MT Per Annum plant.?Thus the Chlorpyrifos manufacturing process, which is very sensitive process, was perfected on the small scale & the main plant had started giving best quality product from the commissioning, with the enhanced yield. Moreover, the Company has successfully incorporated modifications in the original process including development of new catalysts and addition of recovery systems, giving edge over competition. CPP is a Organophosphorous broad-spectrum insecticide with quick knockdown effect. Though its consumption in India is low, it is the largest selling insecticide in the world. CPP has the following applications.

a. Agricultural Applications: CPP is a wide spectrum insecticide with three-way action-stomach, contact and fumigant. It is effectively used against most pests associated with crops like cotton, paddy, and tobacco. It is very effective against foliar pests like leafworms, bollworms, white flies and soil dwelling pests like cutworms and wireworms CPP could be a substitute for pesticides like monocrotophos, quinalphos, endosulfan and phosphamidon.

b. Termite Control Applications: CPP is used for termite control in wood and pre construction treatment. Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides like Aldrin, Chlordane and Heptachlor were being used for termite control in India. However, Government of India has banned these Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides and recommended CPP as on alternate.

c. Combination Insecticide: CPP is also effective as a combination insecticide for specific pests. Some examples are:1) CPP along with lindane is effective on most soil inhibiting pests

2) CPP with dimethoate is used on grapevines and other fruits

3) CPP with Cypermethrin -largest selling insecticide mixture in world.

2. Manufacture of other Technical Grade Pesticides:

The Company also manufactures Cypermethrin Technical which is a synthetic pyrethroid having excellent results on various pests and India is the largest supplier of Cypermethrin in the world.The Company also manufacturers other Technical Grade pesticides in the above plant ie. Fenvalerate, Quinalphos, Endosulphan, Triclopyr, Ethion etc.

New Technical Grade Pesticides: Aimco plans to introduce two new herbicides this year. The R & D work is going on at the pilot plant scale.

3. Formulation Business

The Company has set-up a fully automatic liquid formulation plant having capacity of 1.5 million litres per annum. The capacity utilisation is dependent on the product mix adopted during the year. Due to this forward integration the Company has an edge over other manufacturers by being able to supply a wide range of pesticide formulations to the farmers.The Company has successfully introduced a Chlorpyriphos & Cypermethrin combination product in the domestic market (Anaconda 505TM). This is a combination product introduced for the first time in India.Chlorpyrifos 10% granules & 1.5% dust were introduced and have fared well with the farmers. Aimco is introducing many combination formulated products. The formulation facility is being strength to increase the capacities substantially.

4. Fine Chemicals

Due to the major R & D effort directed on chlorpyrifos, Pyridine chemistry has always been Aimco's strength. The expertise has always been Aimco's strength. This expertise has been succesfully used to develop Pyridine based fine chemicals like Amino Pyridines, Pyrethions etc. These fine chemicals find usefulness in Pharmaceutical as well as agrochemical industry & are largely import substitute. In future this department is expected to largely contribute to the sales of the company.

5. Project exports & technical consultancy

Aimco is engaged in executing turnkey jobs for setting up pesticide formulation units it has executed an order of Rs. 7.5 million (US$ 0.21 mn) in Bangkok, Thailand. It is currently finalising an order of USD 20 million in Middle East for which an MOU and Tripartite Agreement has already been signed. The job is for technical know-how, supply, erection and commissioning of Technical Grade pesticides plant and a pesticide formulation plant. The Company is also negotiating with various firms, for setting up formulation plants, technological assistance in manufacture at synthetic pyrethroids & En-capsulated fertiliser plants.

6. R&D Department:

Currently R & D is concentrated on Pyridine derivatives. Major capital investment is planned for this R & D. In future we expect to commercialise more products from this efforts.

Company has also set up an R & D unit, which is approved by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, at the factory site. It employs chemists & engineers & has full fledge pilot plant to carry out research in the field of Pesticides & Pesticides intermediates manufacturing processes, incremental process R & D, trouble shooting of the existing processes & developing processes for the fine chemicals Company spends 1% of its turn over on R & D.

With the back up of strong R & D department Aimco is successfully producing CPP of 99 % purity, which was the total monopoly of Dow. Even Aimco's standard CPP is 95 % + & light yellow colour & low odour, which are the requirements of the European markets. The Company has also successfully developed the technology for commercial production of Chlorpyriphos Methyl, which has a niche market and used in public health.