Himadri Speciality Chemicals has said the ongoing tensions in the Middle East have not impacted the supply of its key raw material, coal tar, even as the geopolitical tensions have raised concerns over disruptions to global commodity flows.

Coal tar, a critical feedstock for specialty chemicals, provides complex aromatic and heterocyclic compounds that are difficult to produce from petroleum.

The conflict has already pushed crude oil prices higher amid fears of supply disruptions, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route that handles more than a fifth of the world’s oil exports. On Monday, Brent crude briefly touched $120 a barrel, a four-year high, as tensions between the US and Iran stoked concerns over potential interruptions to oil flows.

However, Himadri said its operations remain unaffected as coal tar, the primary raw material used in manufacturing carbon black, is largely sourced domestically.

Coal tar is a by-product of the steel industry, produced during the high-temperature distillation of coking coal into metallurgical coke. In India, a significant portion of coking coal production is handled by Bharat Coking Coal Limited, ensuring steady availability of the raw material in the domestic market.

Himadri uses coal tar to manufacture carbon black. The company has an installed carbon black capacity of 2,50,000 tonnes per annum.

The company also sources some supplies from Australia, a major exporter of coal tar to India, and the route remains unaffected by the ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Last month, Himadri announced the commencement of commercial operations of its newly commissioned 70,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) speciality carbon black line at its manufacturing facility in Mahistikry, Hooghly, West Bengal.

With the commissioning of the brownfield expansion, the company’s total carbon black manufacturing capacity has increased to 2,50,000 MTPA. Of this, 1,30,000 MTPA is speciality carbon black capacity at the Mahistikry site, making it the world’s largest single-location speciality carbon black manufacturing facility, the company said in a release dated February 24.

Anurag Choudhary, CMD and CEO of the company, said the commissioning marks the next phase of growth in the company’s advanced carbon materials journey. He added that the increased scale would position the company strongly to capture growing global demand in premium, application-specific segments.

According to the company, the expansion marks a significant step in its growth strategy and strengthens its position in the global speciality carbon black market. The enhanced capacity is expected to support rising demand from high-value, performance-driven applications across plastics, inks, paints, coatings and other specialised segments.