Daramic doubles production capacity at Dahej plant, exploring export potential too

Daramic, an Asahi Kasei Group company, and one of the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of lead-acid battery separators for automotive, industrial and specialty applications is betting big on its India operations. The company has added two new production lines thereby doubling its production capacity at its Dahej plant in Gujarat.

In just four years the company has set-up four production lines, which it says is due to the growing demand from India and neighbouring markets. The expansion will significantly increase output, enabling the company to meet the full demand of Indian customers locally, while helping customers smooth out global supply chain challenges that they are currently facing. Daramic says the capacity expansion will also open export possibilities to adjacent geographies. In India, Daramic has been the primary component manufacturer for major Indian brands, retaining a leading market share in the country. The Dahej manufacturing plant was established in 2017 and is said to have generated double-digit growth over the past four years.

The plant is utilised for manufacturing and finishing of PE separators. Additionally, the facility has the capability to produce development products that are not commercially available to customers yet. The company says it has created hundreds of jobs with over 80% of employees in the plant being local workers.

Chad Schuchmann, president, Daramic, said “We are delighted to expand the operating footprint of our state-of-the-art Dahej plant, which will be leveraged to enhance our output and market presence in India. As the global leader in the lead-acid separator industry, Daramic is committed to provide innovative battery separator solutions to meet the evolving needs of the country. The new production lines enable us to further strengthen our offerings, keep pace with anticipated market demand, and support the growth of lead-acid battery industry that is set to grow substantially in the coming years. With the current tightening of the global supply chain, Daramic is positioned to to meet demand of all major customers in India, with the ability to export to adjoining geographies if needed. With innovation at its core, Daramic’s Dahej plant is equipped to develop separators for batteries that meet modern requirements and create separator solutions that drive innovative market opportunities.”

Ahila Krishnamoorthy, MD, Daramic, said: “India continues to be a very exciting market for us as we have witnessed significant growth in the country. Today, we see a very strong future for lead-acid batteries in India, largely for innovative automotive solutions, industrial applications, and a growing demand for enhanced energy solutions from smaller cities. These factors are expected to drive the lead-acid battery market at a rapid pace in the coming decade. Our investment reaffirms our confidence in the country’s future and we are committed to cater to the country’s growing energy demands. We are creating optimal conditions to meet the increasing market demand and we are well poised to support India’s growth.”

Daramic, an Asahi Kasei Group company, was established over 90 years ago and is not only the world’s largest manufacturer of Polyethylene (PE) separators but also the only manufacturer of phenolic resin-based separators for automotive, industrial and specialty applications in the lead-acid battery industry.

The company claims paved the way for automation in the lead-acid battery industry by inventing polyethylene separators in 1969, supplying to all major lead-acid battery manufacturers. The company has eight strategically located manufacturing facilities in the United States, France, Germany, India, China and Thailand to ensure just-in-time supplies to customers.