INTERVIEW - Binani's lead plant to start in 2003
Date: 19-Oct-01
Country: INDIA
Author: Naveen Thukral
The plant will be one of India's first modern lead recyclying plants. Right now, the supply of recycled lead in India - estimated at 30,000 to 35,000 tonnes - comes mainly from firms whose safety standards have come under fire from environmental bodies.
"If all goes as planned, we'll start construction of the plant early next year and we should be in business by 2003," Binani's president Projects Sushil Bhatter told Reuters.
He said in an interview that the company was in the process of getting environmental clearance and acquiring land for its plant to be build in the western state of Maharashtra.
"We're using technology from the Italian major, Engitec, which is not only environment friendly but also has some of the best safety measure in the industry," he said on the sidelines of a metals conference.
Binani Industries is a diversified company with business interests in such areas as zinc, cement and fibre glass.
DEMAND AND SUPPLY GAP
Industry officials say the gap between demand and supply of lead is increasing in the country because of growing sectors like automobiles and battery-based power units.
Lead demand in the country is about 170,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes of which local production from all sources is around 70,000 to 80,000 tonnes and the balance is imported.
The official said the firm plans to source raw material from used acid batteries. "We'll try and source raw material batteries from India and look at competitive rates to purchase them."
The recycling facility will also yield sulphuric acid and polypropylene as by-products.
Manufacturers of lead-acid batteries, pigments, lead oxide and submarine cables would be the main users of the lead.
Binani Industries also has plans to set up a primary lead plant which would have the flexibility to handle lead concentrate as well as secondary lead recovered through recycling.
The 125,000-tonne primary lead plant will involve an investment of around 5.0 billion rupees ($104.3 million).
The company also plans to raise zinc output to 38,000 tonnes by the end of the year to March from the present 30,000 tonnes.
"This capacity we will finally take up to 100,000 tonnes by 2006 and 2007," the official said.