IOCL sets up centre for development of polymer industry in Odisha

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Petroleum and Steel minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday jointly inaugurated the PADC, set up at a cost of Rs 43 crore on 5 acres of land adjacent to IOCLs refinery and pharmaceutical complex. "This centre will not only perform a pivotal role in developing new materials and innovative applications but will also provide support to investors in setting up manufacturing units in the plastic and polymer sectors," Patnaik said during the inauguration programme held via video conference.

In a bid to facilitate the growth of polymer industry in Odisha and eastern India, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd has set up a Product Application and Development Centre (PADC) in Paradip. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Petroleum and Steel minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday jointly inaugurated the PADC, set up at a cost of Rs 43 crore on 5 acres of land adjacent to IOCLs refinery and pharmaceutical complex.

"This centre will not only perform a pivotal role in developing new materials and innovative applications but will also provide support to investors in setting up manufacturing units in the plastic and polymer sectors," Patnaik said during the inauguration programme held via video conference. IOCL is the anchor for the plastic and petrochemical- based industries in Odisha, and it should play a proactive role in providing infrastructure, raw material and technology support to entrepreneurs who wish to set up units in the region, he said.

The company's proposed project in the Bhadrak Textiles Park is also an important step towards developing an ecosystem for technical textiles in Odisha, the chief minister said. The implementation of Bhadrak project of IOCL also needs to be expedited, he said.

The PADC at Paradip can play the role of a catalyst in developing polymer-based industry in Odisha and it should emerge as one of the centres of excellence in the field of polymer applications, Patnaik said. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the PADC would act as a supporting technical centre for polyester yarns and fabrics for the upcoming textile downstream units in Bhadrak and Dhamra.

Besides providing considerable employment opportunities to a large number of people in the state, the PADC and the downstream units will meet the requirements within the country as well as abroad, he said. The project will not only help in the economic growth of Odisha but also that of the whole country, he said adding that it will make significant contributions to the Make-in- India initiative.

The technical centre - the sixth of its kind in the country and second in the east - is a recognised laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) under the Ministry of Science and Technology. In line with the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" programme of the Union government, the PADC will help curtail polymer imports through substitution, a senior official said.

Innovative application development is also a prime focus of the centre to replace imports of finished goods in niche fabrics and technical textiles, the official said. It will identify areas for development of applications of polymeric material to become self-reliant by promoting indigenous manufacturing, he said.

The PADC would be working closely in application and development of polymers in collaboration with research institutes such as the Institute of Chemical Technology, Bhubaneswar, Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology, Chennai, and the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune..