Salil Singhal and Family

PI Industries built a custom synthesis business serving global agrochemical innovators before most Indian chemical companies had considered the category.

PI Industries operates in a part of the chemical industry that requires sustained R&D investment, long relationship cycles with large customers and manufacturing capabilities that meet international agrochemical and pharmaceutical quality standards. The agrochemical business, formulated products sold to Indian farmers for crop protection, generates predictable domestic revenue. The custom synthesis business, which manufactures specialised chemical intermediates for global agrochemical and pharmaceutical companies under long-term contracts, is technically more demanding, but the relationships tend to be sticky and the margins reflect the complexity of the work.

Salil Singhal built the custom synthesis capability at a time when Indian contract manufacturers were expanding their technical range, and PI Industries was among the companies that invested early in the facilities and expertise to serve international innovator companies. Mayank Singhal is leading the next phase, which includes expansion into pharmaceutical custom synthesis. The PI Foundation's agricultural and rural development work is aligned with the company's core customer base of Indian farmers.