CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Company profile

Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Ltd, or SPIC, is an

indian company that makes petrochemicals. Its core competency is
in fertilizer products. It has operations in power, oil and natural
gas, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology applications in agriculture.

The company headquartered in chennai was incorporated on 18 December

1969 and became a joint venture between the M A CHIDAMBARAM Group
and TIDCO (a part of the Government of Tamilnadu) in 1975. The
government sold its stake in 1992. The company's biggest client has been the
government of Tamil Nadu, which purchases agro products for subsidized
distribution through its Public Distribution system. The company has been in poor
financial health since about 2002. Its 2006 sales amounted to Rs 2,200 crore, with
a net operating loss of Rs 180 crore.

SPIC has four business lines:

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 the fertiliser division,

the pharmaceuticals division which manufactures Penicillin-G Potassium

(fermentation-based), and active pharmaceutical ingredients,

the engineering/construction services division offers specialised and turnkey

project-based solutions mainly in fertilisers,

the agri-business division, which offers products for agricultural

development like hybrid seeds and bio-fertilisers.

The company has a strategic stake holder promoted companies like

Thoothukudi Alkali Chemicals, a soda ash manufacturer, Tamil Nadu Petro-
products a company which produces liner alkali benzene, Manali Petrochemicals,
Indo-Jordan Chemicals and a host of other companies.

As per regulatory filings, the promoters (including TN government's

investment arm which has 8.2% stake) hold 39.2%, institutions hold 16.2%, public
shareholding is 29% and custodians of GDRs hold the balance. First, SPIC
knocked on the doors, and then entered the CDR Cell for restructuring loans. The
problem for SPIC started in the late 1990s when the company had planned a foray
into petrochemicals through SPIC Petrochemicals, which ran into a rough weather.
It was contrived then to make purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and polyester
filament yarn (PFY) facility at Manali in Chennai.

1.2 Various Products

1.2.1 DAP Di-Ammonium Phosphate (18:18:0)

Moisture per cent by weight (Maximum) 2.5%

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 Total Nitrogen per cent by weight (Minimum) 18%
Ammoniacal nitrogen form per cent by weight (Minimum) 15.5%
Total Nitrogen in the form of Urea per cent by weight (Maximum) 2.5%
Neutral ammonium citrate soluble phosphates ( as P 2O5) per cent by weight
(Minimum) 46%
Water soluble Phosphates (as P2O5) per cent by weight (Minimum) 41%

1.2.2 Urea
Moisture per cent by weight (Maximum) 1%
Total Nitrogen per cent by weight (Minimum)- 46%
Biuret percent by weight (Maximum) 1.5%
Neem content 0.035% Min as Benzene soluble content
Product Applications
Used as nitrogenous fertilizer
Can be applied to soil. Also suitable in solution form as spray.
Application is recommended in split doses for better use efficiency.
In processing of cotton and textile mills and also used as a raw material for
chemical products, dyes and pharmaceuticals.

1.2.3 Single Superphosphate (16% P2O5 Powdered)

SSP contains 16% of Citrate soluble available P 2O5, 14.5% Water soluble
available P2O5, 11% of Sulphur, and essential micro nutrients in small
proportions.
Product Applications

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 SSP helps to treat Sulphur deficiency in soils (40% of Indian soils are
Sulphur deficient).
Continuous application of SSP reclaims Alkali soils.
Improves root formation and ensures quality product

1.2.4 Ammonium Chloride

Ammonium Chloride contains 25 percent Nitrogen.
Besides nitrogen, Chlorine present in Ammonium Chloride is also an
important micro nutrient.
Improves root formation and ensures quality product output
The entire Nitrogen is present in Ammonical form.
Ammoniacal Nitrogen is not lost by leaching, since NH4+ is fixed by soil
clay and humus complex.
On application to the field, nitrogen will be released as and when the
demand arises from the crop.
When ammonium Chloride is applied as basal or top dressing for
cultivated crops, loss of nitrogen is very less. Consequently more N will
be utilized by the crop, thereby fertilizer use efficiency is increased.
Ammonium Chloride fertilizer application is recommended for saline
and alkaline soils.
It is also a suitable Nitrogenous fertilizer for application in low-lying
areas where paddy and other crops are cultivated by farmers.
Chlorine present in Ammonium Chloride gives resistance to some pests
and diseases.

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 Ammonium Chloride is less hygroscopic than other fertilizers which
means the fertilizer has a fairly long life in storage.
The chloride radical in Ammonium Chloride frees Phosphorous, Potash,
Magnesium,Silica, Iron etc. from the soil.
1.2.5 ALF-96 (Aluminium Fluoride)
Aluminium fluoride (AlF3) is an inorganic compound used primarily in the
production of aluminium. This colourless solid can be prepared synthetically
but also occurs in nature.
It is used in the production of aluminium metal. Aluminium fluoride is an
important additive for the production of aluminium by electrolysis.
Together with cryolite, it lowers the melting point to below 1000 C and
increases the conductivity of the solution. It is into this molten salt that
aluminium oxide is dissolved and then electrolyzed to give bulk Al metal.
When used with zirconium fluoride, aluminium fluoride is an ingredient
for the production of fluoroaluminate glasses. It is also used to inhibit
fermentation. It is a sputtering target for preparation of low index films.
Greenstars AlF3 process involves reaction of Aluminium Hydroxide with
Hydro Fluosilicic acid. This is later filtered to remove Silica. The high
purity aluminium fluoride is then crystallized and dried.
Greenstars aluminium fluoride is a dependable input for major
aluminium producers of India and the world like Hindalco, Dubal, Stella
and Foundry Service.

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