Page 65 - Plastics News June 2023

ARTICLE

2) Promotion of Innovation and Technology: There is need to take initiatives to promote innovation and the
adoption of advanced technologies in the chemicals and petrochemicals industry. India is currently dependent
on developed countries like USA, Japan and EU for the advanced technologies used for the manufacturing of
chemicals and petrochemicals. These technologies are heavily guarded. It is necessary to provide incentives for
the development and application of sustainable technologies for the production of high quality and safe chemi-
cals and petrochemicals in India.
3) Sharing of Facilities and Infrastructure: There is a need to create Integration and cost effective infrastructure
in which Companies can share common facilities and infrastructure. Buy and sell feedstocks and products “over the fe
nce” by the companies. We need to reduce capital and operating costs by outsourcing their non-manufacturing
needs to specialized third-party providers with all parties benefiting from economies of scale like;
• Third-party who supplies utilities and services like steam, hydrogen, cooling water, demineralized water,
effluent treatment, industrial gases, storage, port and terminal facilities, and emergency services
• Set up fire stations with capabilities to tackle major fires and hazardous materials incidents

• Construct an underground storage facility to optimize land resources
• Aiming to move to higher-value chemical chains while raising energy efficiency and minimizing environ-
mental impact
• Secure diversified sources of raw materials, such as liquefied natural gas, coal and biomass

• Service pipelines are a form of common service corridor that runs around in region so that companies
located in any part of the area can have easy access to the service corridor
• By ‘plugging in’ to the service pipeline, companies can transfer raw materials, finish products and obtain
utilities services seamlessly
• Plan to have the firms being sited close to their buyers

• Low duplication of products lines and plans of long-term supply agreements tend to limit the domestic
rivalry in the industry
• Access to skilled labour and suppliers in clusters
4) Skilling: The government is focusing on programs to improve the skill sets of the workers in the chemicals and
petrochemicals sector. This includes the availability of skills-based training, knowledge sharing and technical
workshops to educate the workers in safe, efficient and sustainable chemical production.

5) Collaboration: The government is also encouraging collaboration between industry, academia and civil society
to develop more efficient and sustainable production processes. This collaboration will also help to identify new
opportunities and products and promote the uptake of advanced technologies in the industry.

6) Responsible Business Practices: The government is promoting responsible business practices in the chemicals
and petrochemicals industry. This includes promoting adherence to safety, health and environmental standards,
and encouraging meaningful engagement between government, industry, academia and civil society to manage
risks and build trust.
The Chemicals and Petrochemicals Manufacturing Hub or clusters in the World is a major global initiative in the chemi-
cals and petrochemicals industry. India has taken steps to become a hub in the sector and has an advantage in the cost of
production due to local resources and supportive government policies. However, India still has challenges related to the
availability of shared facilities, infrastructure planning, regulations, data management, plug & play facility and adequate
R&D capabilities in chemicals sector. Improving these capabilities is essential for the Indian chemicals and petrochemicals
clusters or hub to be competitive in the global arena.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are strictly personal.

June 2023 PLASTICS NEWS 65