M&I Materials has opened its ester transformer fluid manufacturing plant and state-of-the-art laboratory near Mumbai, India. The move creates a high quality, local supply chain of the company’s MIDEL ester fluids for utilities and transformer manufacturers across the country.
The operation, based in Maharashtra, is the result of a new strategic alliance with ACME Synthetic Chemicals and will help Indian utilities and OEMs to deliver safer, greener transformers and substations. Ester transformer fluids have a much higher fire point than the conventional transformer fluid – mineral oil – and are far more environmentally friendly. The company has had a presence in India, providing product and technical support, for almost a decade.
As urbanisation increases demands on the existing Indian electricity network, utilities are turning to the MIDEL range of ester transformer fluids as a fire safe, biodegradable solution to help protect their critical electricity infrastructure. The fluids, certified to global safety standards, help utilities protect communities and businesses from transformer fires and environmental damage.
With a locally manufactured product, Indian utilities will have direct access to a flexible and responsive supplier, meaning less dependence on imports for this key transformer component. As a biodegradable alternative to mineral oil, the availability of MIDEL fluids across India marks another step forward in creating a sustainable electricity grid for the future. In addition, the M&I Materials investment in local manufacturing is a clear endorsement of the Indian Government’s “Make in India” initiative.
Speaking at the opening ceremony Giles Salt, CEO of M&I Materials commented: “We are delighted to open our MIDEL manufacturing facility. This marks the latest development in our global expansion, clearly demonstrating our commitment to supporting India’s utility sector and transformer manufacturers.”
Raw materials for the manufacturing of the fluids will be sourced from locally grown soybean and rapeseed crops, providing new opportunities for local farmers and their families, in addition to creating jobs at the factory.
Guy Bromley, Head of Trade & Investment at the British High Commission was present to support the M&I Materials opening, saying: “The M&I Materials investment in this manufacturing facility really shows the potential for doing business in India. With a proven product, M&I Materials is helping India develop more robust and sustainable power networks for its growing population – and doing so using Indian raw materials and trading with Indian companies.”
Major utilities such as Torrent Power, CESC, DMRC, GETCO, Tata Power Delhi, TNEB, Reliance Infra – to name a few – have been successfully using MIDEL ester transformer fluids throughout their networks. Manufacturing MIDEL locally will mean Indian utilities benefit from a leaner, more flexible and responsive source of supply.
