Arkema has announced plans to double its REAFREE polyester resin capacity in India

Driven by the growing demand for eco-friendly paints and powders in India, Arkema has announced that it will double the production capacity of its polyester resin plant in India to consolidate its position in the global resin market for powder coatings.

In 2019, Arkema invested $15 million to build Navi Mumbai, which will be used to produce high-performance, eco-friendly polyester resin products for local powder manufacturers in India. The facility consists of a modern polyester production unit and a product laboratory, which can provide application technology development and technical support work in India.

Arkema has decided to double the REAFREE® powder polyester resin capacity at its Navi Mumbai plant as demand for powder coatings for automotive, furniture, appliances and outdoor infrastructure is increasing with the rapid development of rail transit, home appliances and industrial manufacturing in India.

Arkema currently produces REAFREE® powder polyester trees at three plants worldwide. In addition to Navi Mumbai, India, Arkema produces Reafree ® powder polyester trees at two other plants located in SAN Ceroni, Spain and North Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

REAFREE® Powder Polyester Resin series, mainly offers a variety of carboxyl and hydroxylated polyester resins for pure polyester and mixed systems (polyester - epoxy). The hybrid system has very superior performance and is mainly used for indoor applications, while the pure polyester system is suitable for indoor (industrial grade) and outdoor (construction, ultra-high durability) applications.

Neil Tariq, Global Business Director, Arkema Coatings Resins, said, "India is one of the key global markets for powder coatings and a core area for Arkema's continued growth. Powder coatings are considered a sustainable green paint product with low waste, solvent-free and excellent coating durability, which will be a key paint product for sustainable development in India."