INTERVIEW | [ 71 ]
“WE PLAN TO FOCUS ON THE HPPC SECTOR TO FUEL OUR GROWTH IN 2021-22” Sunil Chari, Managing Director and Co-Founder, Rossari Biotech Limited shares his views on global trends on Performance Chemicals and Textile Speciality Chemicals, new products, company’s performance, R&D plans, Capex investment, CSR plans, and others. Excerpts of the interview:
SUNIL CHARI
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND COFOUNDER, ROSSARI BIOTECH LIMITED What are the global trends in Performance Chemicals in 2021 and how will it impact India? In 2021, Performance Chemicals will increase by 5-10 per cent globally. The impact of COVID-19 will continue in 2021 and as a result travel restrictions would reduce travel. There will be fewer one-to-one interactions, digital meeting and wearing a mask is the new normal. In 2021, the raw material price trend shows that this year, the market will be more volatile because of the uncertainty of availability and new norms laid out by
the government. It will impact India in the second half of 2021. The increase in raw material prices will impact the price of finished goods and this will lead to inflation. Presently, there is huge volatility in crude oil and hence the crude oilbased raw material price will increase. The focus is on being more sustainable and how it creates more value from every rupee spent on speciality chemicals, in short, we are talking about Chemistry 5.0.
chemicals offer cost competitiveness owing to the availability of low-cost feedstock. There is an increasing demand for sports and activewear on account of the use of antimicrobial finishes for manufacturing such products. Textile chemicals help prevent odour and bacterial infection caused by the sweat trapped in clothing such as undergarments, socks, T-shirts, and other sports apparel. The rising demand for customized solutions is expected to significantly boost the overall product application. In the Indian context, the fluctuating raw material prices of phenols and surfactants are expected to pose a challenge for the market players to achieve profitability and economies of scale. The majority of manufacturers in India have shifted their focus towards investing in product innovation supported by the Make in India scheme of the government.
Key milestones achieved by Rossari Biotech in FY 2020-21 and plans for FY 2021-22?
Few of the major key milestones achieved in the FY 2020-21 include setting up a Centre of Excellence at IIT, Bombay at Powai, commissioning of the Dahej project, tie-up with CSIA, Mumbai Airport, branded dispensers, and supply sanitisers for the use of passengers, foray into E-commerce by listing “Majority of HPPC products on the Global trends in manufacturers in India Amazon platform. Textile Speciality have shifted their focus Our key priority Chemicals in 2021 and towards investing in and strategic aim are to how will it impact Inproduct innovation grow across all the areas dia? supported by the Make of application in all our The global textile chemin India scheme of the four core chemistry areas icals market size valued government” that we excel in. As we move at US $ 23.62 billion in ahead, we will continue seeding 2018 and is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth rate new businesses with the existing assets. (CAGR) of 4.5 per cent from 2019 to We are working intensely on attaining 2025. Environmental concerns associ- more and more capabilities and buildated with textile chemicals have shifted ing relevant infrastructure to foray into the focus of major manufacturing com- newer areas where we foresee sizable panies toward green (bio-based) chemi- growth. We reaffirm our commitment cals that are eco-friendly. Companies in- to sustainable growth and enhanced volved in the manufacture of bio-based value creation and remain resolute to
