Sri Lanka-based Chemcel, a subsidiary of Chemanex, has opened a $7.18m carboxy methyl starch (CMS) extrusion plant in the Mirigama export processing zone, north of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Chemcel chairman Preethi Jayawardena told news360.lk: "We are going to produce super absorbents which will be used to manufacture baby diapers."
Jayawardena further said that commercial production of the plant will only start by the end of 2012, once the second phase of the project is completed.
The construction of the second phase of the plant will start soon at an estimated cost of $15.4m, which will be financed by equity overseas partner, Archer Daniels Midland.
Chemanex is a member of CIC Group of Companies which is involved in trading, importing and exporting chemicals and industrial intermediates with foreign collaboration and overseas technology.
Chemanex has different agencies involved in distribution, including industrial chemicals division which imports and distributes high quality surfactants for cosmetics chemicals, toiletry chemicals and laundry detergents chemicals.
The company's consumer chemicals division's distributors act as an indenting agent for chemicals related to water purification, paper industry, battery industry, sewerage treatment, tanning industry and candle and match manufacturing industries, where it handles sulphuric acid, aluminium sulphate and brake fluid.
CMC is also used in several fields including oil well drilling, textile printing, ceramics and corrugated paper, detergents, dental and dextrin.
