India's JBF Industries at its new 1.25 million mt/year purified terephthalic acid plant in SEZ Mangalore is planning to start commercial volumes of production by the end of March 2018, said a company source.

However, there is still some uncertainty around the specific start date, the startup has been repeatedly delayed since commissioning was announced on March 31 but the plant is near completion.

The startup of the JBF PTA plant is being closely watched by the paraxylene market because most of neighboring ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd.'s paraxylene production, which is currently exported, will be diverted to the PTA plant.

OMPL's PX output mostly goes to Ningbo or Dalian in China.

PTA produced by the plant is expected to supply downstream polyethylene terephthalate plants owned by the company's subsidiaries.

JBF Industries has a 608,000 mt/year PET chips plant in Sarigam in India,a 352,000 mt/year of polyester and texturized yarn in Silvassa. It also has a 400,000 mt/year PET plant in the UAE and a 475,000 mt/year PET facility in Belgium.

The company is amongst the Top 5 Domestic market leaders in Textile grade chips, Bottle grade chips and Partially Oriented Yarn. Internationally also, JBF is amongst the Top 10 manufacturers of Bottle grade chips and Polyester Films.