About Us

ICI India manufactures and markets paints, speciality chemicals, adhesives & starch.

With an employee strength of about 900, ICI India's manufacturing sites, business and sales offices and distribution network span the length and breadth of the country.

The History

The ICI India story began way back in 1911 when Brunner Mond & Co, one of the four companies that combined in 1926 to form ICI in UK, opened a trading office in Calcutta to sell alkalis and dyes. In 1923, it became Brunner Mond & Co (India) and in 1929 the name was changed to Imperial Chemical Industries (India) Ltd. This was followed by a period of sustained expansion, diversification and growth.

ICI's manufacturing activities in India commenced in 1939 with the setting up of Alkali and Chemical Corporation of India Ltd in Rishra, West Bengal. Indian Explosives Ltd was set up in Gomia in 1954, the result of an agreement with the government of India. Chemical and Fibres of India Ltd came up in Thane in 1963, manufacturing polyester staple fibre. When fertilizer manufacturing operations began in Panki near Kanpur in 1969 it was the largest private sector investment in fertilizers in India. On completion of the 3rd stream, the plant had a capacity to manufacture 675,000 tpa of urea fertilizer.

The company also commissioned its catalyst business at Panki in 1984.

The ICI Research and Technology Centre was established in Thane in 1976 and a Crop Protection Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals unit came up in Ennore, near Chennai in 1978.

Consolidation and Restructuring

In 1984, the ICI group companies in India were merged in what was one of corporate India's largest mergers of that time.

Nalco Chemicals India Ltd was formed in 1987 with Nalco Chemical Company USA and ICI India Ltd, each holding 40% of the equity.

The first phase of ICI India's restructuring was completed in 1993 with the divestment of the seeds, fibres and fertilizers businesses while the agrochemicals business was transferred to a joint venture with Zeneca Limited of UK in 1995.

1996 saw the establishment of a joint venture, Initiating Explosives Systems India Ltd., with The Ensign-Bickford Company of the USA for the manufacture of Initiating Explosives Systems. The company has exited from the joint venture in late 2003.

While the new paints plant and polyurethanes systems house were commissioned at Thane in 1997, another paints plant was commissioned at Mohali near Chandigarh and the Uniqema Innovation Centre opened at Thane the following year.

In 1998 ICI exited from its joint ventures with Nalco Chemical Company, USA and Zeneca, UK, as part of its continuing restructuring exercise.

The explosives business was transferred to Indian Explosives Limited, a joint venture between the company and Orica Investments Pty Ltd., Australia in 1999. The company has exited from the joint venture in late 2003.

Trading in National Starch Adhesives products commenced in 1999, followed by the commissioning of a plant at Thane in 2000. The business has since been strengthened with the acquisition of the portfolio from Hindustan Lever Ltd and the plant has further been strengthened through de-bottlenecking.

In line with ICI India's strategic objective, the Polyurethanes business was sold to the Huntsman Group of USA in 2001.

The Motors and Industrial Paints business was transferred to a Joint Venture with Berger Paints India Limited, also in 2001, from which the company exited in 2002.

The flavours and fragrances business was taken over as a joint venture (with ICI India holding a majority stake) with Hindustan Lever Limited and Quest International B.V. in 2001. The company was converted into a wholly owned Subsidiary in 2006, from which the company has exited in 2007 by sale of its shareholding to Givaudan Group.

The Pharmaceuticals business of the company was divested to Nicholas Piramal India Limited in 2002.

The catalyst business of the company has been divested to Johnson Matthey Group in late 2002.

The Nitrocellulose and Trading businesses were divested in 2004 to Nitrex Chemicals India Ltd (owned / funded by ACTIS), in which the company holds a minority stake.

The Rubber Chemicals business was transferred to a subsidiary of PMC Group International, USA in December 2005, where the company holds a minority stake.

The company has acquired controlling interest during 2006 in Polyinks Limited, Hyderabad, which manufactures Hot Melt Adhesives; which has been integrated with the National Starch operations in India.

The Uniqema business was divested to Croda Group of UK in early 2007.

The Advanced Refinish Paints Business ("2K") was divested in March 2007 to an affiliate of PPG Industries, USA.

The continuing portfolio of businesses with the company currently consists of:
• Paints
• National Starch

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