Our Heritage

A Journey of Progress

A History of Perseverance, Innovation, and Excellence

The Company was founded in 1969 by Shri Altaf H. Lalljee and his brother Shri Fazal H. Lalljee, partners of M/s. HALSCO of Mumbai, the holding Company. Shri Altaf Lalljee’s sustained efforts and personal acquaintance with the U.S. catalyst company, Catalysts and Chemicals Inc. (CCI), paved the way for the formation of the Indian counterpart, Catalysts & Chemicals India (West Asia) Pvt. Ltd. (CCIWA). The Company set up the first indigenous catalyst plant near Kochi (Kerala) for the manufacture of mainstream catalysts for applications in the Ammonia Fertilizer industry. The Company expanded its operations in 1973 and set up its second manufacturing unit near Vadodara (Gujarat). To maintain its innovative and technological edge, Research & Development facilities with state-of-the-art evaluation and scale-up facilities were established at each of the production sites. Both the R&D facilities are recognized by the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Govt. of India.

Upon a merger of CCI, USA with Girdler Catalysts in 1979, the Company was renamed United Catalysts India Ltd. (UCIL).

In 2000, with Süd-Chemie A.G. Germany acquiring the shares of CCI, USA in the year 2000, the Company was once again renamed Süd-Chemie India Pvt. Ltd. (SCIL).

By that time, the growth path was set, and the Company developed more products viz. new inventions in the existing range of catalysts for Ammonia and Hydrogen production, catalysts for the Direct Reduction of Iron Ore, Catalytic Converters for the automotive industry and for stationary engines, catalysts for Sulfuric Acid production and catalysts for Refinery applications. SCIL became an important partner in providing custom solutions for various chemical process applications. During this growth period, SCIL obtained ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and IATF16949 certifications for its Manufacturing and R&D facilities and for its Environment Management System and had also signed up for Responsible Care for the entire organization.

In 2011, Clariant International purchased a major share of Süd-Chemie A.G, and as a result, SCIL became a member of the global giant, Clariant. 

Today, SCIL is a pioneer in the field of catalysis with its expanded production facilities and enhanced markets and is equipped to cater to the needs of both Indian and International catalyst markets.