriving economic culture attract industries to this city.

With many large and small players from all spheres of the engineering world competing for market space, innovative technology and value-added services are going to be the key determining factors for success. Sunil Kaul, Senior GM, Power Transmission Division, Fenner India Ltd, asserted, “The Indian engineering industry is poised to grow immensely. As markets expand and demand increases, we look at competitors as partners in progress. There is plenty of scope for upgrading existing product portfolios, and companies should benchmark their products against international standards and not restrict themselves to local competition.”

Keeping pace with the giant strides of the manufacturing sector in Tamil Nadu, the third edition of Engineering Expo Chennai created an aura for promoting interaction between various stakeholders in the industry. With technology and innovations as its core strengths, the Expo offered better commercial prospects for exhibitors and visitors alike.

Engineering Expo Chennai 2011

Channelising knowledge, building brands


Engrossed visitors observing technology at its best

April 2011 | Chemical World 55

with yesterday’s technology and expect to be in business tomorrow. Similarly, adopting the latest available technology in the market fosters a large number of start-ups and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) initiatives. This is the most critical aspect of a self-sustaining economy. As Chennai emerges into mainstream auto components manufacturing, every effort is being made by the State Government to promote and support entrepreneurship.

Arumugam said, “SMEs generate over 40 per cent of employment. Their share in the export market is more than 9 per cent. To further encourage SMEs’ excellence, there is a credit rating based on faster delivery with value-added services. Benefits are also extended towards sponsoring and promoting participation at international trade fairs.”

Business latitude All successful businesses understand the crucial role played by exhibitions and conferences in fostering opportunities. Engineering Expo has always been a

platform for branding and interacting with suppliers, OEMs, auxiliary service providers and end-users. Competitive acumen is another advantage offered by this Expo, which not only facilitates sales and marketing, but also supports decision makers in formulating future strategies. Kaul stated, “Engineering Expo offers a good opportunity for companies to share knowledge and expertise on processes & innovations. It promotes partnerships between industries and their ancillaries, which in turn plays a crucial role in technology transfer and R&D. Exhibitions and trade shows enable companies to collaborate with each other in seeking new opportunities and providing a learning curve on cost compression, quality circle, service improvement, energy-efficiency, etc. The Expo assures tremendous benefits for the parties involved and the industry at large.”

Besides strengthening brands, this edition of Engineering Expo Chennai also witnessed companies building strong networks and collaborations. Suresh C K, General Manager - Marketing, Surya Automotive & Plastics,

said, “From a business perspective, this exhibition has enabled us to tap the enormous potential within the industry. Our products and services have evinced interests among our target audience. Moreover, at this exhibition, we received valuable feedback that helped us identify areas in and around Chennai where there is demand for our products.”

On an optimistic noteLike its previous editions, this Expo redefined its benchmark of success. Reiterating the importance of the event to give a boost to the industrial scenario of Chennai, Kaul added, “The worth of a trade show in the league of Engineering Expo cannot be estimated only from a profit-gaining perspective. Although immediate business gains are important, one should look at the larger perspective in terms of industry awareness, key strengths and overall brand building.”

The Chennai Expo seemed to be a perfect culmination of the enterprising spirit of Engineering Expo as it brings down the curtains on this season. India’s engineering industry earnestly awaits the next season, with renewed vigour and enhanced prospects as the Expo returns to Chennai in December 2011.

Mission SMEV Arumugam, Zonal GM-South I & III, National Small Industries Corporation Ltd (NSICL), said, “The technologies and solutions offered by local ancillaries in Tamil Nadu certainly meet international standards of quality and efficiency. Exhibitions like Engineering Expo allow companies to showcase their products effectively, while also garnering sales and revenues.” He further added, “We at NSICL do our best to encourage participation at trade shows, both at the national as well as international level. These expos also serve as a platform for awareness and exposure of innovative technology in the market.”

India’s automobile industry consists of some of the world’s leading brands like Ford, Royal Enfield, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, among others. In this context, Arumugam stated, “In terms of outsourcing, Multinational Companies (MNCs) cannot manufacture all components, and outsourcing is integral to their operations. Here, SMEs play an important role in MNC establishment in the State. SMEs help the region to become a major sourcing destination.”

(L-R): Guests of Honour Sunil Kaul, Senior GM, Power Transmission Division, Fenner India Ltd; R Selvaraj, President, Ambattur Industrial Estate

Manufacturers’ Association; and V Arumugam, Zonal GM-South I & III, National Small Industries Corporation Ltd at the inaugural function

A panoramic view of pulsating business at the Expo



Exhibitors’ insightsFalgun Pandya, MD, Saimona Air-Mech Pvt LtdWe sold fi ve machines during the fi rst two days. This alone speaks for the market demand and the role of this exhibition in facilitating business. Besides, we look at trade shows like this as opportunities for interacting with our vendors, suppliers, distributors, etc. Such events enable us to boost our brand image and promote our products signifi cantly.

Vipin Shah, Director, Electroweld Automations India Pvt LtdAutomation is critical to any engineering industry and we see tremendous potential for our products and services in Chennai. This edition of Engineering Expo has been successful in attracting the best companies from the industry, which in turn helped us in networking and building collaborations.

Ganesh Parthasarthy, CEO, Tussor Machine Tools India Pvt Ltd Our CNC solutions were well-received in the market for its high precision delivery as well as rough handling capacity. At this exhibition, we were able to leverage on our strong pricing advantage and also promote our brand among target visitors.

Pavandeep Singh, Managing Partner, Engineering HindustanThe scale of this exhibition has grown manifold over the years, and we are glad to have participated this time as well. The quality of visitors has been quite satisfactory and we have received good feedback from potential clients. We hope to convert these into profi table partnerships in future.

First-time exhibitors Rajul Gandhi, Director, Seion Watertech Pvt LtdChennai is a crucial market for our industry. How-ever, there is a dearth of high-end solutions, and this exhibition has helped us reach out to local clients. We experianced considerable demand for our state-of-the-art products. This was evident from the impressive visitor turnout at the Engineering Expo and we have generated enquiries worth ` 1.5 crore.

Anand Kannan, VP- Marketing, Powerica LtdI am quite satisfi ed with the quality and visitor turn-out. Given that our technology has a unique edge in effi ciency and pricing, we hope to leverage the enqui-ries and generate business. In terms of brand building as well, I would rate this Expo on the higher side.

Bony Paul, MD - India & GCC Region, Trelleborg Sealing SolutionsThis exhibition has been a good experience in strengthening our business in Chennai. The visitor turnout and their interests in our solutions were quite encouraging. We were able to achieve our aim of brand building.

C Kumarakrishnan, Assistant Manager Sales,Pepperl+Fuchs (India) Pvt Ltd The response that we received at this expo was heartening. Among the visitors, many were students, who were keen on exploring our world-class solutions. However, in terms of business prospects we will be utilising the key contacts generated at this Expo for future sales and revenue.

Total number of visitors: 15,550+

4,532Total business

leads generated 80,000 kgTotal machinery movement at the venue


Visionary visitorsVinod Kumar, Branch Manager, Wilson Sandhu Logistics India LtdAn exhibition with large participation from the SME sector is important for my company. Being from the logistics industry, I was glad to interact with several companies having large-scale import-export operations. This has also been a great knowledge gaining experience and I hope to follow-up with the leads generated here.

P Samba Murthy, Partner, Vimal Industries The construction and infrastructure market in Chennai is on the upswing, and such exhibitions bring to the fore the latest materials and machinery of world-class standards. I was able to source some ventilators for my construction business. Besides, I have also observed that products and services available here have a major price advantage, due to the intensely competitive environment, which promotes excellence.

Mark Wei, Senior Business Manager, System Integration Outsourcing CEG, Huawei Technologies Company LtdI am often on the look-out for electronic component suppliers for the telecom industry. I observed a large number of machine manufacturers and few from the electrical segment at the Expo. I met some potential suppliers and look forward to more exhibitions like this with international participation.

Innovative edge Rajul Gandhi, Director, Seion Watertech Pvt Ltd Our industrial reverse osmosis solutions bring down the TDS count to 2,000 ppm. This portable water technology is ideally suitable for industries in Chennai. The saline water available in this region is not feasible for processing purposes. This technology has wide-scale applications in the pharmaceuticals, tanneries, electronics sectors, etc.

R J Subramanian, Deputy GM, Power Transmission Division, Fenner India LtdThe PowerTran belts are designed for heavy-duty applications in agriculture, mining, construction, etc. It offers power savings up to 40 per cent and also reduces drive cost. It is almost maintenance-free, with optimum tension throughout service life.

Ameer Munaff, CEO, Fein Power ToolsThe powerful belt sander has been developed for machining welded seams on pipes and can be used to precisely smooth corners, edges, profi les and deburr sheetmetal. The tool features a header, which can be swivelled 1800, allowing for fl exible and comfortable use even in complex applications.

Sriram Subramonian, Country Manager, Boge Compressors (India) Pvt Ltd The C Series compressor has been launched recently in the Asian market. It is unique because 70 per cent of its components like pipes and connections have been reduced into a manifold block, making it compact and user-friendly.

Total number of exhibitors: 200+ Total business generated: ` 39.34 crore

78%Exhibitors happy

with quality of

visitors

83%Exhibitors found Engineering Expo better than other trade events in Chennai


TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

As part of our endeavour to spread the technology culture,this section provides a means to promote and facilitate exchange of select technologies.

We strive to bring together suppliers of such technologies with suitable users for negotiations and industrial collaboration.

Technology Offered

Activated carbon An Iranian firm is willing to offer

activated carbon from coconut shells. Areas of application

Food processing, pharmaceuticals, etcForms of transfer

Technology licensing

Cresyl phosphate / tri phenyl An Indian firm is offering

consultancy for manufacturing plasticisers.Area of application

Photo films, chemicals, plastic industry, etcForms of transfer

Consultancy

Ethanol An Iranian company is offering

ethanol from molasses using the fermentation of sacharomyces cerevisiae. Ethyl alcohol is widely used for making many organic chemicals. Areas of application

Chemical industry, energy industry Forms of transfer


Furfuryl alcohol technology An Indian firm offers technology

for producing furfuryl alcohol from furfural by liquid hydrogenation as well as vapour hydrogenation, with a capacity of 6,000 tpa to 24,000 tpa. Areas of application

Furan polymers, sealants & cements,

urea-formaldehyde, & phenolic resins and foundry cores Forms of transfer

Consultancy, technical services, technology licensing

Phosphate estersAn Indian firm is offering technology

for manufacturing phosphate esters like tri butyl phosphate.Area of application

Specialty chemicalsForms of transfer

Joint venture

Sodium hydrosulfite An Iranian company is willing

to manufacture sodium hydrosulfite using chemical compounds. It is widely used as a stripping agent in dyes and in chemical industry.Areas of application

Chemical industry Forms of transfer


Sodium sulfide An Iranian firm is willing to offer

sodium sulfide, which is used mainly in textile industry, paper mill, artificial silk and curriery.Areas of application

Leather industry, textiles, curriery industries, paper mills, etc Forms of transfer

Turnkey

Synthesis routes for organic chemicals

An Indian firm is offering consultancy in design of synthesis routes for organic chemicals.Areas of application

Pharma industry, speciality chemicals, plant protection chemicals, etc Forms of transfer

Consultancy

Transformer oil unit An Indian company is willing

to offer consultancy for making a transformer oil unit with domestic coal from its wastes.Area of application

TransformersForms of transfer

Consultancy, technical services

Wasteless processing techniques

An Indian company is willing to offer consultancy for waste-less processing techniques for the chemical & packaging industries.Area of Application

Packaging industry, transformer oil manufacturing industry, chlor alkali projectsForms of transfer

Consultancy, technical services

Share Your Technology PropositionsThe mission of Chemical World is to spread the technology culture. We offer you an opportunity to participate

in this endeavour by publishing the best technology ideas. Technology developers/sellers are invited to furnish the techno-commercial details (with environmental benefits, if any) for publication in the Technology Transfer column of Chemical World.

R&D organisations, technical consultancy organisations and individuals assisting small and medium enterprises may send the relevant literature, indicating the scope & services and the areas of specification.

Contact: Chemical WorldInfomedia 18 Ltd, ‘A’ Wing, Ruby House, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. Tel: 022-3024 5000, 3003 4672, Fax: 022-3003 4499, Email: [email protected]


TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Calcium carbonateA Saudi Arabian company needs

the technical know-how for producing calcium carbonate from limestone.Areas of application

Industries like chemical, textile, etcForms of transfer

Others

Glyoxal An Indian company is looking to

switch the production technique for manufacturing 40 per cent glyoxal from its existing acetaldehyde based method to the MEG based glyoxal production.Area of application

Pharma & textileForms of transfer

Others

Inorganic chemicalsAn Indian company is interested

in seeking the technology & process know-how for production of potassium nitrate, chromium acetate, and magnesium hydroxide suspension. The company already produces inorganic chemicals and wants to add several other items.Areas of application

Chemical industryForms of transfer

Others

LimeAn Indian company seeks to adopt

new cost-effective technologies, which can reduce carbon emissions and earn carbon credits, for manufacturing lime.Area of applications

Quick lime and hydrated limeForms of transfer

Others

Lime plantA group of businessmen in Zambia

is interested in setting up an 800 t/d of quick lime and 200 t/d of hydrated lime plant. Areas of application

MiningForms of transfer

Others

Manufacture of sodium hydrosulfite

A company based in Pakistan is interested in establishing a joint venture for the manufacture of sodium hydrosulfite in Pakistan with either a Chinese or European manufacturer, who has the technological know-how and expertise in the field.Areas of application

Industries like textile, paper and food Forms of transfer

Others

Quaternary ammonium chloride

An Indonesia-based company, is planning to diversify into manufacturing of quaternary ammonium chloride. It is seeking technology along with the supply of critical plant and machinery for the manufacture of the chemical 3-chloro-2hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride that is produced from epichhlorohydrin.Areas of application

Chemical industryForms of transfer

Technical knowhow, consultancy

Small-scale environment-friendly chemical technology

An Indian company is looking out for an economically viable small-scale environment-friendly chemical

technology useful in the textile sector as well as in pharmaceutical sector.Area of application

Textile and pharmaceutical industryForms of transfer

Others

Solvent dyesAn Indian company has recently

installed a manufacturing capacity of 2,400 mtpa and is looking to diversify its product range by including various solvent dyes in its product portfolio. The company is seeking process consultancy for this project.Areas of application

Plastics, petroleum, solvents, etcForms of transfer

Others

Sodium silicate and activated carbon

A company from Thailand requires technology for manufacturing sodium silicate and activated carbon from rice husk & rice husk ash.Areas of application

Manufacturing and construction industryForms of transfer

Others

Treatment of pollutants discharged during PTA production

A Chinese organisation is looking for a recycling and pollution-free treatment technology to tackle the wastewater, exhaust gas, waste slag and noises generated in PTA production, thereby shifting from reduction of pollutant discharge to zero-discharge. Areas of application

Chemical industry Forms of transfer

Consultancy, technical services, etc

Information courtesy: Dr Krishnan S Raghavan, In-Charge, Technology Transfer Services Group, United Nations - Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), APCTT Building , C-2, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110 016, Tel: 011 - 2696 6509,

Fax: 011 - 2685 6274, Email: [email protected], Website: www.apctt.org

For more information on technology offers and requests, please log on to www.technology4sme.net and register with your contact details. This is a free of cost platform provided by APCTT for facilitating interaction between buyers and seekers of technologies across the globe. After submitting technology offer or request to this website, you are requested to wait for at least two weeks for receiving a

response from a prospective buyer / seeker through this website, before contacting APCTT for further assistance.

Technology Requested

PRODUCT UPDATE


Aseptic stainless steel centrifugal pumpsCris Engineering Works offers sanitary stainless steel centrifugal pumps for pharma, drugs, food, beverage, dairy, cosmetics and chemical industries. Pumps have monobloc

design and manufactured from SS 304/SS 316 bar stock/sheet metal. All product contact parts (casing, impeller) are in stainless steel, duly electro-polished and free from uncleanable pockets. Pumps are fitted with mechanical seals, externally mounted, and can be dismantled & assembled in minutes without tools. These can be cleaned and steam sterilised. Drain ports or sampling valves are also provided. End connections offered include triclamp, DIN, SMS, flanged and butt-weld pumps are offered in capacities 3000 litre/hour to 6,000 litre/hour.

Cris Engineering WorksMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2685 9440, Fax: 022-2685 9440 Mob: 098922 73314Email: [email protected]

Casters and wheelsS K Industries offers cast polyurethane (PU) wheels & ultra high molecular weight polyethylene wheels with MS & SS fabricated heavy duty brackets. The range of

castors include: MS fabricated heavy duty fixed bracket with CI-PU bonded wheel/solid UHMW HDPE wheel fitted with double ball bearings; MS fabricated heavy duty Swivel bracket with thrust & taper roller bearings with CI-PU bonded wheel/UHMW solid wheel fitted with double ball bearings; SS 304 Swivel bracket with double ball bearings with UHMW solid-PU bonded wheel; SS 304 fixed bracket with UHMW solid-PU bonded wheel fitted with double ball bearings; SS 304 Swivel bracket fitted with foot pedal brake with double ball bearings with PU bonded wheel; and SS 304 quality rod type Swivel bracket with foot pedal brake with double in swivel head with UHMW solid-PU bonded wheel. The company also offers wheels in PU, solid UHMW HDPE and polyamide.

S K IndustriesMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2678 5510, Fax: 022-2678 3226 Mob: 098218 58987Email: [email protected]

Vacuum homogenisersAlpha Process Engineers offers vacuum homogeniser. ‘ALPEN’ vacuum mixers are ideally suited for fluid, semi-fluid, viscous pasty, creamy products, ointments, usually encountered in pharmaceutical, personal care products, cosmetics, toiletries, food, paint, chemicals (like shoe polishes, car cleaners, silicone rubber-based sealing compound, perfumery, flavour, textile dyes and pigments, inks), etc. This is a sophisticated mixing machine, performing multiple mixing functions simultaneously with an effectiveness unmatched by any other mixing machine, including the contra-rotating machine. This multi-agitator system usually comes as a 3-in-1 configuration. Depending on the mixing ingredients and functions to be carried out, the range of agitators can be selected from emulsifier, homogeniser, disperser, toothed colloid mill, sinus mixer and scraper stirrer. These vacuum mixers are available in stainless steel construction and in capacities ranging from 30 to 2,000 litre. They are also offered in jacketed versions with working temperatures up to 150ºC, operating pressures from atmospheric to full vacuum.

Alpha Process EngineersChennai - Tamil NaduTel: 044-2811 1351, Fax: 044-2811 2371Email: [email protected]

Centrifuges for ETP United Engineering Enterprises specialise in centrifuges/ hydro-extractors for effluent treatment plant (ETP). These centrifuges/ hydro-extractors are heavy duty, 3 point pendulum suspension type. The main shaft is of steel and is amply proportioned to withstand heavy loads. The basket is designed to withstand off-balance loads of 4-5 per cent during centrifuging. The centrifuge is V-belt driven through TEFC motor. It is fitted with heavy duty disc or horseshoe brakes. The material of construction can be stainless steel (SS) contact parts & mild steel (MS) non-contact parts. These are available in various models with basket diameter of 300 to 1,950 mm and basket height from 200 to 700 mm and batch capacities ranging from 50 to 600 kg.

United Engineering EnterprisesMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2308 3990, Fax: 022-2308 9445Email: [email protected]

PRODUCT UPDATE


Sanitary butterfly valvesFeliz Biotech Industries (FBI) manufactures sanitary butterfly valves (flap disc type). These are used to control the flow of powder, granules, flakes, crystals, etc, in a wide range of production equipment like IBC, blenders, dryers, bins and hoppers. These valves are in SS 316, sanitary design and meet the stringent requirements of the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, biotech, food and fine chemical industries. The butterfly valves can be manually operated or operated

with pneumatic actuator. FBI also offers Iris butterfly valves for controlling flow of dry powders. Diaphragm for Iris valves can be manufactured from many materials like nylon (for handling granules or lumpy materials); rubber (for handling fine, light or abrasive materials) and fabrics with a coating of polyurethane (PU) (for handling fine heavy powder). The company offers Iris valves with single lock and double lock configurations, available in size ranges between 50 and 350 mm, pressure range from full vacuum up to 150 psi and temperature range up to +95ºC.

Feliz Biotech IndustriesMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022- 2685 9440, Mob: 09892273314Email: [email protected]

Mechanical seals Technomech Engineering offers mechanical seals for chemical and process pumps, compressors, vacuum pumps, dewatering pumps, agitators, reactors, mixers, driers and process equipment with rotating shafts. These mechanical seals are available in various designs including multi-spring, single spring, Teflon bellow, metal bellow, double mechanical & cartridge type and in a range of materials including carbon steel, stainless steel, hastealloy, monel, tungsten carbide, stellite, ceramic, glass filled PTFE, resin impregnated carbon, etc. These mechanical seals conform to ISO, DIN and API standards. The mechanical seals meet general as well as critical duties in chemicals, petrochemicals, fertilisers, paper, thermal power generation, ore processing, metallurgy, pharma, food, beverage, cosmetics, breweries and allied process industries.

Technomech EngineeringMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2678 5683, Fax: 022-2678 5683Mob: 098672 09809Email: [email protected]

PRODUCT UPDATE


Drying systemsRaj Process Equipments & Systems offers different types of drying systems depending on the nature of products to be dried and the characteristics of dried product required. The drying systems are

designed for one-step transformation of liquid feeds/wet cakes/pastes to powder. Depending on the nature of product, the suitable material of construction is selected for product contact parts. The systems are supplied as a turnkey equipment consisting of following systems: slurry preparation/mixing/feeding system; air heating system; feed atomisation/dispersion/agitation system and dry product collection/conveying system. They also have dust/fines collection system consisting of either one or combination of following systems: high-efficiency cyclone separator; bag filter; wet scrubber; and electrostatic precipitator. Instrumentation and controls comprise simple motor control centre and indicating & controlling instruments. Option of PLC & SCADA controlled system for automatic operation of the complete plant is also offered. The drying systems are either open loop, semi-closed loop or closed loop depending on the nature of solvent in the feed and the necessity of recovering the solvent.

Raj Process Equipments & Systems Pvt LtdPune - MaharashtraTel: 020-4071 0010, Fax: 020-4071 0009Email: [email protected]

Level gaugeChemical & Industrial Engineers offers a wide range of level gauges, tubular, reflex and transparent with auto shut off ball check valves. Gauges are used to measure and observe liquid level under difficult or hazardous conditions. The gauges are constructed from solid cooled rolled bar stock material for medium pressure and temperature. For high pressure and temperature applications, forged steel is used. Recessed smooth finished gasket seats prevent gasket movement and ensure leak-free service. Tempered borosilicate glass resistant to thermal and mechanical shock is used for temperature up to 200oC. A sharp prisms-cut in the reflex glasses gives a maximum reflexability. Gauges are manufactured in different materials such as SS-304/316, carbon steel, A-105, aluminium, etc, and with flanged or screwed process connections for a maximum length of 10 ft (3 m) and pressure of 10 kg/cm2 to 250 kg/cm2. For corrosive applications, the gauges are manufactured in rubber-lined/lead-lined, PVC, PP materials. For sub-zero temperature, non-frosting shield is used. To meet the special process conditions, heating/cooling jackets are also provided.

Chemical & Industrial EngineersMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2882 2740, Fax: 022-2889 4849Email: [email protected]

PRODUCT UPDATE


Rotary air blowersEverest Transmission offers Tri-Lobe rotary air blowers (roots type). These are positive displacement machines, which discharge a constant volume of air when operated at a constant speed. These machines

are suitable for both pressure and vacuum applications. Pressure is not developed inside the blower but by the demand of the system. Differential pressure, therefore, varies to meet the load conditions and system resistance. Horsepower required is proportional to the differential pressure across the suction and discharge of the blower. The air delivered is 100 per cent oil-free. These are extensively used in cement plants, pneumatic conveying systems, effluent treatment plants for aeration, water treatment plants for backwashing of filters, blending of powder material, agitation of chemical solutions, aquaculture and electroplating. These blowers are manufactured on sophisticated CNC machines to ensure high quality of workmanship resulting in interchangeability and high performance. A large range of air blowers from 25 to 15,000 m3/hr in single stage and up to any capacity in parallel configuration, for pressures up to 1 bar, are available. Tri-Lobe technology means blowers have lobe tips exposed to 120o around the rotor, instead of 180o as in a bi-lobe blower.

Everest TransmissionNew Delhi Tel: 011-2811 4944, Fax: 011-2811 7469Email: [email protected]

Static mixersFenix Process Technologies offers a range of static mixers for liquid-liquid mixing wherever it is difficult by conventional operation. The fluid components to be mixed are pumped

at the inlet of the mixing unit containing static mixing elements. Due to special construction of the mixing elements, the fluids are directed radially outwards and inwards while the forward flow continues. This movement is multiplied by providing more mixing elements successively. The angle of this movement can also be changed in subsequent elements. As a result, the completely mixed fluid emerges out at the other end. These static mixers find use particularly when homogeneous solutions of highly viscous liquids are required in the process. These are also suitable for liquids with very low viscosity, poor solubility and for making emulsions. The company offers static mixers in wide ranging capacities for various applications, flow properties and varying pressure drops. These are manufactured in SS & other exotic metals & alloys, and in PTFE-lined material.

Fenix Process Technologies Pvt LtdPune - MaharashtraTel: 020-6630 4437/38, Fax: 020-2545 8454Email: [email protected]

PRODUCT UPDATE


Chemical transfer pumpsTaha Pumps & Valves offers ‘CFP’ series pumps in SS 316 material for handling mild corrosive chemicals and various other liquids in different industries like chemical, petrochemical, steel

plants, printing houses, pharmaceuticals, food processing, etc. The main features of these pumps are high efficiency, good performance and reliability. These pumps are available from 0.25 to 10 hp in different capacities in monoblock and bare pump design. All the wetted parts are made of graded SS 316 material. The sealing is by mechanical seal of different face combination of carbon, ceramic, GFT, silicon, tungsten, etc. Pumps can be used for high temperature application up to 250oC. Special pumps are also available with casing steam jacketing and with flameproof motors.

Taha Pumps & ValvesSurendranagar - GujaratTel: 02752-240 233 Fax: 02752-240 908Email: [email protected]

Flush bottom valvesFeliz Biotech offers flush bottom valves, which are designed for sanitary applications in pharma, food, beverage, dairy and allied industries. The valves are manufactured from SS 304/SS 316/SS 316L duly electro polished up to 240 # surface finish. Full ports allow unobstructed product flow. Positive shut off eliminates leakages. The CIP design ensures that no pocket remains unclean and no dead legs. These valves are able to withstand high sterilisation temperatures. The valves can be dismantled easily and fast with no special tools. Valves are offered in three designs, viz ram type, diaphragm type and ball type, in sizes Ø1” to Ø4” with working pressure up to 10 kg/cm² and temperature up to 200°C. Valve seating can be of Teflon/silicon/rubber elastomer. The valve can be offered with electrical or pneumatic actuators.

Feliz Biotech IndustriesMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022- 2685 9440, Mob: 098922 73314Email: [email protected]

PRODUCT UPDATE


Ultrafiltration systemOvivo India offers ‘OVIVO-TrisepTM’ ultrafiltration (UF) system. This is a robust flat-sheet and spiral-wound membrane. The UF system is operated in a cross-flow mode, thus reducing the chances of fouling, thereby maintaining the permeability of the membrane for a long time. Unlike hollow fibre membrane systems, which are prone to frequent breakage, ‘OVIVO-TrisepTM’

membrane elements are robust and are designed for effective aeration, backwash and purging. This UF system undergoes negative pressure operation, thereby eliminating compaction and higher TMP, which is generally seen in positive pressure systems. ‘OVIVOTrisepTM’ UF System has two product lines: ‘iSepTM’ and ‘SpiraSepTM’. The ‘iSepTM’ units eliminate the need for a process tank as they are skid-mounted ‘plug-and-play’ type. The ‘SpiraSepTM’ units are submerged UF systems which can be placed in an existing process tank and operated in a feed & bleed mode. The company also offers MBR, ‘AerostripTM’ - fine bubble diffusers, ‘JetaTM’ - grit removal systems, ‘Hybrid BNR’ - sequential batch reactor technology, ‘FlooBedTM’ - moving bed bioreactor technology and fine screens (up to 1 mm opening).

Ovivo IndiaSurat - GujaratTel: 0261-246 5972/73, Fax: 0261-246 2997Email: [email protected]

Structured packings & internalsFenix Process Technologies offers structured packings and internals. These packings in sheetmetal and wire gauze provide high separation efficiency (low HETP) resulting in reduced column height and thus, cost saving. Available in standard & exotic metals at 450 & 600 crimp angles and surface areas of 60-1,000

m2/m3, these packings have low pressure drop and excellent wetting characteristics due to special surface treatment. High voidage gives lightweight and high vapour load. Low reflux ratios & pressure drop result in reduced energy costs. Very high contact area between the rising vapour and the down-coming liquid is provided by these packings, thus facilitating easy separation/purification of low boiling components at the top and high boiling ones at the bottom as desired products. These structured packings and column/tower internals find use in sectors like chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, dyes & intermediates, aromatics and other industries wherever miscible/azeotropic liquid-liquid separation is critical.

Fenix Process Technologies Pvt LtdPune - MaharashtraTel: 020-6630 4437/38Email: [email protected]

Plate heat exchangerHRS Process Systems offers plate heat exchangers (PHEs). A PHE consists of a series of thin, embossed plates with passage opening. Each plate is fitted with an elastomeric gasket, which completely seals the flow gaps from the outside and forms the flow channels from inside. These plates

are compressed together in a rigid frame to form an arrangement of parallel flow channels with alternating hot and cold fluids. Since the fluids are exposed to larger surface area, and the fluids are spread over the plates, it facilitates the transfer of heat, thus increasing the speed of the temperature change. This makes the unit compact compared to the conventional heat exchanger. The company offers various models of PHEs like gasketed, double-wall and semi-welded. The port size varies from 1” to 500 mm and surface area/plate from 0.04 to 3.0 m2. PHEs find application in various industries like power, steel, chemical, surface treatment, pharma, HVAC etc. The cladded plate heat exchangers are widely used in dairy and food industry.

HRS Process Systems Pvt LtdPune - MaharashtraTel: 020-2566 3581, Fax: 020-2566 3583Email: [email protected]

PRODUCT UPDATE


Portable gas detectorKusam Electrical Industries offers a multi-purpose gas detector, ‘KM-5480’. This device uses high-speed low power consumption semiconductor processor, characterised by high sensitivity strong interference resistance and intelligence simulation. It has three (red, yellow & green) LED displays. This gas detector detects R11, R113, R134A, R409A, R410A, Freon, alcohol, toluene and acetone gases. Startup preheating time is 60 sec. Operating temperature is 20°C~70°C with <90 per cent RH. ‘KM 5480’ gas detector is widely used for the detection of halogen gases in industrial & civil workplaces. It is widely used in generation & storage of Freon, alcohol, toluene and acetone in refrigeration; automobile refrigerating, chemical engineering & pharmaceutical industries; and repair, maintenance, refilling & leakage detection of civil use products such as air-conditioners, refrigerators and automobiles.

Kusam Electrical Industries LtdMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2412 4540, Fax: 022-2414 9659 Email: [email protected]

Single-screw air compressorDeep Pneumatics offers a new technology of single-screw air compressor from Shanghai Feihe Industrial Group Co Ltd, Shanghai. With its unique structure & new technology of air end, single-

screw air compressor can help the customers to minimise the maintenance cost, save energy and increase the value better than double-screw and reciprocating compressors. The single-screw air compressors is available between the range of 15-100 hp, pressure range from 7 to 12 bar, capacity range from 55 to 490 cfm, air-cooled & water-cooled. The company is also to offer compressors of up to 480 hp with 2,275 cfm, 7 to 12 bar pressure, for air-cooled and up to 1,220 hp with 5,470 cfm, 7 to 12 bar pressure, water-cooled (electric & diesel engine driven, portable). Longer durability, highly efficient and energy saving, low maintenance cost, low noise, trivial vibration, reasonable structure, ideal balanced forces, high level of reliability, compact & simple construction etc, are the advantages of single screw than twin screw compressors.

Deep Pneumatics Pvt LtdAhmedabad - GujaratTel: 079-2280 3684, Fax: 079-2280 3684Email: [email protected]

PRODUCT UPDATE


The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/

distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Chemical World

Water treatment systemsConcepts offers a complete range of water treatment systems. Complete systems & standalone equipment are offered as per diverse requirements. These systems can be used for clarification & filtration to remove suspended particles, turbidity, organics, iron & manganese; softening to remove hardness; demineralisation to remove salts from low salinity water, and desalination systems to remove salinity from high salinity water. The company also offers sewage treatment & recycle plants as well as effluent treatment disposal & recycle plants. While smaller units are available in standard range, the large systems are tailor-made to meet specific requirements.

Concepts India Pvt LtdNavi Mumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2775 8873, Fax: 022-2775 9632Email: [email protected]

Mechanical seals for high pressuresT e c h n o m e c h Engineering offers reversed balanced mechanical seal for high pressure applications. This mechanical seal is an externally mounted and internally balanced multi-coil seal. These seals are externally mounted & hence the metal parts including the springs do not come in contact with the circulating media & therefore can be used for corrosive or abrasive media. It eliminates the shaft step or sleeves for balancing. The compact design eliminates the requirement of extra radial & axial space for its installation. It is generally used for handling corrosive chemicals, hydrocarbons, general & light chemicals. The seals are available in size ranging from 20-100 mm and are suitable for temperature up to 200ºC and pressures up to 12 bar. Technomech Engineering, Mumbai Tel: 022-2678 5683, Fax: 022-2678 5683 Mob: 098672 09809Email: [email protected]

PP chemical processing pumpsTaha Pumps & Valves offers PCX series horizontal centrifugal type chemical process pumps in BPO design. These pumps are useful in handling corrosive chemicals, acids, effluents, inks, dyes, solvents, etc, in various industries ranging from chemical,

petrochemical, steel plants, power plants to pharmaceutical industries. These pumps are offered in standard construction of polypropylene and optionally in PVDF also for highly corrosive liquids and temperature up to 110oC. The versatile features of these pumps include: wide models available from 1 to 10 hp in different capacities, wide range of sealing combinations of mechanical seal and gland packing. These pumps are designed & manufactured with latest technology to give better performance, reliability and lower power consumption.

Taha Pumps & ValvesSurendranagar - GujaratTel: 02752-240 233, Fax: 02752-240 908Email: [email protected]

PRODUCT INDEX


Sl. No. Product Pg. No. Sl. No. Product Pg. No. Sl. No. Product Pg. No.

BC - Back Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, FIC - Front Inside Cover

1 Air treatment...................................69

2 Alu-cera polymer ................................. BIC

3 Aluma coat ......................................... BIC

4 Aluminium oxide ceramic composite ... BIC

5 Analytical instrumentation ................... FIC

6 Aseptic stainless steel centrifugal pump ...60

7 Automatic filter press ...........................11

8 Ball check valve...............................39

9 Ball valve ................................... 5, 39, 61

10 Bellows & dip-pipes................................5

11 Bend.....................................................61

12 Brake motor .........................................31

13 Bush.....................................................39

14 Butterfly valve............................ 5, 39, 61

15 Cable................................................31

16 Casters and wheels...............................60

17 Centrifuge for ETP ................................60

18 Ceramic adhesive cement .................... BIC

19 Ceramic electrical heater part .............. BIC

20 Ceramic plate .......................................11

21 Check valve ............................................5

22 Chemical transfer pump .......................66

23 Columns & chemistries ........................ FIC

24 Conical screw dryer ................................3

25 Cooling tower ......................................69

26 Crane-duty motor.................................31

27 Diaphragm valve .......................39, 61

28 Dry vacuum pump................................67

29 Drying systems .....................................62

30 Empower ........................................ FIC

31 End cap................................................61

32 Exhibition - Engineering Expo...............28

33 FEP/PFA/PVDF lined components ....39

34 Filter cock.............................................61

35 Filter plate ............................................11

36 Filter press ............................................11

37 Filter press terminology ........................11

38 Fittings .................................................39

39 Flange motor........................................31

40 Flow indicator ......................................61

41 Flush bottom valve ...............................66

42 Foot mounting motor...........................31

43 Foot valve.............................................61

44 Gasket..............................................39

45 Gear pumps and screen changer ..........21

46 GMP heat exchanger ..............................3

47 GMP reactor ...........................................3

48 Grinding media ................................... BIC

49 Heat exchanger .................................9

50 High-alumina wear resistant ceramic tiles ... BIC

51 HPLC ................................................... FIC

52 HRC fuse bodies .................................. BIC

53 Hydraulic filter press .............................11

54 Hydrogenator/autoclave..........................3

55 Impeller ...........................................61

56 Industrial ceramic ................................ BIC

57 Industrial cooler....................................69

58 Informatics .......................................... FIC

59 Level gauge .....................................62

60 Lined valves & pipe fittings.....................5

61 Long neck pipe end..............................61

62 Manual filter press..........................11

63 Mechanical seals...................................61

64 Mechanical seals for high pressures......70

65 Membrane filter plates .........................11

66 Membrane filter press ..........................11

67 Micro milling bead .............................. BIC

68 Mill lining block................................... BIC

69 Monoblock high vacuum pump ...........67

70 Motor...................................................31

71 Non-return valve .........................5, 61

72 Oil seal high vacuum pump ...........67

73 Online B2B marketplace .................13, 71

74 Pipe..................................................39

75 Plate & filter plates ...............................11

76 Plate heat exchanger ............................67

77 Plug valve .............................................39

78 Pole ring...............................................61

79 Portable gas detector ...........................68

80 PP chemical processing pump ..............70

81 Process heat exchanger ..........................3

82 Process reactor .......................................3

83 PTFE .....................................................39

84 PTFE-lined valves & pipe fitting...............5

85 Pump ...................................................67

86 Recessed chamber filter plate ........11

87 Re-crystallised alumina tube ................ BIC

88 Reducer ................................................61

89 Rod ......................................................39

90 Roots vacuum pump ............................67

91 Rotary pump ........................................67

92 Rotary air blower..................................65

93 Rotary vacuum dryer ..............................3

94 Rotocone dryer .......................................3

95 Sampling valve ..................................5

96 Sanitary butterfly valve .........................61

97 Scoop...................................................61

98 Sheet....................................................39

99 Shovel ..................................................61

100 Silicone carbide heat exchanger..............3

101 Single-screw air compressor .................68

102 Single-stage monoblock vacuum pump....67

103 Single-stage vacuum pump ..................67

104 Single-twin igniting electrode .............. BIC

105 Slip-on flange.......................................61

106 Spade...................................................61

107 Spherical paddle chopper dryer ..............3

108 Static mixers .........................................65

109 Strainer...................................................5

110 Structured packagings & internals ........67

111 Technical ceramic ...........................BIC

112 Tee .......................................................61

113 Teflon lined valves & pipe fitting ............5

114 Tube.....................................................39

115 Turnkey projects .....................................3

116 Two-stage vacuum pump.....................67

117 Ultra-filtration system.....................67

118 UPLC ................................................... FIC

119 Vacuum homogeniser .....................60

120 Vacuum pump .....................................67

121 Valve ..............................................39, 61

122 Washer.............................................61

123 Water faucet & tap parts..................... BIC

124 Water treatment system .......................70

125 Wireless instrumentation ......................27

126 Y-type strainer.................................61

127 Zirconia polycrystal ceramic ..........BIC

Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No


ADVERTISERS’ LIST

Our consistent advertisers

Dipesh Engineering Works 3

T : +91-22-26743719

E : [email protected]

Emerson Process Management 27

T : +91-22-66620566


W : www.emersnprocess.com

Enginnering Expo 28

T : +91-9920401226


W : www.engg-expo.com

Gem Equipments Ltd 69

T : +91-422-3267800


W : www.gemindia.com

Havells India Ltd. 31

T : +91-11-41660303


W : www.havells.ccom

Hi-Tech Applicator 5

T : +91-79-25833040


W : www.ptfeindia.com

HRS Process Systems Ltd 9

T : +91-20-66047894


W : www.hrsasia.co.in

IndiaMART InterMESH Limited 13, 71

T : +1800-200-4444


W : www.indiamart.com

Joyam Engineers & Consultants Pvt Ltd 67

T : +91-79-26569533


W : www.joyamvactech.com

Jyoti Ceramic Industries Pvt Ltd BIC

T : +91-253-2350120


W : www.jyoticeramic.com

Maag Pump Systems Ag 21

T : +86-21-6334-3666


W : www.maag.com

Orbitz Exhibitions Pvt Ltd 4

T : +91-9323949693


W : www.ipvs.in

Parth Poly Valves Pvt. Ltd 61

T : +91-79-22200198


W : www.parthvalves.com

S N Consultants 43

T : +91-11-29237746


W : www.snconsltants.co.in

Sachin Filtech Pvt Ltd 11

T : +91-79-25832204


W : www.sachininternational.com

Siemens Ltd BC

W : www.seimens.com/chemicals

Supremo Polymer Industries 39

T : +91-79-22205282


W : www.supremoproduct.com

Waters (India) Private Limited FIC

T : +91-80-28371900


W : www.waters.com

SOURCE PROCESS PLANT MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT @www.engg-expo.com

Chemical World - April 2011

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Transcript of Chemical World - April 2011