French ceramics major Imerys plans refractory unit in India
03 Oct 2011
Imerys Group, a French multinational that specialises in the mining and distribution of industrial minerals and a leading producer of ceramics, is planning to set up a new manufacturing unit in India. The unit, involving investments to the tune of Rs25 crore, will manufacture monolithic refractories, the company said.
"We are actively considering a monolithic solutions plant in India," said Umesh C Deveshwar, chairman of Imerys India.
The company is looking at two locations, one in the eastern and another in the western parts of the country.
Imerys produces speciality minerals for refractory applications, ceramics products, pigments for paper and packing applications and filtration minerals. Refractory materials, which can withstand huge temperatures, are used in the linings of furnaces, kilns, incinerators and reactors.
Imerys has so far invested Rs700 crore in India, where it acquired ACE Refractory to scale up its operations in 2007. Revenues from India stood at Rs800 crore in 2010.
"India is one of the fast growing markets for Imerys," said chairman and CEO, Gilles Michel.
Imerys' clientele in India include Tata Steel, SAIL, ITC and ACC Ltd among others. The company is also looking at inorganic growth options, including acquisition of mines, to drive its growth.
Imerys is one of the world's leading producers of kaolin which is used in paper and ceramics industries, diatomaceous earth for abrasives and beer filtration, graphite for batteries, calcium carbonate for applications in construction, polymers, composites and cultured marble, etc.
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