Total, the French oil major, in partnership with Vinergy International, will set up four plants in India with a bitumen manufacturing capacity of 3 lakh tones. The target of this deal is to exploit the increasing demand of bitumen in Indian market.

According to Mukul Agarwal, Vinergy International managing director, the current production of bitumen is not sufficient enough to fulfill the present demand. He added that this demand will increase as The National Highway Development Project (NHDP) planning to build over 45,000 kilometers of roads in the next ten years. Basically bitumen is a construction material for roads. Both Indian and French company are 50% partners in the deal.

Total’s senior vice-president (Asia Pacific), Thierry Pflimlin claimed that with the modified product technology used in this venture, cost effective and environment friendly bitumen would be manufactured. Total Vinergy Bitumen India is working on its first plant in Jodhpur with the investment cost of Rs 25cr.within next three years it is planning to start three plants with total investment of Rs 100cr.

Total’s India Country Chairman, Mr. Chammas said, “The quality of bitumen being produced at these plants would be much higher than what was available. We are going to introduce the latest technology that would ensure that the life of roads would increase by 3-4 years.”