Lanxess expands India production, opens head office

It’s been almost two years since Lanxess’ Jhagadia production site in India began supplying antioxidants to tyre industry customers, and now the range of products manufactured there has been expanded. Lanxess subsidiary Rhein Chemie has established a facility in Jhagadia for the production of the pre-dispersed rubber additive Rhenogran and the environmentally-friendly release agent Rhenodiv in Jhagadia. The plant was formerly located in Madurai, in India’s Tamil Nadu state, and is one of three new units being set up in Jhagadia. In total, Lanxess has invested more than 70 million euros there and created 300 new jobs. Jhagadia is Lanxess’ second largest production site in India after its site in Nagda in Madhya Pradesh state, and covers an area of 18-hectares.

Rhenogran is used in the production of tires and other rubber products. Rhenodiv is used to prevent rubber vulcanisates from sticking to their moulds, thus enabling smooth, automated processes. The plant’s annual combined production capacity is 2,500 metric tonnes.

In addition to expanding its Jhagadia site during January, the German specialty chemicals company opened its new Indian head office in Thane, Maharashtra state. It will be home to 225 employees; all up, Lanxess currently employs roughly 860 people in India and achieved sales of 184 million euros in the first nine months of 2011.