Manali Petrochemicals has achieved a significant milestone through its subsidiary PennWhite India Private Limited, which successfully inaugurated its manufacturing facility at Oragadam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu on 29 April 2026. This development marks an important expansion in the company's operational capabilities and manufacturing infrastructure for specialty chemicals.

Facility Details and Specifications

The newly opened plant at Oragadam represents a strategic investment by PennWhite India Private Limited to enhance its production capacity for foam control chemistry. The facility is designed to serve customer requirements in India and the wider Asian markets, operating under the same quality and manufacturing standards as PennWhite's existing facility in the United Kingdom.

Corporate Structure and Background

PennWhite India Private Limited operates as a wholly owned step-down subsidiary of Manali Petrochemicals Limited through PennWhite Limited, UK. The UK entity was acquired by Manali Petrochemicals in November 2022, with the Indian subsidiary incorporated in February 2024 to enhance business development in the Indian and broader Asian market.

Leadership Statements

Devaki Muthiah Chardon, Chairperson of PennWhite Limited (UK), emphasized the strategic importance of the facility: "Our PennWhite India plant represents far more than an expansion of our operations. It establishes a strong and strategic presence for PennWhite in Asia, enabling us to better serve our regional customers while opening the door to new partnerships and opportunities."

Tobias Tasche, Chief Executive Officer of PennWhite Limited, UK, highlighted the facility's role in the company's India strategy: "The inauguration of this facility at Oragadam is a significant step in our India strategy. Since MPL's acquisition of PennWhite in 2022, we have steadily expanded our presence — incorporating PennWhite India in 2024, acquiring a defoamer business in India last year, and now commissioning this plant."

Strategic Market Position

The Chennai facility positions PennWhite India to manufacture over 200 products, including foam control agents under the FoamDoctor® brand, silicone oils, and other specialty chemicals. The company serves customers in over 40 countries across applications including food processing, wastewater treatment, printing, oil industry operations, coatings, manufacturing, and construction. The plant has been awarded ISO 9001 certification, with additional quality and food safety accreditations currently underway.

Manali Petrochemicals has announced the resumption of operations at its Plant-1 facility in Chennai following a temporary shutdown that began on March 12, 2026, due to force majeure conditions. The restart comes after the Government of India allocated propylene supply through a revised office memorandum dated April 17, 2026.

Government Intervention Enables Restart

The Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, issued Revised Office Memorandum No. 31026/5/2026-Policy on April 17, 2026, allocating a fixed daily quantity of propylene to the company. This allocation addresses the complete cessation of propylene supply by Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) that had forced the plant shutdown.

Phased Operational Recovery

The company has commenced the restart process from April 20, 2026, with operations expected to resume in a phased manner upon receipt of propylene supplies from CPCL. The allocation specifically targets meeting pharmaceutical industry requirements, highlighting the strategic importance of maintaining petrochemical production capacity.

The force majeure condition that necessitated the temporary suspension has been resolved to the extent of the government's propylene allocation. The company is taking all necessary steps to recommence normal production at the earliest possible time.

Plant Status Update

Regulatory Compliance

The announcement was made under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015. The company has committed to keeping stock exchanges informed of any further material developments regarding the operational restart and production normalization process.

With propylene supply now secured through government intervention, Plant-1 is positioned to restore its contribution to the company's overall manufacturing capacity and operational performance in the petrochemicals sector.