Chemplast Sanmar Limited, formerly known as Chemicals & Plastics India Limited, incorporated in 1985 was initially promoted as 'Urethanes India' a subsidiary of Chemplast, the flagship company of the Sanmar Group, Tamil Nadu. Later, it became a fully-owned subsidiary of Chemplast in 1991 when Chemicals & Plastics India Limited was changed to the present 'Chemplast Sanmar Limited' on September 28, 1995.
The Company is a leading speciality chemicals manufacturer with focus on speciality paste PVC resin and custom manufacturing of starting materials and intermediates for pharmaceutical, agro-chemical and fine chemicals sectors. It is the largest manufacturer of Speciality Paste PVC Resin In addition, it is the fourth largest manufacturer of Caustic Soda and largest manufacturer of Hydrogen Peroxide in South India and one of the oldest manufacturers of Chloromethanes in India.
The company set up a 2500 TPA Thermoplastic Polyurethane Plant in Tamil Nadu in technical collaboration with BF Goodrich Company, US. It manufactures caustic soda, chlorine, chlorinated solvents, PVC, refrigerant gases and industrial alcohol.
In 1991-92, the capacity of PVC was enhanced to 48,000 TPA, making it the third largest manufacturer of PVC resin in the country. The company formed Peroxides India in collaboration with Atochem, US, for a wide variety of polymerisation initiators; and Drechem Speciality Chemicals, in technical collaboration with Dragoco, Germany, to manufacture aromatic chemicals.
The PVC capacity is being enhanced from 48,000 TPA to 60,000 TPA and that of chloromethanes is being enhanced to 25,000 TPA. In 1995-96, Metkem Silicon, a subsidiary of the company manufacturing poly and mono crystalline silicon was merged with the holding company. During the same period, the thermoplastics polyuerthane division of the company was spun-off into a joint venture with Bayer, Germany. It also has entered into a joint venture with Cabot Corporation, US, for the manufacture of fumed silica as a springboard.
The company is in advanced stage of discussing raw material tie-ups for its proposed shore-based PVC project. As a measure of conservation of power, the company is replacing shell and tube acid cooler and condensers with plate heat exchangers in the Chlor-alkali process.
The company has taken on hand a backward integration captive project for setting up an oxychlorination with the capital outlay of over Rs 60 crores. This will help the company to improve captive feedstock (EDC) capacity, leading to lower dependence on imported feedstock.
During 2000-01, the company brought on stream an oxychlorination plant which would increase captive production of EDC and reduce dependence on imports and also significantly reduce the environmental impact of its operations.
Subject to necessary approvals the company planned to amalgamate Sanmar Properties & Investments Ltd(SPIL) excluding its Investment and Shipping business w.e.f. Nov 2, 2003. SPIL's Investment and Shipping division would be demerged to Sanmar Holdings Ltd effective from Nov 1, 2003. SPIL Sharehodlers get one Equity Share of Chemplast Sanmar for every share in SPIL.
During the year 2018-19, the Suspension PVC Business of the Company was demerged as a going concern and vested with Chemplast Cuddalore Vinyls Limited, and the Company's holding company Sanmar Speciality Chemicals Limited was merged with the Company effective from 1 April, 2018. Consequent to the Scheme of Arrangement, Sanmar Holdings Limited. became the Company's holding Company. A new 41 ktpa Chloromethanes Plant at Dahej was commissioned during the year 2019-20.
During year 2022-23, wholly owned subsidiary, Chemplast Cuddalore Vinyls Limited (CCVL), completed its debottlenecking project, adding 10% to its production capacity.
The Company has commissioned Phase 1 multipurpose facility for Custom Manufactured Chemicals at Berigai and 41kt p.a Speciality Paste PVC at Cuddalore in 2024.