RSPL Group’s industrial chemicals arm, SOKA, is all set to power India’s industrial and clean energy push while driving employment, infrastructure development, and industrial growth in Gujarat.

 

SOKA has secured environmental clearance to double its soda ash manufacturing capacity to 1 million tonnes per annum at its coastal Gujarat plant.

 

Already among India’s leading soda ash producers, SOKA will scale up output from the current 500,000 tonnes to 1,000,000 tonnes per year, while also adding sodium bicarbonate (SBC) to its production portfolio. 

 

An immediate expansion is underway to raise capacity to 750,000 tonnes annually over the next two years, with an additional 250,000 tonnes coming from its state-of-the-art inorganic chemical complex. The company expects to achieve its full one-million-tonne capacity in the near future.

 

The expansion is expected to generate around 2,000 new jobs in Gujarat’s coastal region, in line with the memorandum of understanding signed in 2023, significantly strengthening the local workforce and positioning SOKA as one of the country’s major soda ash manufacturers.

 

The capacity increase will also sharpen SOKA’s focus on soda ash for solar glass, a critical input for solar panels, reinforcing India’s renewable energy supply chain. Soda Ash Light is widely used in detergent manufacturing and is essential for water treatment, chemical manufacturing, 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 processes.

 

Speaking on the milestone, 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. At SOKA, our focus extends beyond manufacturing to supporting local economy, creating employment and long-term livelihoods, and driving responsible growth through strong CSR initiatives—reinforcing RSPL’s commitment to India’s journey towards self-reliance and sustainable industrial development.”

 

Commissioned in 2019 in Gujarat’s Dwarka district, SOKA’s greenfield soda ash facility has rapidly established a global footprint, exporting to nearly 50 countries across Central America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. The 500,000 MTPY plant is powered by NIOCHIM’s technology, engineered by Jacobs Engineering (WorleyParsons India), and supported by a captive co-generation power facility.