Lubrizol, a global leader in specialty chemicals, has partnered with Chennai-based Polyhose to establish a specialized manufacturing facility for high-precision medical tubing, primarily for neurovascular and cardiovascular applications like balloon catheters and minimally invasive procedure catheters. This collaboration aims to reduce India’s reliance on imports for critical care catheters.

The estimated investment in the new manufacturing project, which will be set up under a new joint venture, is expected to be ₹200 crore, according to T R B Rajaa, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion, and Commerce.

The proposed investment by Lubrizol is in addition to its previously committed $350 million for diverse projects in India.

“Our strategy aligns with India’s expanding healthcare needs,” said Rebecca Liebert, President & CEO of Lubrizol, a $6.5 billion company. “With India importing a significant share of its critical care catheters, this partnership enables us to bring Lubrizol’s advanced material expertise to support domestic production of these essential devices.”

Rebecca Liebert, President and CEO, The Lubrizol Corporation and Bhavana Bindra, MD- India, Middle East and Africa, at a press conference, in Chennai on Thursday

Rebecca Liebert, President and CEO, The Lubrizol Corporation and Bhavana Bindra, MD- India, Middle East and Africa, at a press conference, in Chennai on Thursday | Photo Credit: BIJOY GHOSH

Lubrizol and Polyhose signed the agreement on Thursday to create a tubing extrusion facility in Chennai. Construction is set to begin in early 2025, with operations in an 8,000-square-foot cleanroom facility projected to start in 2026, focusing on tubing components for India-made medical devices. “This expansion targets a five-fold increase in production to address much of the current import volume,” said Bhavana Bindra, Managing Director – India, Middle East, and Africa, Lubrizol.

Pilot testing

Over the past 7 years, Lubrizol has used Polyhose’s facilities for pilot testing, and this successful collaboration has now led the US firm to form a joint venture with Polyhose to produce medical tubing products on a larger scale. Lubrizol will hold a 51 per cent stake in the new JV with Polyhose holding the remainder.

“Lubrizol has solidified its trust in Polyhose by moving forward with a joint venture (JV). This facility will serve not only the Indian market but will also supply the US and other international markets. Polyhose’s three decades of expertise in extrusion processes have proven essential, especially given the precision required for medical products used within the human body,” Y J Shabbir, Managing Director of Polyhose India Pvt Ltd told businessline.

The “China plus one” strategy also plays a role here, as companies seek alternatives to China, though Lubrizol had not sourced from China previously. Instead, they identified India as their partner of choice from the start, he added.

While the new manufacturing location is being finalised, the project is expected to create 100 direct jobs and an equal number of indirect jobs. India will become the third region, following the United States and Europe, to manufacture high-quality medical tubing for Lubrizol.

“With government programs like Ayushman Bharat expanding healthcare access, there’s a growing demand for medical devices. We’re expanding locally to support this mandate while also being open to additional customers and global opportunities as capacity allows, said Mittal Shah, Business Manager – Medical Solutions & Engineered Polymers, IMEA, Lubrizol Advanced Materials India Pvt Ltd.

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