Reliance opens research centre for polymer applications at Vadodara

The centre will offer services to not just to RIL's polymer business, but also for its customers

RIL’s new research centre for polymer applications

Last Updated : Jun 23 2017 | 1:02 PM IST

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has opened a technologically advanced product application & research centre (PARC) for polymers at Vadodara, Gujarat. The PARC will focus on creating value addition opportunities, not only for RIL’s polymer business, but also for its customers by offering technical, product upgradations and application development services.

The PARC, initially set up in Mumbai in 1990 with the sole objective of providing product support solutions to customers, has now been transformed into a crucial R&D facility for polymers, such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Ajay Shah, president - polymer chain, Reliance Industries, said, “The PARC at Vadodara possesses a spacious shop floor and state-of-the-art labs that are equipped with the world’s finest processing and testing equipment. It has been tailored to cater to the ever-growing needs and expectations of our customers. A dynamic set of young engineers and technologists at the labs will play a crucial role as the vital link between end users, converters and manufacturing plants. I believe that a facility of this magnitude will go a long way to ensure that Reliance is at the quality frontier of our industry, globally.”

The PARC houses the best brains of polymer technology, engineering and sector specialties. The team works tirelessly, creating opportunities and providing solutions to the ever-growing market needs and customer demands. The team is equipped at providing best-quality technical services, benchmarking, development of new grades in polymers, and inventions of applications.

Perry Vyas, Managing Director, Skaps India, said: “We are eager to use RIL’s world-class PARC facility as it is manned by the best talent in India. The unique combination of ultra-modern machineries, experienced technologists and engineers will help us boost the quality of our product offerings, and save costs as well. The facility will serve as an incubator for us to innovate and manufacture top quality products for international markets.”

The processing machinery section at PARC is equipped with advanced machineries that can use PE for making mono & multilayer blown films, PP TQ film, PE & PP cast films & sheets. The huge shop floor also equipped to make articles through the processes of blow molding, injection molding, roto molding, compression molding and pipe extrusion.

The PARC team also engages with end-user industries, such as FMCG, automobile, food and beverages, agriculture, OEMs converters and other polymer processors.

The applications laboratory at the PARC is capable of performing tests for characterisation of polymers in accordance with the Indian and international standards. It is equipped with facilities for physical, mechanical, thermal, optical, environmental and rheological tests.

The PARC offers processing and testing services – such as value-added services like evaluation of their existing products, formulation of new products and creation of new applications - to customers and help them meet the global standards.

Apart from the PARC, RIL houses its product development centre at Vadodara, which specialises in plasticulture application development and creates awareness by providing on-ground training to farmers about plasticulture product usages and their benefits. Also, there is the elastomer customer support centre for research, testing and product development activities for elastomer.