One of the by-products of the cashew industry is cashew shells. We continue to be producers of these by-products at both of our units.

Another by-product, Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL), is a versatile industrial raw material with diverse use in friction linings, paints and varnishes, laminating and epoxy resins, foundry chemicals and as an intermediary of chemicals. CNSL conforms to IS 840 of Bureau of Indian Standards.

We had a CNSL  (Cashewnut Shell Liquid) manufacturing unit  in 1986. We dissociated the business in 2007 to concentrate on cashew kernels alone and we now only produce and sell shells.

The residue after extraction of CNSL is Shell Cake, which is a very useful fuel and a substitute for firewood.

The innumerable industrial applications of CNSL are based on the fact that it lends itself to polymerization by various means. Simple phenols from petrochemicals have restrictions and hence the range of products obtained from them are a few. 

• Addition polymerization the side chain double bonds.
• Condensation polymerization at the ortho and para positions of the ring with phenolic various chemicals.
• Polymerization after chemical modification.
• Oxidative polymerization.
• Polymerization by physical means: heat, pressure, radiation, and electrical discharge.
• Various combinations of above methods.

Specific gravity  30º/30º 

Viscosity at 30ºc, in centipoises  

Moisture, percent by weight 

Matter insoluble in toluene, percent by weight

Loss in weight on heating, percent by weight

Ash, percent by weight

0.950 to 0.970

550

1.0

1.0

2.0

1.0