Incorporated in 1986 as a public limited company, Vinyl Chemicals (I) manufactures vinyl acetate monomers (VAM). It was promoted by the Parekh group -- a well-known group which manufactures and sells the Fevicol brand of adhesives, synthetic resins, binders, surfactants, pigments, etc -- and SICOM, a Government of Maharashtra enterprise. The Company is engaged mainly in trading of Vinyl Acetate Monomer.
Uhde Gmbh, Germany, (a subsidary of Hoechst) has provided the technology for manufacturing Vinyl Acetate Monomer. Apart from providing technology the German colloborator provided basic engineering services and trained personnel for errection and start-up activities.
This is the first company to manufacture VAM directly from petrochemical ethylene. VAM is a versatile petrochemical used in the manufacture of polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alchohol, ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymers, vinyl acrylic co-polymers, acrylic fibres, etc. Nearly 45% of the company's product is taken up by its group concern, Pidilite Industries, and other group companies.
The company expanded it's capactiy to produce VAM to 16400 TPA in May '99 with basic engineering help provided by Krupp Uhde Gmbh, Germany. During 2000-2001 the company has taken steps to implement debottlenecking expansion proposal to increase the capacity to 24500 TPA and the same was completed in 2001-02. The Oxygen/nitrogen was installed & commissioned in February,2002.
During year 2007-08, VAM manufacturing unit of the company (VCIL) at Mahad got demerged into Pidilite Industries Ltd. (PIL) through Scheme of Demerger effective from 1st April 2007.