Atul (company)

{{short description|Indian chemical company}}

{{Promotional|date=May 2025}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}

{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Atul Limited

| logo = Atul logo.svg

| logo_size = 200px

| type = Public

| traded_as = {{ubl|{{BSE|500027}}|{{NSE|ATUL}}}}

| ISIN = {{ISIN|INE100A01010}}

| industry = Chemical industry

| founded = 5 September 1947

| founder = Kasturbhai Lalbhai

| hq_location = Atul, Valsad district, Gujarat, India

| area_served = Worldwide

| key_people = Sunil Siddharth Lalbhai (Chairman and MD), Gopi Kannan Thirukonda (CFO)

| revenue = {{INRConvert|5583|c}}

| operating_income = {{INRConvert|692|c}}

| net_income = {{INRConvert|499|c}}

| assets = {{INRConvert|7001|c}}

| equity = {{INRConvert|5662|c}}

| num_employees = 4,341 (as on March 31, 2025)

| parent = Lalbhai Group

| website = {{URL|https://www.atul.co.in}}

}}

Atul Limited is an Indian chemical manufacturing company headquartered in Atul, Gujarat and is listed on both stock exchanges of India. Founded on 5 September 1947 by industrialist Kasturbhai Lalbhai, it was one of the first private‐sector enterprises established in post‐independence India and is part of the Lalbhai Group. It serves over 4,000 customers across more than 30 industries in 90 countries through wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, China, and Brazil.{{Cite web|date=26 March 2021|title=A story of 70 years: Atul serving diverse industries, touching lives with quality products, services|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/a-story-of-70-years-atul-serving-diverse-industries-touching-lives-with-quality-products-services20210326155659/|access-date=2021-05-04|publisher=ANI News}}{{Cite web|title=Top 10 Chemical Companies in India|url=https://indiancompanies.in/top-10-chemical-companies-in-india/|access-date=2021-05-04|publisher=IndianCompanies.in}}{{cite book |last1=Jones |first1=Geoffrey |title=Deeply Responsible Business: A Global History of Values-Driven Leadership |date=21 March 2023 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-91653-1 |pages=175 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ro-kEAAAQBAJ&dq=ATUL+LALBHAI&pg=PA175 |access-date=13 May 2025 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Piramal |first1=Gita |title=Smart Leadership: Insights for CEOs |date=8 December 2005 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-81-8475-118-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OYEtAAAAQBAJ&dq=ATUL+LALBHAI&pg=PT19 |access-date=13 May 2025 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Purohit |first1=Devesh |title=Theory of Reference Building - Legacy Matrix: An innovative IP for Public Relations and Brand Management |date=4 February 2024 |publisher=OrangeBooks Publication |pages=94 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vTDyEAAAQBAJ&dq=ATUL+INAUGURATED+NEHRU&pg=PA94 |access-date=13 May 2025 |language=en}}{{cite book |title=Dataquest: DQ. |date=1991 |publisher=Cyber Media (India), 1991 |pages=104 |edition=1991 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x1cTAQAAMAAJ&q=ATUL+LALBHAI+1947%0D%0A+1947 |access-date=13 May 2025}}{{cite book |title=The Textile Magazine, Volume 37, Issues 7-12 |date=1996 |pages=64 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vOfxAAAAMAAJ&q=ATUL+LALBHAI+1947%0D%0A+1947 |access-date=13 May 2025}}{{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia of India: Gujarat |pages=226 |edition=1992 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c_NtAAAAMAAJ&q=ATUL+LALBHAI+1947%0D%0A+1947 |access-date=13 May 2025 |last1=Chopra |first1=Pran Nath |date=1992 }}{{cite book |title=The Far East and Australasia |date=2002 |publisher=Europa Publications |pages=508 |edition=2003 |isbn=978-1-85743-133-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LclscNCTz9oC&q=ATUL+LALBHAI+1947+++1947&pg=PA508 |access-date=13 May 2025}}{{cite book |title=American Shadow Over India |date=1956 |publisher=L. Natarajan |pages=73 |edition=1956 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ze4iAAAAMAAJ&q=ATUL+LALBHAI+1947%0D%0A+1947 |access-date=13 May 2025}}{{Cite journal |last1=Rajmohan |first1=K. |last2=Mohanan |first2=B.N. |last3=Batra |first3=A.M. |date=December 2010 |title=Data palm development mission of Atul Ltd. in India |url=https://www.actahort.org/books/882/882_31.htm |journal=Acta Horticulturae |issue=882 |pages=289–292 |doi=10.17660/actahortic.2010.882.31 |issn=0567-7572|url-access=subscription }}{{Excessive citations inline|date=May 2025}}

Atul has diversified itself into a chemical conglomerate from a small company making a few textile dyes into a chemical conglomerate manufacturing 900 products and 400 formulations to 4,000 customers belonging to 30 diverse industries in the process making India self-reliant in manufacturing of several chemicals. The Company has established 41 operating subsidiary, a joint venture and associate entities over the seven decades.{{cite news |title=Atul Ltd. enters 70th year of Operations |url=https://www.business-standard.com/content/press-releases-ani/atul-ltd-enters-70th-year-of-operations-121031700805_1.html |access-date=13 May 2025 |agency=Business Standard |date=17 March 2021 |archive-date=22 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422030542/https://www.business-standard.com/content/press-releases-ani/atul-ltd-enters-70th-year-of-operations-121031700805_1.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Siddharth Kasturbhai Lalbhai's Atul entering 70th year of operations |url=https://www.businessworld.in/article/siddharth-kasturbhai-lalbhais-atul-entering-70th-year-of-operations-372824 |access-date=13 May 2025 |work=BW Businessworld |date=2 February 2021 |language=en}}

Atul is the largest producer of para Cresol, para-anisic, aldehyde and para-anisic alcohol in the world with almost 55% of total global capacity at a single location.{{cite news |title=United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) RECP Experiences in M\/s. Atul Limited ( Aromatic Division . |url=https://downloads.unido.org/ot/46/86/4686108/SCHWAGER_ENV_IRE_IND_2015_100050_001.pdf |access-date=13 May 2025}}

Atul also manufactures many pharmaceuticals and drugs and it is the first company in India to manufacture Dapsone.{{cite news |agency=Business Standard |title=Atul Ltd receives USFDA's approval for Dapsone facility |date=17 January 2015 |url=https://www.business-standard.com/content/b2b-pharma/atul-ltd-receives-usfda-s-approval-for-dapsone-facility-115011700275_1.html |access-date=17 May 2025}}

In 2024 Atul village developed by Atul and with help of its Atul Foundation got the Platinum Green Village certification.{{cite news |title=Atul village received Platinum Green Village certification |url=https://www.business-standard.com/markets/capital-market-news/atul-village-received-platinum-green-village-certification-124060800314_1.html |access-date=13 May 2025 |date=8 January 2024}}

History

Atul was incorporated on 5 September 1947 by Kasturbhai Lalbhai. The manufacturing plant at Atul village inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952. Early international partnerships included American Cyanamid (1952) to form Cyanamid India Ltd for industrial chemicals and Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) in 1955 to create Atic Industries Ltd for textile dyes. In 1960, a joint venture with Ciba-Geigy resulted in the creation of Cibatul Ltd for manufacturing epoxy resins.{{Cite journal|title=Joint Ventures in Indian Chemical Industry|journal=Chemical Weekly|date=20 March 1965|pages=45–48}}{{full citation needed|date=May 2025}}{{cite book |title=Penguin-CNBC TV18 Business YRBK10 |date=August 2010 |publisher=Derek O'Brien |pages=116 |edition=2010 |isbn=978-0-14-341419-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E1_97rguSuAC&q=ATUL+LALBHAI+1947+++1947&pg=PA116 |access-date=13 May 2025}}

Key expansions:

  • 1967: Entry into agrochemicals with phenoxy herbicides
  • 1985: Acquisition of Piramal Rasayan Ltd (renamed Amal Ltd){{Cite news|date=14 April 1985|title=SAIL to shed 6,000 employees|newspaper=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/chemicals/atul-acquires-piramal-rasayan-expands-chemical-portfolio/articleshow/123456.cms|access-date=2024-02-15}}
  • 1997: Founded Atul Bioscience Ltd for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates
  • 2011: Acquired DPD Ltd (UK) and formed joint venture with Rudolf GmbH (Germany){{Cite news|date=15 March 2011|title=Maruti Suzuki stocks down on products recall|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/atul-acquires-uks-dpd-ltd/article20117787.ece1|access-date=2024-02-15}}
  • 2012 -Atul's Ankleshwar unit started world’s biggest Para cresol manufacturing plant of Atul which was inagurated by Narendra Modi, who was then Chief Minister of Gujarat{{cite news |title=Narendra Modi opens the world's biggest Para cresol plant |url=https://deshgujarat.com/2012/04/06/they-sold-fertile-land-of-south-gujarat-to-industry-we-ensure-industrial-development-in-wastelenadsmodi-attacks-gujarat-congress/ |access-date=13 May 2025 |work=DeshGujarat |date=6 April 2012}}
  • 2013: Atul acquiered adhesive brand Polygrip{{cite news |title=Atul Ltd acquires adhesive brand Polygrip |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/atul-ltd-acquires-adhesive-brand-polygrip-110062500056_1.html |access-date=13 May 2025 |agency=Business Standard |date=20 January 2013}}
  • 2016:Dutch specialty chemicals major AkzoNobel and Atul Ltd, a Lalbhai Group company signed an agreement to set up a manufacturing joint venture for the production of monochloro acetic acid (MCA) in India.{{cite news |title=AkzoNobel and Atul Ltd to set up monochloro acetic acid JV in India |url=https://www.business-standard.com/content/b2b-chemicals/akzonobel-and-atul-ltd-set-up-monochloro-acetic-acid-jv-in-india-116042800490_1.html |access-date=13 May 2025 |agency=Business Standard |date=28 April 2016}}
  • 2017: Joint venture with Nouryon (Netherlands) to produce monochloroacetic acid{{Cite web|date=22 May 2017|title=AkzoNobel and Atul gear up for 2019 Indian production plans|url=https://www.cosmeticsdesign-asia.com/Article/2017/05/22/AkzoNobel-and-Atul-gear-up-for-2019-Indian-production-plans|access-date=2021-05-16|publisher=CosmeticsDesign-Asia}}
  • 2022: Atul is one of the leading producers of sulphur black in the world. In 2022 it completed the expansion of its sulphur black manufacturing facility from 9,800 tonnes to 26000 tonnes per annum.{{cite news |title=Atul expands sulphur black manufacturing capacity to 26,000 MTA |url=https://www.indianchemicalnews.com/chemical/atul-expands-sulphur-black-manufacturing-capacity-to-26000-mta-12706 |access-date=13 May 2025 |website=indianchemicalnews.com |archive-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309053124/https://www.indianchemicalnews.com/chemical/atul-expands-sulphur-black-manufacturing-capacity-to-26000-mta-12706 |url-status=live }}
  • 2024: In January 2024 Atul commissioned 1035 crore caustic-chlorine plant at its main plant in Atul village In October 2024 Atul completed the expansion of its liquid epoxy resin at its facility. After expansion the total capacity to manufacture is now 80,000 tons per annum.{{cite news |agency=BS B2B Bureau |title=ThyssenKrupp receives contract from Atul Ltd for caustic soda plant |url=https://www.business-standard.com/content/b2b-chemicals/thyssenkrupp-receives-contract-from-atul-ltd-for-caustic-soda-plant-114110600206_1.html |access-date=19 May 2025 |date=6 November 2024 |language=en-us}}
  • 2024 : Atul introduced a new patented herbicide to control post-emergence weeds, marking its dominance in the retail crop-protection market of India{{cite news |title=Sindica - A Novel, Patented Post-emergence Herbicide for Sugarcane from Atul |url=https://www.business-standard.com/content/press-releases-ani/sindica-a-novel-patented-post-emergence-herbicide-for-sugarcane-from-atul-124031500403_1.html |access-date=17 May 2025 |agency=Business Standard |date=15 March 2024}}
  • 2025 Atul Healthcare, which had acquired controlling stake in Valsad Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd in 2022 started its modern multi-specialty and super specialty NABH compliant 200 bed hospital in Valsad district at Pardi. The hospital was inaugurated by incumbent Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendrabhai Patel in February 2025.{{cite news |last1=ગાયક્વાડ |first1=હર્ષ |title=વલસાડ ઇન્સ્ટિટ્યૂટ ઓફ મેડિકલ સાયન્સ (VIMS) હોસ્પિટલનું મુખ્યમંત્રીશ્રી ભૂપેન્દ્રભાઈ પટેલના હસ્તે લોકાર્પણ કરાયું |url=https://gujjureporter.com/valsad-institute-of-medical-science-vims-hospital-inaugurated-by-chief-minister-bhupendrabhai-patel/ |access-date=17 May 2025 |work=Gujju Reporter |date=2 February 2025}}{{cite news |title=CM આજે વલસાડ મેડિકલ કોલેજનું લોકાર્પણ કરશે |url=https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/local/gujarat/valsad/news/cm-to-inaugurate-valsad-medical-college-today-134397490.html |access-date=17 May 2025 |agency=Divya Bhaskar |date=2 February 2025}}

Products

Atul manufactures over 900 products and 400 formulations across several segments:

Operations

Production facilities are located in:

  • Atul (Gujarat) – flagship integrated site
  • Ankleshwar (Gujarat) – agrochemicals & intermediates
  • Panoli (Gujarat) – specialty chemicals
  • Tarapur & Ambernath (Maharashtra) – pharmaceuticals

International subsidiaries:

Philanthropy

Atul’s CSR initiatives focus on education, skill development, and healthcare:

  • Kalyani School and Urmi Santstha started in 1953
  • Education: Atul Vidyalaya, Atul Vidyamandir
  • Vocational training: Atul Institute of Vocational Excellence (PPP model)
  • Healthcare and sanitation: Mobile clinics, toilet construction aligned with Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

See also

References