Excel Industries, incorporated in 1960 is part of A C Shroff's Excel Group and is into manufacture of industrial chemicals, speciality chemicals, bio-fertilisers and bio-remediation technologies. As part of its restructuring plan the company has divested its Agri business(Pesticides) to Excel Crop Care Ltd(erstwhile West Coast Oxygen Ltd), a group company w.e.f April 1, 2002. Global Pesticide major Nufam of Australia is expected to pick up a sizeable stake in the Excel Crop Care Ltd.
Even though the Tata Group acquired an financial interest in this company Excel Industries is continue to be managed by members of the Shroff family.
To bring more foucus on each busines line of activity the company has restructured its business under four divisions i.e Agri Business, Chemicals Business, Environ & Biotech Business and Life Sciences Business supported by appropriate corporate functions in FY 1999-2000.
The company further commissioned the plant for manufacture of Celrich at Ahmedabad having a treatement capacity of 500 MT of waste per day during 1999-2000.
During 2000-2001, the Company successfully commissioned the plant to manufacture special purpose Polymer Additive having a capacity of 200 tonnes per annum and also carried out substantial expansion of production capacity of Phosphonates from 5000 tonnes per annum to 7000 tonnes per annum at its Lote Parshuram Unit.
The company has also launched 3 new formulations under the brand name of Celcron,Hexzol and Bipex. The Chemicals Business division has successfully commissioned 2 plants viz 200 TPA mining chemicals plant and 200 TPA to manfacture speciality chemicals.
Erstwhile Agri Business :
The company received the ISO 9002 certification for its Bhavnagar unit in 1995, becoming the first Indian agro-chemical company to achieve this distinction. It made a beginning in new businesses like micro-irrigation systems, seeds, etc, through a combination of marketing and manufacturing efforts. The plant to produce butenediol, one of the major raw materials needed for the production of endosulfan, was expanded in 1994-95.
EIL also successsfully converted the Endosulfan Plant at Bhavnagar enabling consumption of non Ozone Depleting solvent in place of Ozone Depleting Solvent, as required under the Montreal Protocol.
During 2001-02 the Agribusiness division has expanded its manufacturing capacity of Organophosphorous Compounds at this division.
With effect from October, 2001 Waman Industrial Chemicals Ltd a company with production of Phsophorous Pentasulphie was amalgamated with EIL Ltd.
During 2002-03, the Scheme of Arrangement for Demerger of the Company's Undertaking relating to Agri Business and its transfer to and vesting in Excel Crop Care Limited was implemented and made effective from 1st April, 2002. The Chemicals Business Division completed the project work for the Pharmaceutical Intermediates Plant, which commissioned since then. The Division made re-engineering of Acetyl Chloride plant to manufacture 20% extra quantity at the same time reducing the waste generated. DETC plant at Roha was re-engineered to produce merchantable quantities of Diethyl Thiophosphoric Acid. The Division started implementation of structured EHS application programme at its Roha Plant. Excel Industries (Australia) Pty Limited and Excel Industries (Europe) N. V. ceased to be the subsidiaries of the Company resulting the Scheme of Arrangement.
The Company enhanced the capacity of Phosphorous Pentasulphide Plant by 30% in FY 2003-04.
During 2005-06, the Company set up production facility for Beta Thymidine (BT), the intermediate for the anti-AIDs drug, and its intermediate Anilide. The polymer additives plant was also modified to facilitate production of different speciality products on campaign manufacturing basis. The Biocel plant at Lote Parashuram was re-engineered to tap out a Chlorophenol product to meet the newly emerged demand for the same in India for the production of an Organophosphorus. Pesticide.
During 2005-06, the facilities at Roha were re-engineered to set up a plant to manufacture the pharmaceutical intermediate Beta Thymidine. The Laboratory facilities and systems at both Roha and Lote were upgraded to move towards GLP Standards. The ageing Vapour Absorption Chiller Unit at Roha was replaced with a new design energy saving equipment. Higher capacity brine unit was also procured for Roha to meet the increased seasonal demands of the pesticide intermediate forecast for this year. The Celrich Plant at Ahmedabad was streamlined for smooth and reliable operations at a higher capacity.
During 2006-07, the Coal fired Boilers installed on trial basis both at Lote and Roha late last year were completely stabilized in terms of their operation and generated steam at reduced cost contributing to a savings of over Rs. 3.50 crores during the entire year. The focused actions on energy conservation continued in'the year with the installation of vapour absorption chillers at both the sites resulting in lower electricity consumption. The commendable work from the Energy Management Group, particularly at Roha, resulted in bringing down the cost of electrical energy being purchased compared to the previous year and the neighboring industries. The Company has carried out certain process and engineering modifications and through installing certain line balancing equipment has prepared itself to meet increased demands for its products. The Company has also completed expansion of Effluent Treatment Plant at its Roha site.
The capacity of Polymer Additive Plant at the Company's Unit at Lote Parshuram increased to 1,000 TPA from 600 TPA by process modification and installation of few balancing equipment during FY 2008-09. Again, capacity of Polymer Inputs Plant at the Company's unit at Lote Parshuram was increased from 1000 MT per Annum to 1500 MT per Annum by addition of certain equipments during FY 2009-10.
During the Financial Year 2014-15, the Company completed de-bottle necking of its Organo Phosphorous Intermediate plants.
The Chemical Manufacturing Unit of NetMatrix Crop Care Limited at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), was acquired as a going concern basis thru' Slump Sale on 25th October, 2019.The Company in 2019, increased capacity of DETC & DMTC by 30% and also installed Multiple Effect Evaporator (MEE) system at Roha site. Further, the Lote site of the Company started a solvent recovery system to recycle and reuse various solvents being used in the chemical process. The Research and Development team acquired two pressure reactors to study and develop high pressure Chlorination and Bromination to gain thrust in the market.
During 2020-21, Roha Plant introduced automation in their agro intermediate plant in order to improve safety and productivity. Additionally Lote Plant further fine-tuned Solvent Recovery system to improve recovery of various solvents used in the manufacturing. Aligned to market demands, both Roha and Lote Sites upgraded their production capabilities for specific products. Company's existing ERP system was extended to the newly acquired Site at Visakhapatnam.
In 2021-22, Multipurpose plant was constructed at Lote Site to increase our capacity for speciality chemical intermediates. Capacity of Phosphonate was further expanded at Lote. At Roha Site, debottlenecking activities resulted in an incremental expansion of an agrochemical intermediate. Your Company also introduced a new molecule Dimethyl Amido thiophosphate. (DMPAT). Automation was further advanced in all the plants to improve safety and productivity. Solvent recovery system was also improved. Waste Water treatment capabilities were further enhanced at both Roha & Lote Sites of moving progressively towards Zero Liquid discharge capabilities.
During 2022-23, the Company the capacity of the Polymer additive plant in order to cater to the increased market demand in Lote. Major pharma API capacity was also increased to cater to the market requirement. In Roha, automation was executed in major agrochemical plant for time cycle reduction and better environmental impact. Similarly, boiler and steam transmission lines were audited by external experts to minimise steam transmission losses and additional equipment were provided in the boiler to increase the fuel combustion efficiency resulting into good fuel economy. This resulted in reduction of coal consumption thereby reducing Carbon footprint. In Vizag, chlorine usage and handling capability was introduced. The Company was able to start in-house manufacture of the chlorinated intermediate required for production of the end product.