Imerys opens a new refractory cement plant in India
Imerys has announced the launch of commercial sales out of its new calcium aluminate plant in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), in the Andhra Pradesh state in India. The Group invested €40million in the new facility, which expands the Group’s presence in the country and enables it to serve domestic customers with solutions adapted to their local needs.
The plant has been commissioned remotely from Europe thanks to Industry 4.0 technology. From its new plant, Imerys will supply the refractory as well as the construction market with SECAR 70V, a calcium aluminate binder with controlled chemistry and optimised mineralogy for conventional castable applications, and SECAR 68V, a calcium aluminate binder dedicated to growing demand in low-cement castables. These products have been developed by Imerys scientists to meet the specific needs of the Indian refractory and construction industries and adapted to the climate of the sub-continent.
The plant will also serve as a distribution center of imported ready-to-use mortars and bentonite solutions to serve the fast growing infrastructure sector, in particular for applications such as waste water, tunneling and civil engineering in general.
The company has hired 100 people from local communities, who have been trained gradually as the commissioning of the plant was progressing. Imerys India today employs 800 people, located in 16 industrial sites and 8 sales offices. In addition to the production of calcium aluminate binders, the Group produces specialty solutions for ceramics, plastics, polymers and refractory products.
“The opening of this new plant is a major milestone for Imerys. It is another proof that the Group continues to invest in growing markets and geographies. The fully remote commissioning, caused by the perduring pandemic, has been an incredible achievement. Our local teams have been simply great,” commented Alessandro DAZZA, Imerys Chief Executive Officer.
