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Mumbai-based Next Polymers Ltd. is one of the country’s largest domestic engineering thermoplastics compounders.

Stephen Moore

October 12, 2018

2 Min Read
Celanese to acquire Indian compounder

Next Polymers specializes in custom compounding of various engineering thermoplastic (ETP) materials and is headquartered in Mumbai, India, with an approximate 20,000 tonnes/year compounding production facility in Silvassa, located in the union territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. The company has extensive experience in compounding polymers with post-industrial content, an increasingly important capability for Celanese that reinforces its commitment to waste minimization and sustainability.

The Next Polymers acquisition will give Celanese an Indian footprint in compounding polymers with post-industrial content.

“Next Polymers complements our rapidly growing India business to further establish Celanese as a leader in the Indian ETP market by broadening our ability to serve nylon and other engineered materials customers in a high-growth region,” said Scott Sutton, Chief Operating Officer. “Additionally, this acquisition further supports the company’s global manufacturing base by adding a world-class domestic compounding facility with 10 production lines to support our local customers, leverage a potential export base, and expand our domestic ETP capabilities in a market that is growing at a 15 percent annual growth rate.”

“This is a landmark moment for the JP Group of companies and I believe it’s an excellent move by Celanese in acquiring our compounding company, Next Polymers, considering the rapidly growing engineering thermoplastics market demand in India,” said V. P. Shukla, CEO of JP Group of companies. “This acquisition of Next Polymers also offers our employees excellent growth opportunities as part of a global company; and we will continue the decade-long Celanese/JP Polymers distribution relationship, allowing customers to benefit from the wide range of Celanese and Next branded products.”

Celanese expects to operate Next Polymer’s thermoplastic compounding product portfolio and production capabilities within the Celanese engineered materials business to include the following polymers, all marketed under the Next Polymers Ltd., brand:

  • Polyamide (PA) 6 and PA 66: for automotive, electrical/electronic and consumer applications

  • Polypropylene (PP): for automotive and electrical/electronic applications

  • Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS): for automotive and industrial applications

  • Polycarbonate: for automotive, electrical/electronic and industrial applications

  • Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA): for automotive applications

Celanese expects to complete the transaction early in the first quarter of 2019, pending customary closing conditions. Financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed at this time. Until closing, Celanese and Next Polymers Ltd., will continue to operate as independent businesses.

About the Author(s)

Stephen Moore

Stephen has been with PlasticsToday and its preceding publications Modern Plastics and Injection Molding since 1992, throughout this time based in the Asia Pacific region, including stints in Japan, Australia, and his current location Singapore. His current beat focuses on automotive. Stephen is an avid folding bicycle rider, often taking his bike on overseas business trips, and is a proud dachshund owner.

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