Kaolin is a clay having applications mainly in paper, paints, ceramics and fibreglass. Ashapura is in the process of commissioning one of India’s largest Kaolin processing facilities at Trivandrum, Kerala, which is home to some of India’s finest Kaolin deposits. Ashapura’s ability to supply quality Kaolin would not only satiate domestic demand for Kaolin but would also have the potential to make a mark in the world markets. The project is set to be commissioned by January 2008.

Having pioneered and established the Bentonite Based Bleaching Clay plant at Kutch, Ashapura Volclay Ltd. is poised to replicate its success in the Palm Oil based Bleaching Clay segment at Dharur in Andhra Pradesh. Apart from accesses to the primary raw mineral Attapulgite, the location of the plant gives a logistical edge for exports to the world’s largest Palm Oil producing and refining countries in South East Asia.
The project has already been commissioned in August 2007.

Since Ashapura ships a large volume of minerals, the availability of storage facilities at the port and at berths is extremely critical. Ashapura has invested in a jetty at Bedi port in Jamnagar to ensure regular availability of storage facilities and access to ships at anchorage and is in the process of the port’s material handling and storage capacity. The ort facilities are also be available for third party use. The project has been undertaken in a 50:50 Joint Venture with Arcadia Shipping Private Ltd. a leading infrastructure developer in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

Nanoclays are high performance fillers for plastics, which when added to the plastic matrix give significant improvement in the properties. Superior quality processed Bentonite is a vital component in this technology. In its endeavour to be at the cutting edge of clay processing technology, Ashapura chose to invest into Crystal Nanoclay Pvt. Ltd. as 50% shareholder. Ashapura is in the process of committing larger resources to this venture which is on the verge of bagging contracts from several auto majors.