Centre's schemes gave opportunities for chemical industries: Sanjeev Gandhi
CHENNAI: The Centre’s initiatives like the Make in India, Smart Cities and Swachh Bharat have opened up significant opportunities for the chemical industries and BASF Group which has pledged support to the Narendra Modi government on the key programmes, has invested approximately 300 million Euros (about Rs 2,100 crore) in manufacturing and research development.
“Around the Asia Pacific region and especially in India, mobility is ever more important. At the same time, more and more vehicles are being manufactured locally in India. To meet the demands of this growth, according to BASF’s Asia Pacific strategy and in support of Make in India and other government initiatives, we are expanding our local production network in the region,” says Sanjeev Gandhi, member of the board of executive directors, BASF SE responsible for Asia Pacific.
With the expansion of the manufacturing capacity and capabilities in Chennai, BASF Catalysts will be in better position to meet the growing demand for advanced emissions control solutions in the country, with the government enforcing stricter emission norms for vehicles.
“It (the expansion) will help our customers meet increasingly stringent requirements such as the Indian government’s decision to advance from BS IV emissions norms to BS VI norms by 2020. Furthermore, the new site will produce advanced heavy duty emissions catalysts, which will allow us to better serve the fast-growing automotive markets in India,” said Dirk Demuth, senior vice president, mobile emissions catalysts, BASF.
Contending that Make in India, Smart Cities, and Swachh Bharat, offered significant opportunities for the chemical industry and BASF, Dr. Raman Ramachandran, head of BASF operations in South Asia, said “we are investing actively in India to realise these opportunities. The expansion of our mobile emissions catalysts plant in Chennai is another example of our continued focus on investing in assets for growth.”
Through its local subsidiaries BASF India Limited, BASF Chemicals India Pvt Ltd and BASF Catalysts India Pvt Ltd, the BASF Group has invested approximately euros 300 million (about Rs 2,100 crore), over the past four years, in manufacturing and research & development.
