PCBL targets growth in European carbon black market
23 Aug 2024
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India’s largest producer nears 1,000ktpa capacity mark as it looks to increase global market-share...
London – India’s largest carbon black supplier PCBL is looking to increase its position in the European carbon black market, according to Sovan Roy, head of technical services & business development (rubber).
As the "fastest growing" supplier in the global carbon black industry, he said, PCBL could move from its current no 7 position to become the world’s sixth to fifth largest player maybe within a couple of years.
Towards increasing its global market-share, PCBL this year commissioned a greenfield carbon black project in Chennai, Tamil Nadu with 147 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa), taking the group’s total installed capacity to 770ktpa.
Other projects in the pipeline could take the capacity beyond the 1,000ktpa mark, Roy
explained in an interview at the recent DKT exhibition and conference in Nuremberg, Germany.
These include: a new 20ktpa line in Mundra, Gujarat being commissioned this year; a 90ktpa expansion by next year at its Tamil Nadu facility; as well as plans for another new greenfield expansion.
Europe is a particular 'strategic' target for much of this capacity, said Roy, noting that PCBL has an R&D centre and regional office in Belgium as well as channel partners in different countries across Europe.
Regarding PCBL's current carbon black exports, he said the largest proportion currently goes to southeast Asia, with the second largest share going to the European region.
“Strategically, we are now thinking that if Russia is not supplying to Europe, [producers there] will start supplying to southeast Asia and China," according to Roy.
In that case, he said, these markets "will be more difficult as there will be more material coming into that market.
"So, as our volumes will remain at the same levels there, or show a slight marginal reduction, we are going to improve or increase our volumes in Europe."
Asked about the supply-situation in Europe following the EU ban on Russian carbon black imports, the PCBL manager insisted that there will be no shortages.
Sourcing, he explained, will change so that product comes more from India, China or elsewhere in Asia "but it will be a stable supply-situation.”
The key message, concluded Roy, is that “PCBL is growing and we are there to support the European market. We are located here in Europe: this is a strategic market for us.”
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