Bayer MaterialScience has inaugurated a manufacturing facility for polyisocyanates at Ankleshwar in the state of Gujarat, India. With the investment of approximately €20 million (~ $27.9 million), the company wants to expand its business in India and to participate in the strong growth of this local market for coatings and adhesives.

The plant will produce Desmodur® N grades based on aliphatic hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). These raw materials are used for automotive, industrial and plastics coatings. Furthermore, Desmodur L grades will be manufactured from aromatic toluylene diisocyanate (TDI). These are used as raw materials for wood and furniture coatings, as well as for the formulation of adhesives for flexible packaging.

The initial capacity will amount to 15,000 tons per year; it will be increased in stages in the coming years in accordance with the predicted growth for polyurethane coatings and adhesives. The plant employs 35 people and adheres to state-of-the-art standards in terms of production processes, quality and safety. Ankleshwar was selected as the location because it is one of the biggest chemical manufacturing centers in India.

“This unit is the first of its kind in India and also a further indication of the confidence that Bayer MaterialScience places in this country and its economic future,” said Tony Van Osselaer, Ph.D., member of the Bayer MaterialScience executive committee.

Bayer MaterialScience currently operates a production facility for thermoplastic polyurethanes in Cuddalore, an applications development laboratory for coatings and adhesives in Thane, and a regional technical training center for the Asia Pacific region in Chennai.

For more information, visitwww.bayermaterialscience.com.