2012 Lightweighting Special: Plastichemix develops expertise in compounding PP

The Vadodara-based Plastichemix Industries has developed expertise in compounding imported polypropylene (PP) from plastic manufacturers ExxonMobil and Sabic. After reinforcing it along with glass fibres and other additives, the material is provided to moulders for cutting moulds and further supplied to component makers for automotive use, especially targeted at making part weight in vehicles lighter.

Polypropylene when compounded with reinforcements and suitable additives has one of the best property profiles which, combined with a low cost, make it apt for use as an engineering plastic.

The engineering plastic company also offers flame retardant grades of PP in various UL94 ratings which find applications in battery boxes and electrical appliances. The company also produces compounds using polycarbonates, an amorphous polymer of various grades and colours. Some non-reinforced grades of polycarbonates are used for general injection mouldings and also find applications as modular switches where flame retardancy is not required. All contain release agents for easy moulding.

Besides supplying custom-matched master batches, Plastichemix also colours specified grades of engineering plastics for customers. According to managing director Samir Sheth, this service ensures close and uniform colour to a high degree of accuracy and consistency while maintaining the original properties of the polymer.

Plastichemix has four production locations in the country for manufacturing master batches with the range including white, colour and additive master batches for polymers. Their specialty is formulating master batches to customer-specific requirements and then producing it to very close colour and property tolerances also known as precision compounding.

The company’s engineering plastics are branded as Spectramix. Besides servicing the Indian market, Plastichemix exports its products to Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and the USA.

Plastichemix Industries, which was set up in 1977, has a production capacity of 25,000 tonnes per annum, and employs over 350 people at its four manufacturing plants near Vadodara.

SHOBHA MATHUR