English Indian Clays Limited (EICL) is an Indian industrial company engaged primarily in the manufacture of processed kaolin (china clay) and starch products. Headquartered in India, the company supplies refined clay-based materials used as functional fillers and coatings in industries such as paper, paint, rubber, ceramics, fibreglass, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It is part of the Thapar group of enterprises associated with the Avantha business interests.
| Name | English Indian Clays Limited |
|---|---|
| Common abbreviation | EICL |
| Country | India |
| Industry | Industrial minerals; food and industrial starches |
| Principal products | Processed kaolin (china clay), starch and starch derivatives |
| Group affiliation | Associated with the Thapar / Avantha business group |
Kaolin, the company's flagship product, is a refined white clay valued for its brightness, fine particle size and chemical inertness. EICL processes raw kaolin into grades suitable for use as a coating pigment in paper manufacture, as a filler and extender in paints and rubber, and as a functional ingredient in ceramics and fibreglass. The company also operates a starch business, producing native and modified starches for food, paper, textile and pharmaceutical applications.
EICL's clay operations have historically drawn on kaolin reserves in southern India, with mining and beneficiation activities supporting downstream processing facilities. The starch division processes agricultural raw materials such as tapioca and maize into industrial and food-grade starches. The company markets its products to both domestic customers and export markets.
EICL is among the established Indian producers of processed kaolin, a sector in which India has historically depended on a small number of integrated manufacturers. The company's role is notable in the paper industry, where domestically processed coating clays reduce reliance on imports, and in the wider minerals-processing economy of southern India.