RSPL Group, one of India’s leading FMCG conglomerates, has achieved a major milestone in its chemicals business with its soda ash manufacturing arm, SOKA, securing environmental clearance to double production capacity at its Gujarat coastal plant. With this approval, SOKA will scale up soda ash manufacturing from 500,000 tonnes per annum to one million tonnes per annum, positioning itself among the country’s largest soda ash producers.

As part of its phased expansion strategy, SOKA is already implementing plans to raise capacity to 7,50,000 tonnes per annum over the next two years by adding 2,50,000 tonnes at its advanced inorganic chemical complex. The company aims to reach the full one-million-tonne capacity in the near future, along with initiating production of sodium bicarbonate (SBC).

The expansion is expected to generate approximately 2,000 new jobs in Gujarat’s coastal region, in line with the memorandum of understanding signed in 2023. This will significantly augment the existing workforce and strengthen the local industrial ecosystem. The enhanced capacity will also reinforce SOKA’s role as a key domestic supplier of soda ash for solar glass manufacturing, a critical input for solar panels and India’s renewable energy ambitions.

Soda Ash Light produced by SOKA is widely used in detergent manufacturing, water treatment, chemical processing, and the pulp and paper industry. Soda Ash Dense is primarily used in glass manufacturing, including flat, float and container glass, and also finds applications in metallurgy, ceramics, dyes, textiles and other industrial sectors.

Commenting on the development, Tinku Chhabra, CEO, SOKA, said, “The environmental clearance to expand our soda ash manufacturing capacity is a significant step in advancing the ‘Make in India’ vision. Our plant plays a critical role in strengthening the domestic industrial ecosystem by supplying essential raw materials to key sectors such as detergents, glass, solar glass, textiles, and chemicals. As we scale up, we remain committed to adopting advanced technologies and embedding sustainable practices across operations.”

He added that SOKA’s focus extends beyond manufacturing to supporting the local economy, creating employment and long-term livelihoods, and driving responsible growth through strong CSR initiatives.

SOKA commissioned its greenfield soda ash manufacturing facility in Gujarat’s Dwarka district in 2019. The 500,000 MTPY plant, powered by NIOCHIM’s technology and engineered by Jacobs Engineering (WorleyParsons India), is supported by a captive co-generation power facility. Today, SOKA exports to nearly 50 countries across Central America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, while ensuring reliable domestic supply to support India’s industrial growth, clean energy transition and self-reliance goals.