Tata Chemicals board of directors has approved a substantial investment of ₹515 crore for establishing a new greenfield manufacturing facility for Iodised Vacuum Salt Dried (IVSD) production. The facility will be located at Valinokkam in Ramnathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, marking a significant expansion in the company's salt manufacturing capabilities.

Investment and Facility Details

The board meeting held on February 2, 2026, approved the comprehensive project that will significantly enhance the company's production capacity in the salt segment.

Strategic Rationale

The investment serves multiple strategic objectives for Tata Chemicals' salt business expansion. The company currently operates an IVSD manufacturing capacity of 1.6 million tonnes per annum at its Mithapur plant in Gujarat. This new facility will create a second manufacturing site for IVSD in South India, enabling the company to achieve higher supply chain efficiency and optimize logistic costs.

Manufacturing Expansion

The greenfield facility represents a significant addition to Tata Chemicals' manufacturing infrastructure. With a planned capacity of 210 KTPA, the new plant will complement the existing operations and strengthen the company's position in the specialized iodised vacuum salt dried segment. The 36-month project completion timeline indicates a structured approach to establishing the new manufacturing capabilities.

Regulatory Compliance

The announcement was made in compliance with Regulations 30 and 51 of the SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015. The board meeting commenced at 2:00 p.m. IST and concluded at 4:15 p.m. IST, with the formal intimation signed by Company Secretary Jeraz E. Mahernosh.

Tata Chemicals has published its Q3FY26 quarterly results in leading newspapers following the Board of Directors' approval on February 2, 2026. The chemical manufacturer reported a consolidated net loss of ₹690 million compared to a loss of ₹210 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, while revenue from operations declined to ₹3,550 crore from ₹3,590 crore year-on-year.

Financial Performance Overview

The company's third-quarter results demonstrate challenging operational conditions across key financial metrics. The consolidated net loss widened significantly, while revenue experienced a marginal decline during the reporting period.

Management Commentary on Market Conditions

During the earnings conference call held on February 2, 2026, R. Mukundan, Managing Director & CEO, provided detailed insights into the challenging market environment. He stated that soda ash markets continue to remain oversupplied, with high inventory levels across most regions. Prices softened further during Q3FY26, reflecting adverse demand-supply dynamics.

The company highlighted that global soda ash demand growth remains tepid and flat in the near term, constrained by weak macroeconomics in Southeast Asia and parts of Asia. This has been primarily driven by export restrictions and constraints in one of the biggest markets in the U.S.

Standalone Performance Highlights

Despite market headwinds, the company's standalone performance was supported by higher volumes and disciplined cost management. The standalone revenue from operations stood at ₹1,204 crore, up 3% compared to Q3FY25 due to higher volumes.

Strategic Investments and Capacity Expansions

The Board approved significant investments to strengthen the company's position in growing markets. A major investment of ₹515 crore was approved for setting up a greenfield manufacturing facility for Iodised Vacuum Salt Dried (IVSD) at Valinokkam, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, with a capacity of 210 kilo tonnes per annum.

During the quarter, the company commissioned Pearl Silica facility with a capacity of 3,000 MTPA at Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, and FOS L55 facility with a capacity of 4,500 MTPA at Mambattu. The Board also approved a 50 kilo tonne per annum precipitated silica expansion at Cuddalore at an investment of ₹775 crore.

Exceptional Items and Regulatory Impact

The company recorded exceptional items totaling ₹54 crore during the quarter related to the implementation of new Labour Codes notified by the Government of India. These codes consolidate existing labour laws and primarily impact gratuity liability calculations due to changes in wage definitions.

Nine-Month Performance Analysis

For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, the company reported revenue from operations of ₹11,146 crore, down by 2% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. EBITDA stood at ₹1,531 crore compared to ₹1,626 crore in 9MFY25.

Strategic Acquisitions and Market Positioning

The company announced the acquisition of Novabay Singapore on December 19, entering into a share purchase agreement. This acquisition strengthens Tata Chemicals' position in the premium grade value-added bicarbonate market by expanding geographic footprint from UK serving European markets to include Asian markets, including ASEAN and Far East.

Regulatory Filings and Transparency

The company published its unaudited consolidated and audited standalone financial results in multiple newspapers on February 3, 2026, including Business Standard, The Free Press Journal, and Navshakti (Marathi). The earnings conference call transcript was subsequently filed with stock exchanges on February 6, 2026, ensuring comprehensive disclosure to stakeholders.