Synthetic Polymers Limited (SPL) has recently completed five years of operations – a period of rapid growth. Despite the disruption of the pandemic, SPL is confident that the future holds even more success for the relatively young company with exports among its key priorities, says founder and MD, Sanjeev Bhatt.

SPL is a member of the SA Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA) and Bhatt has been vice-chairman of SAPMA for many years.

Specialising in the production of resins and polymers for the coatings sector, SPL entered the industry in late 2015 but has already become an integral part of the SA coatings market and also exports throughout Africa. It is planning to boost exports further, particularly via exposure at the forthcoming Coatings for Africa major exhibition in Sandton later this. Among its production lines are a full range of alkyds, thermoplastic and thermoset acrylics, as well as amino and specialised resins used to manufacture most solvent-borne coatings applications.

SPL is based on a 3.6 hectares property in Krugersdorp, built and designed specifically for mass production of resins and polymers. The state-of-the-art plant can produce a variety of resins in German-designed reactors of various sizes and has large storage capacities for bulk raw materials and finished goods.

“The SPL fully equipped laboratory - with a modern research and development centre - has a pilot plant to polymerise various resins, as well as a full range of instruments and equipment to ensure top quality control,” Bhatt states.

SPL has a substation and 440kVA generator on site as well as cooling towers/chillers, thermic fluid heaters, fire water pump services and fire water dam. The company’s tank farm stores both liquid raw materials and finished goods and, to ensure efficient logistics, SPL has a bulk ISO-standard stainless-steel tank and trailer for resin deliveries.