Renolit Opens Geomembranes Plant in India

The festively decorated RENOLIT plant in Pune for the plant’s official opening.

Plastics processor RENOLIT has opened a new geomembranes plant in Pune, India.

After fifteen months of construction, the company has begun commercial production of geomembranes for civil engineering projects. These are used in storage reservoirs of pumped-storage hydro power stations. The facility can also produce other types of membranes, including civil tunnel membranes and specialty sealants for dam repairs.

The new production facility has an annual capacity of 6,000 tons and employs around 30 people.

With the new plant, RENOLIT says it is taking another important step in its long-term growth strategy in India while strengthening its supply capabilities for the Asia-Pacific market.

“With our new plant in Pune, we are strengthening our presence in an important market of the future. At the same time, our geomembranes make a tangible contribution to India’s energy transition. The growing importance of renewable energy and high-performance energy storage solutions offers us attractive long-term prospects for growth,” says Karsten Jänicke, CEO of RENOLIT.

RENOLIT celebrated the plant opening together with employees, key suppliers, stakeholders and customers.

The celebration began with a traditional Indian ceremony and concluded with a 45-minute Indian cultural program featuring traditional dances from different states across India.

A traditional Indian ceremony kicks off the celebrations marking the opening of the new RENOLIT plant in Pune.

Geomembranes for the Energy Transition

As part of its energy transition, India is increasingly focusing on integrated projects for storing renewable energy. These include so-called Integrated Renewable Energy Storage Projects (IREP), which combine hydropower, solar and wind power with pumped-storage technology. Large quantities of high-quality and durable geomembranes are required for the reservoirs created as part of these projects.

RENOLIT works closely in this area with Carpi Tech, a Swiss specialist in the waterproofing of hydraulic structures. The plastics processor has been producing geomembranes for many years, which Carpi Tech uses for its waterproofing solutions for pumped-storage power plants.

In this application, geomembranes must meet the highest standards. They retain the water in the reservoirs while also withstanding ground movements and the forces exerted by the water. RENOLIT’s waterproofing membranes can accommodate settlement and seismic impacts, are UV-resistant and designed to withstand extreme climatic conditions. Their service life can be up to 100 years.

Local Production

With the new plant in Pune, RENOLIT can now manufacture geomembranes directly in India. The company says local production will not only reduce long transportation routes but also facilitate quality control on site.

Joan Porquera, General Manager of the Roof & Water Care market unit, comments: “For our Roof & Water Care market unit, the new plant in Pune is a decisive competitive advantage. Local production enables us to be closer to our customers, respond more quickly to their requirements and significantly strengthen our supply capabilities in the local market. At the same time, it creates the basis for systematically expanding our geomembrane business in the Asia-Pacific market.”

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