Hindalco Industries Ltd, the flagship metallurgical enterprise of the Aditya Birla group, announced on Thursday the commissioning of the first super-specialized alumina plant in India in the state of Karnataka. The annual production capacity of this facility is 30,000 tons.
This plant will meet the growing demand for advanced fire retardant materials for wires and cables, as well as for other high-performance applications. The company stated in a release that Hindalco Industries has 'commissioned a greenfield Superfine PPT ATH (precipitated aluminum trihydrate) plant in Belagavi, Karnataka, providing domestic production of this high-value specialized alumina-based product in India for the first time.'
PPT ATH is a non-halogenated, flame-retardant material used in fire-resistant cables, polymer insulators, thermal insulation, composites, and paints. It helps suppress flame spread and smoke generation without releasing gaseous halogen acids.
The increased demand is driven by stricter fire safety standards, the growing adoption of electric vehicles and infrastructure, and the shift towards sustainable and high-performance materials. The initial capacity of 30,000 tons per year is designed to cover almost all domestic demand for safer cables in the wire and cable industry.
The facility is designed with the potential for phased expansion up to 60,000 tons, allowing Hindalco to scale up capacity in line with the growth of the domestic market. Furthermore, it is the world's only specialized alumina plant that operates entirely on renewable energy, thereby setting a global standard for sustainable production.
Hindalco is a leading producer of specialized alumina in the country, manufacturing over 120 types of non-metallurgical specialized alumina. Its product portfolio serves a wide range of industries, including refractory materials, ceramics, wire and cable manufacturing, railway transport, batteries and electronics, water treatment, and bulk chemicals.