Bayer Polymers is expanding its capacity for styrenic copolymers in India

Bayer Polymers is expanding its capacity for styrenic copolymers in India

The increases, by Bayer ABS Ltd, cover SAN and ABS and will be complete by 2006-2007.

The Indian subsidiary recently lifted capacity for SAN to around 40,000 tonnes a year and is now engaged in taking the figure to 65,000tpa by 2006 through a combination of debottlenecking and use of new technologies.

Bayer will also raise ABS capability through a two-stage expansion programme.

The first stage is to boost the capacity to 60,000tpa by 2005, through the approach of debottlenecking and the use of new technologies.

The second stage plans is to take the company's figure to 80,000tpa by 2006-2007 by extending feedstock and compounding resources. The company added that this would be achieved at low costs, since the SAN expansion will be complete by this time.

Bayer is also bringing its popular Bayblend PC/ABS alloy into the Indian market by using locally produced intermediates and plans to develop demand for the material in India. The company will establish a research and application development cell at Moxi, near Baroda in Gujarat, to support its styrenics build-up.