Gravita India has unveiled plans to set up a copper recycling unit alongside its Mundra lead processing plant in Gujurat.

Gravita confirmed on August 19 that it will phase-in development of the 59,200 tonnes per annum copper unit at an investment cost of INR64.00 crore ($6.7 million).

The announcement followed the firm’s acquisition of a 98.5% stake in Rashtriya Metal Industries — a key Indian producer of copper and copper alloy products — as reported by Batteries International last April.

The new Mundra facility will be primarily involved in the processing of copper bearing recyclable materials, which Gravita said would serve as a backward integration initiative for a planned copper recycling plant around 40km away at Mandvi.

Plans for Mandvi were announced last May. Commercial operations are expected to start there within 12 months and the site will have an eventual processing capacity of around 30,000tpa.

Gravita did not disclose when operations at Mundra are expected to start but said the project will mark another significant step in its strategy to strengthen its presence in the non-ferrous metal recycling sector and capitalise on growing demand for recycled copper in domestic and international markets.

Mundra’s close proximity to one of India’s major ports provides logistical advantages for sourcing raw materials and serving all markets, Gravita said.

Gravita has said previously that expansion into the copper market, including recycling from copper scrap to copper alloys, would complement its existing businesses in lead, plastic, rubber, and aluminium recycling and boost its export presence.

Batteries International reported last month that Gravita was closing its Kathua lead recycling subsidiary, in the north of the country, as part of a group consolidation plan. The group said the same line of business was already underway at its Jaipur manufacturing facility.