KARACHI, May 8: ICI Pakistan Limited announced on Monday that it was evaluating a further expansion of its Soda Ash plant by an additional 65,000 tons.

“This further investment in Soda Ash is fully in line with ICI Pakistan’s continued commitment towards the development of import substitution industries to cater to the local demand”, the company stated in a notice released at the stock exchanges on Monday.

The ICI Soda ash plant located at Khewra is currently undergoing expansion by 50,000 tons and the company stated that the proposed expansion now passed by a resolution of the board, was expected to commence by early 2007 after completion of the ongoing expansion. “The total nameplate capacity of the plant after completion of the current and the proposed expansion will be around 350,000 tons in 2009”, the company stated.

ICI conveyed the information to investors presumably under the listing regulations of the stock exchanges.