Mexico’s Biofields (Mexico City; www.biofields.com) has signed an agreement for the supply and distribution of castor oil with German distributor Helm (Hamburg; www.helmag.com). Under the deal, which extends to “at least 15 years”, Helm is to market Biofield’s whole output from 2015 onwards. In response to a Plasteurope.com query, a spokesperson for the German company refused to comment on the initial nameplate capacity of the plant, located in Puerto Libertad, northwest Mexico. However, by 2020 the facility’s output is to have reached 150,000 t/y. The Mexican group aims to become the world’s largest castor oil producer, Helm said, adding that it is already in talks with all leading PA producers.

The material is mostly used in the production of PA 6.12, 10.10, 11 as well as other long-chained grades. On the free market, the global castor oil trade volume reaches about 650,000 t. Last year Arkema (Colombes / France, www.arkema.com) secured its own supply by buying into a subsidiary of castor oil supplier Jayant Agro-Organics (Mumbai / India; www.jayantagro.com) – see Plasteurope.com of 16.04.2013. The Indian company has a nameplate capacity of 190,000 t/y of castor oil, accounting for about 20% of total global output. Helm believes that Jayant’s actual output comes to 130,000 t/y – a figure Biofields aims to surpass.