HENKEL HISTORY IN INDIA

Henkel acquired the 40% stake held by the US-based Diamond Shamrock Chemicals Co. in Diamond Shamrock ‏(India) Ltd., a company producing organic specialty chemicals for the textile and leather sectors, as well as ion-exchange resins. Following the acquisition, the company was renamed Henkel Chemicals ‏(India) Ltd.

Licensing agreement with SPIC Fine Chemicals Ltd, India, for the construction and operation of a laundry detergent production facility with integrated zeolite production in Madras ‏(currently known as Chennai).

Henkel SPIC expanded its Beauty Care footprint in India with the introduction of two products from the Fa range. This marked the brand’s early entry into the Indian personal care market, bringing internationally recognized formulations and helping establish Henkel’s presence in the country’s growing beauty and hygiene segment.

In the same year, Henkel entered two important joint ventures: Henkel Chembond Metal Chemicals Ltd, focused on metal surface pretreatment solutions, and Henkel Teroson India Pvt. Ltd. ‏(formerly Anchemco), providing adhesives and sealants for the Indian automotive industry. Henkel Teroson India Pvt. Ltd. was renamed as Henkel Anand India Pvt. Ltd. in 2015.These ventures marked Henkel’s growing presence across both consumer and industrial segments in India.

Henkel SPIC expanded its consumer portfolio in India by acquiring two well-known companies from the Shaw Wallace Group. The acquisition of Calcutta Chemical Company Ltd added established personal care brands such as Margo and Neem. Henkel SPIC also acquired Detergents India Ltd, strengthening its position in the laundry category with the Chek detergent brand.

Following Henkel’s global acquisition of Loctite Corporation in 1997, Loctite India Pvt. Ltd. became Henkel Loctite India Pvt. Ltd. in 2002.

This transition strengthened Henkel’s position in India by combining Loctite’s high-performance engineering adhesives with Henkel’s global innovation, manufacturing capabilities, and market reach. The entity continued serving Indian industries with advanced adhesive, sealant, and surface treatment solutions, becoming a cornerstone of Henkel Adhesive Technologies’ growth in the country.

Henkel strengthened its collaborations in India by signing an agreement with Hindustan Inks and Resins Ltd. ‏(HIRL). Under this arrangement, HIRL became the distributor of Liofol products in India, while Henkel assumed responsibility for the international distribution of HIRL’s Hibond brand, enhancing both companies’ global reach.

Henkel India Ltd expanded its manufacturing footprint by opening a new soap production plant in Kolkata, supporting the growth of established brands such as Margo, Chek, and Fa.

During the same year, the Chek brand entered the personal care category with the launch of Chek Beauty Bath Soap in three variants, extending the brand beyond detergents. Henkel also broadened its presence in the dish care segment as Pril expanded into glass and surface cleaner formats.

Henkel acquired a 76% stake in Converter Adhesives & Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. ‏(CAC), a Mumbai-based company specialized in laminating adhesives. By integrating CAC into Henkel’s Adhesive Technologies business, Henkel enhanced its local manufacturing capabilities and reinforced its leadership in high-performance bonding solutions for industrial and packaging applications. In 2008 Henkel aquired the remaining 24% of CAC.

Following Henkel’s global acquisition of National Starch’s adhesives and electronic materials businesses from ICI, Henkel CAC Pvt. Ltd. incorporated the National Starch & Chemical division of ICI India Ltd into its operations. This integration strengthened Henkel’s position in India’s industrial adhesives market by adding advanced technologies, specialized formulations, and a broader customer portfolio to Henkel’s existing capabilities.

Henkel-Loctite India Pvt. Ltd was renamed as Henkel Adhesives Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.

Over the years, our India portfolio has evolved in line with market dynamics and long-term strategic priorities. Henkel SPIC realigned its operations as part of this evolution, reinforcing our strategic direction. Previously active in both Laundry & Home Care and Hair Care, the company transitioned its Laundry & Home Care business to Jyothy Laboratories Ltd. Through this category transition, along with our broader collaborations and licensing partnerships, we ensured that our trusted brands continue to reach millions of households across India.

At the same time, the Schwarzkopf hair care portfolio was seamlessly integrated into Henkel Adhesive Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., enabling the business to broaden its presence, strengthen its premium beauty offerings, and advance with a more focused, future-ready structure.

In line with Henkel’s global restructuring all adhesive-related businesses in India were consolidated under Henkel Adhesives Technologies India Pvt. Ltd. This integration unified various adhesive units, including technologies from National Starch and legacy Henkel entities, under one cohesive structure, strengthening the company’s leadership in the Indian adhesives market.

The year marked a significant milestone for Henkel Adhesive Technologies in India with the inauguration of the Pune Innovation Center. This state-of-the-art facility was established to develop advanced adhesive and surface treatment technologies tailored to the unique requirements of the Indian automotive and manufacturing sectors. The center enabled closer collaboration with OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers, supporting testing, formulation, and application development. With its specialized laboratories and expert teams, the Pune Innovation Center plays a key role in strengthening Henkel’s position as a trusted partner in high-performance adhesive solutions across the region.

In 2015, Henkel continued to deepen its commitment to innovation and capability-building in India. The Adhesive Technologies business unit launched the region’s first Flexible Packaging Academy in Mumbai, a dedicated training and knowledge-sharing platform designed to support stakeholders across the packaging value chain. Through technical workshops, hands-on modules, and best-practice demonstrations, the Academy empowered converters, brand owners, and packaging professionals to better understand adhesive applications, safety standards, and sustainability-driven packaging solutions. This initiative reinforced Henkel’s role as a key knowledge partner to the industry.

In 2016, Henkel broadened its presence in India’s beauty and hair-care industry through the inauguration of the Schwarzkopf Professional Academy in Mumbai. The academy was designed as a specialized learning and development facility for salon professionals, stylists, and beauty entrepreneurs. Through advanced training programs, hands-on workshops, and trend-based styling sessions, the academy equipped participants with global techniques in hair coloring, cutting, and care.

The launch strengthened Schwarzkopf Professional’s role in upskilling the Indian salon ecosystem and supporting career development within the beauty industry. The academy became a hub for introducing global product innovations, seasonal looks, and technical expertise to the Indian market. By bringing international education standards to local professionals, Henkel reinforced its commitment to raising industry capability and promoting long-term partnerships with salons across the country. This initiative also aligned with Henkel’s strategy of combining high-quality products with comprehensive professional training, ensuring consistent service excellence and enhanced value for salon customers nationwide.

In 2019, Henkel advanced its customer engagement efforts in India with the inauguration of the Adhesive Customer Service Center in Navi Mumbai. Designed to serve as a collaborative space for co-creation, the center enabled customers to experience Henkel technologies firsthand, test applications, and receive technical guidance from experts. The facility supported innovation-led partnerships across automotive, packaging, metal, and general manufacturing sectors, reinforcing Henkel’s leadership in high-performance adhesives.

This year also marked a major corporate milestone with the relocation of the Henkel India Head Office to the modern business district of L&T Seawoods, Navi Mumbai. The new workplace provided a collaborative and contemporary environment, enabling cross-functional teams to work more efficiently and drive strategic initiatives. The move aligned with Henkel’s global vision of building agile, digital-ready workspaces that foster innovation, teamwork, and employee engagement. Together, these developments strengthened Henkel’s brand presence and operational foundation in India.

In 2020, Henkel continued to strengthen its manufacturing footprint in India with the inauguration of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Kurkumbh production site. These expansions significantly increased the facility’s manufacturing capacity, enabling the production of a wider range of high-performance adhesive technologies for industrial customers. The plant was designed with a strong emphasis on operational excellence, safety standards, and sustainability-focused manufacturing.

The expansion supported the growing demand across sectors such as automotive, packaging, metal, electronics, and general manufacturing. With advanced equipment and optimized workflows, Kurkumbh became a key strategic hub for supplying customers across India and neighboring regions. The enhanced capabilities also improved lead times, strengthened supply reliability, and ensured consistent product quality. By investing in scalable and modern infrastructure, Henkel reinforced its long-term commitment to supporting India’s industrial growth and meeting the evolving needs of its customers.

In 2022, Henkel expanded its digital innovation footprint with the opening of the Henkel Dx Global Technology Center in Bangalore. This center became a critical pillar of Henkel’s global digital transformation, focusing on developing advanced digital solutions, data platforms, and technology-driven business processes. It supported global and regional transformation projects and positioned India as a strategic digital talent hub for the company.

 
Additionally, Henkel inaugurated the IMEA Customer Experience Center in Navi Mumbai, designed to facilitate technical collaboration, live demonstrations, and solution development for customers across the region. These advancements collectively strengthened Henkel’s position as a technology, innovation, and people-centric organization in India.

In 2023, Henkel continued to elevate its innovation ecosystem in India with the launch of a dedicated Application Center for its footwear technologies, aimed at accelerating solution development and enabling deeper customer collaboration. The center served as a platform for testing, prototyping, and optimizing adhesive applications across key industries.

Sustainability remained a major focus, highlighted by Henkel’s Chennai plant achieving carbon neutrality, marking a significant step toward the company’s global climate commitments. This milestone showcased Henkel’s progress in energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and sustainable manufacturing practices.

Henkel also further enhanced customer support by inaugurating an Adhesives Service Center in Pune, offering technical troubleshooting, material testing, and application engineering services. These initiatives collectively strengthened Henkel’s innovation capabilities, environmental leadership, and customer engagement across India.

In 2024, Henkel advanced one of its most important manufacturing investments in India with the inauguration of Phase 3 of the Kurkumbh Production Site. This new phase expanded production capacity even further, enabling the facility to support a broader portfolio of adhesive technologies and meet rising demand across multiple industries.

Equipped with modern infrastructure and sustainability-focused systems, the expansion reflected Henkel’s long-term commitment to India as a strategic growth market. The upgraded capabilities enhanced supply reliability, reduced turnaround times, and strengthened the plant’s role as a regional production hub. With Phase 3 operational, the Kurkumbh site continued to evolve into one of Henkel’s most advanced manufacturing units in the IMEA region, supporting customers with world-class quality, scalability, and technical consistency.

Henkel made several strategic advances in India in 2025, highlighting both innovation and sustainability. It launched a state-of-the-art Application Engineering Center in Chennai for Consumer electronics, along with a new adhesive materials manufacturing plant in Kurkumbh tailored for the electronics sector. These facilities are designed to accelerate innovation, reduce time-to-market, and support India’s growing electronics manufacturing ecosystem.