Madhu Silica to Expand Silica Capacity in India

Madhu Silica Pvt. Ltd. (Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India) reports that it plans to add 35,000 tonnes/year of new capacity for precipitated silica. The new capacity is expected on-stream by mid-2009 and will take Madhu’s total capacity to 75,000 tonnes/year, the largest capacity in India. Preliminary work on the expansion has already begun. Madhu added 15,000 tonnes/year of silica capacity in 1Q 2006, including new grades for plastics, hydrophobic grades for cosmetics and inks, and coated grades for paints and lacquers. Madhu, along with its sister company, Aquagel Chemicals, primarily serves the rubber, dental, food, feed, pharma, plastics, paper and paint markets for precipitated silica and aluminum silicates.