The power of black
26 March, 2014 | The Machinist
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March 2014
The Carbon Black Research Laboratory drives quality improvements in the product portfolio and develops innovative products that meet the customers’ needs.
Birla Carbon is the largest manufacturer and supplier of high quality Carbon Black additives globally and is a flagship business of the US$40 billion Aditya Birla Group. Birla Carbon’s current footprint extends across 12 countries with 17 manufacturing facilities having a combined annual capacity of two million tonnes. The acquisition of Columbian Chemicals Co and it’s subsequent integration led to Birla Carbon becoming the global leader in the carbon black business. Now with manufacturing presence in each of the key markets of Asia, Europe and the Americas, Birla Carbon delivers uniform product quality and consistent experience worldwide.
Birla Carbon provides a complete portfolio of products across ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) grades and speciality blacks to meet the specific end requirements across rubber, plastics, coatings, inks and other niche industries globally. Its key brands include Birla Carbon, Raven and Conductex. The global manufacturing presence with significant production capacities and supply capability ensures regular and uninterrupted availability of consistent quality products for customers. The customers include leading brands and companies across tyres, rubbers, plastics, inks and paints sectors globally.
Birla Carbon has two state-of-the-art technology centres at Marietta (US) and Taloja (India), besides well equipped laboratories across its manufacturing units. The continued focus on R&;D ensures consistent high quality products delivered in line with the requirements of customers. The contemporary R&;D infrastructure also provides for customised products to be developed in conjunction with customers.
Located at the Aditya Birla Science and Technology Company (ABSTC)’s premises at Taloja in Navi Mumbai, the Carbon Black Research Laboratory serves the Birla Carbon business globally at all stages of the value chain. It aims to c;reate a world-class R&;D organisation that utilises and develops the most cost-effective technology for fulfilling customer needs.
Research &Development
As the leading carbon black company, Birla Carbon’s Research &Development is future focused on developing and using world-class carbon black technology for the benefit of its customers. It is focused on continual enhancement. This is done through its efforts across Process Technology, Product Technology and Technical Service capabilities. Birla Carbon forms partnerships with its customers to ensure that they obtain consistent quality and performance as well as the necessary technical service in support of their most important applications. The customers also have access to new products and technical platforms to meet their most challenging needs.
The Applications Laboratory tests customer formulations of rubber, plastics and dispersions using carbon black, especially when developing new grades. The pilot plant at Patalganga develops new processes to produce specialty grades of carbon black.
The R&;D team extensively uses technology management tools such as the Stage Gate Process and Six Sigma methodology to deliver high quality products and processes to the Birla Carbon business and its customers.
Birla Carbon is committed to sustainable development. Its sustainability aspects include employee safety, environmental stewardship, efficient use of carbon black and a key focus on conducting operations in a responsible manner. Birla Carbon is an environmentally conscious supplier with concentrated effort on sustaining and improving the environment through optimisation of resources and reduction of emissions. All its locations comply with or go beyond all local as well as governmental environmental regulations. ‘Green Technology’ has been adopted in the organisation’s operations. Its certifications include: SA -8000 (Social Accountability); ISO- 14001 (Environment Management); OHSAS 18001 (Safety and Health).
Process technology
The Process Technology group at Birla Carbon is leading and driving the process operations strategy of environmental stewardship and sustainability. This group works towards creating the most efficient and advanced production technology. Utilising Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and many years of top level engineering expertise, the process engineers continue to pioneer technology development in the manufacturing plants to deliver the quality and products that customers require. Importantly, this is done in as efficient and environmentally friendly manner as possible. For example, Birla Carbon takes advantage of the additional energy in its plants to produce electricity for local consumption, further reducing the CO2 footprint.
“The team’s focus can be broken into five core areas impacting different parts of the business including Process technology, Application development, Product development, Feedstock and Quality.”
— Dr. Santrupt B Misra, CEO, Birla Carbon, & Director, Group Human Resources, Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt Ltd
Product technology
The Product Technology group, along with the Technical Service group in each region of the world, is leading the effort in ensuring that customers meet all of their product based technical needs. This includes quality, performance and new products. In particular, these groups work very closely with the customers on a daily basis so that customers have the technical support required to successfully meet their product challenges.
Laboratory services
The Technology Laboratories in Mumbai (India) as well as in Marietta (Georgia, US), are housed in world class technical facilities containing modern laboratory equipment. These labs have experienced scientists and researchers with expertise in not just carbon black technology but also across rubber, plastics, inks and coatings technology. These laboratories are open for the benefit of customers, researching carbon black and its related present and potential applications.
