Aarti Industries: Scaling Globally to Become the 'Partner of Choice'

Aarti Industries: Scaling Globally to Become the 'Partner of Choice'

Aarti Industries Limited (Aarti Industries) is one of India’s leading speciality chemical companies, with a journey spanning over four decades. Over the years, the company has evolved from a domestic player to a strategic global partner, exporting globally and supplying to some of the world’s leading innovators across agrochemicals, oil and energy, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), polymer and additives, pharmaceuticals and many more.

Aarti Industries’ rise to be a global speciality chemical leader was strategic. It aimed to expand exports by leveraging its expertise in complex chemistries such as nitration and chlorination and capitalising on the geopolitical shift, driven by Multinational Corporations (MNCs) seeking supply chain diversification and stability.

 

Aarti Industries has seen remarkable export growth over the years. What drives its globalisation strategy today?

Our globalisation strategy is driven by leadership in chemistries, technology differentiation and a deepening market presence in the regions where we operate. Over the past four decades, Aarti Industries has evolved into one of the globally recognised players in complex chemistries such as nitration, chlorination and hydrogenation.

What propels us forward is our ability to balance scale with Research and Development (R&D) and deep process chemistry anchored in sustainability and backed by an integrated value-chain model that optimises products, enhances cost efficiency and delivers consistency across geographies. Our purpose remains clear: to be a trusted ‘Global Partner of Choice’ that combines India’s cost advantage with world-class quality, safety, sustainability and reliability.

 

How are you prioritising international markets in your current growth strategy?

 

In your view, what are the biggest challenges Indian chemical exporters face today, and how is Aarti Industries navigating them?

The Indian chemical export sector has enjoyed the global supply chain shift but has been hit by three major challenges: over-capacity and price pressures by China, geopolitical challenges that have upset the supply chain and increasing regulatory and sustainability requirements that require ongoing investment.

We consider these as avenues of competitiveness building at Aarti Industries. We have diversified our product portfolio, enhanced backward integration, invested in cleaner technologies and adopted sustainability as a key strategy. We are also moving towards process digitalisation, with a goal of over 75% renewable energy by FY27 and embed compliance in our R&D and product design to remain agile, cost-competitive and globally trusted.

 

Aarti Industries has a wide product portfolio. Did you need to make any adjustments to product specifications or delivery models to accommodate international customers? Could you share an example that worked particularly well?

How does Aarti Industries present itself in international markets, and what key qualities or values do you want global customers to associate with the brand?

 

Does Aarti Industries rely on local distributors, partnerships or direct customer relationships to build scale overseas? How did you determine the best approach for each region?

 

Aarti Industries is known for deep chemical expertise. How important has storytelling around technology, quality and Indian capabilities been in shaping your brand identity abroad?

Storytelling around our technical expertise, quality and Indian capabilities is key to building our identity as the ‘Global Partner of Choice’. It turns capability into credibility.

Our brand story stands on three pillars:

• Technical expertise (science, not scale): With four decades of experience in complex chemistries such as nitration, chlorination and hydrogenation across benzene and toluene value chains, we’ve evolved from batch to continuous large-scale facilities. This shows global customers that we invest in advanced, proprietary technology to deliver consistent, cost-efficient quality. Our Aarti Research & Technology Centre further strengthens our ability to co-develop and scale high-value chemistries for future growth.
• Quality (sustainable and responsible): Our credibility comes from a proven record of compliance and sustainability. We publish a Sustainability Report annually, hold Ecovadis Gold, Responsible Care certification, and TFS membership. This is evidence of our responsible operations.
• Indian Capabilities (Making in India): ‘Make in India’ has become a global advantage. We position ourselves as an integrated, reliable partner in key value chains, capable of executing large-scale projects such as the Chlorotoluene complex and maintaining multi-year contracts showcasing India’s scale, skill and governance in the global chemical supply chain.

 

How do long-standing relationships with global customers help you gain traction in exports? Did they play a role in opening new doors?

 

With operations across multiple geographies, how do you ensure consistent standards in quality and customer service while also being responsive to local requirements?

Centralised standards and local responsiveness maintain global consistency. The Aarti Management System, which is in line with ISO 9001/14001/45001 practices, provides a standard operating philosophy across all sites where every product gets qualified at ARTC. So, our customers can rest assured that what we sell as our molecule in Europe will be the same as you get from anywhere in Asia or elsewhere. Key-account teams work in customer time zones for fast response and local flexibility, integrating technical consistency with local agility that paves the way for Aarti Industries as a trusted partner worldwide. With this approach it is possible to guarantee quality and compliance, without compromising customisation, efficient service to more than 1,100 global customers.

 

For markets where you don’t have local plants or offices, how do you manage supply logistics, order fulfilment and after-sales support? What solutions have worked well for you?

All our manufacturing assets are in India by design. This strategy helps us maintain strict control over quality, cost and sustainability while leveraging India’s growing role as a trusted global supply hub. Though asset-light overseas, we export to over 60 countries, supported by strong port connectivity in western India and a digitally integrated supply chain that provides complete order-to-shipment visibility.

We collaborate with local logistics partners and distributors for market support, but all manufacturing, validation and customer servicing originate from India. Our centralised teams in production, quality, regulatory affairs and customer service work in real time with global clients for technical and post-delivery support. This model offers the best of both worlds: the consistency of a single integrated base and the agility of region-specific networks. It reinforces our belief that India can efficiently and sustainably serve global markets from one strong foundation.

 

In industries where safety and compliance are critical, how does Aarti Industries build trust with international clients? Do certifications or practices make a difference?

 

What kind of regulatory or compliance requirements do you face in overseas markets, and how does Aarti Industries navigate them without slowing down growth?

We see complicated regulatory, and compliance demands as the investments in high-value markets, instead of seeing them as costs that reduce our speed. Growth, particularly long-term contract business, requires compliance to take place.

In markets such as the EU where the regulation framework of Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and product specifications are strict, we coordinate documentation, labelling and safety data sheets at an early stage. Where necessary, we partner with EU-based representatives for submissions.

This “design-for-compliance” philosophy reduces time-to-market, eliminates rework and ensures that regulatory preparedness becomes a driver and not a deterrent to growth.

 

Does government support, export incentives or industry associations play any role in your global expansion journey? What advice would you give to other Indian companies on leveraging such opportunities?

Government-led initiatives and export promotion have played a pivotal role in enhancing India’s image as a trusted chemical manufacturing hub. We strongly advocate active participation in global trade fairs, policy dialogues and sustainability forums. They not only provide visibility but also strengthen the collective positioning of India as the next global chemistry powerhouse.

 

Looking back, what are the key essential lessons Aarti Industries learned while scaling globally, especially the ones that a first-time exporter should know before they leap?

Export success is built on enduring relationships. For speciality chemical players, that means evolving from a supplier to a Strategic Partner through long-term contracts with global majors. These partnerships create assured demand, enable large-scale investments and foster collaborative innovation in advanced chemistries.In short, for any new exporter, the global journey is a marathon, not a series of sprints.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research. The views expressed by the spokespersons are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of IBEF. IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.