Gulf Oil to set up lubes plant in south

London-based oil marketing company Gulf Oil International Limited, part of the Hinduja Group, is planning to set up a lubricant plant in south India. The company has set its sights on Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for the proposed plant, which will attract an investment of around Rs 150 crore.

Speaking to reporters after announcing the launch of the company’s limited edition of new products, Sanjay Hinduja, chairman of Gulf Oil International, said that the southern market currently contributed around 30 per cent to the company’s total business and hence decided to set up a plant in the region.

The company is scouting for around 30 acre land in coastal areas, since the raw material is required to be imported. The proposed plant will have a capacity of around 70,000 tonne.

The company is also planning to de-bottleneck its existing plant at Silvassa in the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, to add another 20,000 tonne to 25,000 tonne. The Silvassa facility, at present, has a capacity of around 75,000 tonne a year.

“The plant will be ready in the next 18 to 34 months,” said Ravi Chawla, president and chief executive officer (lubricant business), Gulf Oil International.