Speciality chemical firm Lubrizol and fluid conveyance systems developer Polyhose have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to manufacture medical tubing and expand capacity in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
As part of their collaboration, Lubrizol and Polyhose will establish a medical manufacturing site in Tamil Nadu to allow the localisation of medical tubing.
Lubrizol said that the facility will increase its local medical tubing production five-fold, improving access to life-saving medical tubing in India and global markets.
The medical tubing produced will support neurovascular and cardiovascular applications, including balloon catheters and minimally invasive procedure catheters.
The medical tubing will use Lubrizol’s medical-grade thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and other thermoplastic polymers. These materials are designed to provide biocompatibility and ensure patient comfort.
The new manufacturing facility will be ISO 13485 certified, guaranteeing the quality production of tubing.
Lubrizol president and CEO Rebecca Liebert said: “India serves as a hub for Lubrizol’s innovation and growth, and our ongoing investment highlights our dedication to a local-for-local and local-for-global strategy in India.”
Lubrizol has invested over $350m in India in the past year. This includes opening a global capability centre (GCC) in Pune and the acquisition of a 120-acre plot in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, for a manufacturing facility in India.
According to the speciality chemicals firm, this facility will be the company’s second-largest globally, serving the region’s growing transportation and industrial markets.
Additionally, Lubrizol recently broke ground on the first phase of a 100,000 metric-ton chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) resin plant in Vilayat, Gujarat.
The speciality chemicals company is also doubling its CPVC compound manufacturing capacity at its Dahej, Gujarat, site.
The latest collaboration will leverage Lubrizol’s strengths in India to serve both local and global customers. This will ensure precise product design, reliable supply, fast turnaround, and swift technical support for Indian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Lubrizol said.
Polyhose India managing director Shabbir Y J said: “This MoU marks a new chapter in our shared journey, and we are proud that in Tamil Nadu, we have experienced substantial growth in recent years, continues to be the ideal location for fostering innovation and industrial expansion.”
The groundbreaking of the new manufacturing site is expected in 2025, with operations set to begin in 2026.
In September this year, Lubrizol announced the expansion of operations at its Avon Lake, Ohio, facility to double the production capacity of Solsperse Hyperdispersants, commonly used by coating and ink formulators.
