Italian compounder Sirmax (Cittadella; www.sirmax.com) has begun construction of a further hall at its factory in Palwal near New Delhi, India. After completion in 2024, the building is to house four extruders. Meanwhile, plans are taking shape for another plant on the subcontinent, which is to be built near Hosur in the country’s far south by 2026. In cooperation with its partner Tipco, Sirmax would then operate three production sites in the country – in Palwal, Hosur, and Valsad on the west coast north of Mumbai.

The plant in Palwal is being expanded by 7,000 m² – the capacity increase is expected to be 15,000 t/y, which would double the current nominal capacity. For India, CEO Massimo Pavin – who calls the country “a strategically important region” – is aiming for a total capacity of 82,000 t/y. With 20,000 t/y in Valsad and soon almost 30,000 t/y in Palwal, this would mean a capacity of 30,000 t/y for Hosur in the medium term.

Related: Sirmax hits EUR 500 mn in sales

The total global compounding capacity of currently 395,000 t/y, spread across 12 locations, will therefore grow to approximately 440,000 t/y within the next two years.

The company’s latest developments include polypropylene compounds for the automotive industry with a recyclate content of up to 30%. According to Sirmax, it primarily uses plastics waste from household collections as base material. Here too – as with LyondellBasell materials – the forthcoming amendment to the EU End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive is likely to be the main driver. To complement this, Sirmax intends to also launch recyclate compounds for E&E applications and household appliances.