Thermax gets into deal with Georgia Pacific Chem

Pune: Energy and environment company Thermax Ltd has inked a technology and manufacturing licence agreement with the Atlanta-based Georgia Pacific Chemicals LLC for performance enhancing chemicals, which has applications in the paper industry.


Addressing presspersons, Mr M.S. Unnikrishnan, Managing Director, Thermax Ltd, and Mr Peter Williams, Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, Georgia Pacific Chemicals, said the agreement would enable Thermax to expand its business in the paper industry in the country and South-East Asia. The agreement is valid for seven years.


Georgia Pacific Chemicals is an $80-billion company and manufactures tissue, towels, napkins and tableware. It has more than 300 facilities and employs more than 50,000 people.


Thermax Chemical Division manufactures a range of ion exchange resins, speciality polymers, oilfield chemicals, fuel and water treatment chemicals used for various industries. Mr Unnikrishnan said in the initial stages it would be importing chemicals required for the process for test trials in the country till the manufacturing facility is set up. It would initially start off with chemicals for the craft industry and part of the writing industry. Thermax Chemical Division is located at Paudh in Raigad district and has a production capacity of 8,500 tonnes of performance chemicals.


The facility, which was set up in 1994, currently utilises 50 per cent of the capacity. He said the new chemicals would also be manufactured in the same location and would have a centralised operation.