German additive manufacturer Baerlocher (Unterschleissheim; www.baerlocher.de) said it is adding to its production capacities at its Dewas site in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, with planned capacity for the production facility for calcium-based PVC stabilisers set at 30,000 t/y. After the last expansion in early 2020, this second expansion stage – Dewas-2 – is a further commitment of the Baerlocher group in India, according to company CEO Arne Schulle.

The new line is being built on a 25-hectare site adjacent to the current facility. The foundation stone was laid on 27 January 2021. The company said it is taking an unprofitable plant that was no longer up-to-date and converting into a “profitable and modern production company.” PVC stabilisers are said to be of great importance to the country’s PVC pipe industry, which among other things provides easy water transport for millions of farmers.

Jayen Modi, MD of Baerlocher India Additives, said the company will only invest in the production of calcium-based stabilisers and no longer in lead-based stabilisers in India. Processors of traditional lead-based stabiliser systems are still offered a choice to enable them to make the transition to sustainable materials for all PVC applications. In Europe, Baerlocher ended the production of lead-based stabilisers in all plants in 2016 (see Plasteurope.com of 27.10.2016).