HOCL Kochi Plant Resumes Operations After LPG Supply Returns

Operations are back on track at Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited (HOCL)’s Kochi resumes operation, marking a key recovery for the company after a supply disruption forced a shutdown just weeks ago.

The HOCL Kochi plant resumes operations headline comes after LPG supply from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited was restored, allowing both phenol and cumene production units to restart.

The restart follows a complete halt in March 2026, when the Kochi phenol plant was shut due to a sudden cut in LPG availability. The Kochi unit, which is the company’s only manufacturing facility, depends heavily on LPG as a core feedstock. Without it, production could not continue, forcing the company to scale down operations before eventually stopping the plant entirely.

Also Read: Boosting Energy Efficiency with Low-Friction & Circular Models

The disruption began after government directives required oil companies to prioritize LPG supply for domestic household consumption. This shift in allocation led BPCL to declare force majeure, making it unable to meet its supply commitments to industrial users like HOCL. As a result, the phenol and cumene plants were taken offline, while the hydrogen peroxide unit continued operating as it was not dependent on the same feedstock.

Now, with supply restored, HOCL has resumed operations at both the phenol and cumene plants at Kochi. The development is expected to stabilize production of key chemicals such as phenol and acetone, which are widely used in industries including plastics, pharmaceuticals, resins, and paints.

The HOCL Kochi plant resumes operations development also brings relief to downstream sectors that rely on these chemicals, as the earlier shutdown had raised concerns about potential supply tightness and price fluctuations in the market.

The focus now shifts to how consistently LPG supply can be maintained and how quickly the plant can return to optimal production levels after the disruption.