Aditya Birla Group

INTRODUCTION:- Textile technology education is based on industrial ground. Theoretical background is not sufficient so, industrial training is an essential part of study to make a technologist technically sound in this field. Industrial training provides us that opportunity to gather practical knowledge

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TEXTILE:- The term ‘Textile’ means originally a woven fabric, but textile & the plural textiles are now also applied to fibre, filament & yarn. Natural & manufactured & most products for which these are a particular raw material. This definition embraces, for example fibre- based products in the following categories: threads, cords, ropes & braids; woven, knitted & non woven fabrics, lace, nets & embroidery; hosiery knitwear & made up apparels; household textiles, soft furnishing & upholstery; carpets & other floor coverings; technical, industrial & engineering textiles include geo textiles & medical textiles. Some necessary terms in textile processing & production are given below- FIBRE: Textile raw materials generally characterized by fineness, Flexibility & high ratio of length to thickness. YARN: A product of substantial length & relatively small cross

section consisting of fibre(s) and/or filament(s) with or without twist. FABRIC: A manufactured assembly of fibres and/or yarns that has substantial surface area in relation to its thickness& sufficient cohesion to give the assembly usefulmechanical strength. Common processes of fabricmanufacturing are weaving, knitting & non woven.a)Weaving: The action of producing fabric by

Interlacing of warp & weft threads. b)Knitting: The process of manufacturing of fabric

by the intermeshing of loops of yarn. c)Non-woven: The process of producing of fabrics by

chemical bonding of fibres.

Aditya Birla Group

Type Public

Industry Conglomerate

Founded 1857[1]

Founder(s) Ghanshyam Das Birla

Headquarters Mumbai, India

Area served Worldwide

Key people Kumar Mangalam Birla (Chairman)

Products

Aluminum, Copper, Cement, Fertilizer,

Textile, Fiber, Telecoms, IT Service, Retail,

Insurance etc.

Revenue ▲ US$ 29 billion (2009) [2]

Employees 130,600 (2009)[3]

Subsidiaries Several.

Website Adityabirla.com

The Aditya Birla Group is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Mumbai,[4] India with operations in 25 countries including Thailand, Dubai, Singapore, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Egypt, Canada, Australia, China, USA, UK, Germany, Hungary, Brazil, Italy, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Vietnam and Korea.[5]

The Aditya Birla group is US$ 29 billion conglomerate which gets 60% of its revenues from outside India.[2] The group is a major player in all the industry sectors it operates in. The Aditya Birla Group has been adjudged the best employer in India and among the top 20 in Asia by the Hewitt-Economic Times and Wall Street Journal Study 2007.[6] The origins of the group lie in the conglomerate once held by one of India's foremost industrialists Mr. Ghanshyam Das Birla.

Contents

[hide] 1 Businesses 2 Non Ferrous Metals 3 Cement 4 Carbon Black 5 Textile Business 6 Telecom Services 7 Other Businesses 8 Philanthropy 9 See also 10 External links

11 References

Businesses

Aditya Birla is organized into various subsidiaries that operate across different sectors. Among these are viscose staple fibre, non-ferrous metals, cement, viscose filament yarn, branded apparel, carbon black, chemicals, Retail (under the 'More' brand of supermarkets), fertilizers, chemicals, insulators, financial services, telecom, BPO and IT services. The Group consists of four main companies, which operate in various industry sectors through subsidiaries, joint ventures, etc. These are Hindalco, Grasim, Aditya Birla Nuvo, and UltraTech Cement.

Non Ferrous Metals

The groups non-ferrous metals are under Hindalco.[7] It is a dominant player in aluminum and copper. Its manufacturing locations are primarily in India, and it owns mines in Australia. On 11 February 2007, the company entered into an agreement to acquire the Canadian company Novelis for U$6 billion,[8] making the combined entity the world's

largest rolled-aluminium producer. On 15 May 2007, the acquisition was completed with Novelis shareholders receiving $44.93 per outstanding share of common stock.[9]

Hindalco makes alumina chemicals, primary aluminum, rolled products, alloy wheels, roofing sheets, wire rods, cast copper rods, copper cathodes and several other products.[10]

Cement

The Groups cement business was earlier under both Grasim industries and UltraTech cement. The two entities are now merged into UltraTech cement to form India s largest cement company. UltraTech cement was originally the cement business of L&T which was acquired by Aditya Birla Group in 2004.

Carbon Black

The Group is the fourth largest manufacturer of Carbon Black worldwide.[11] It operates out of facilities in Egypt, Thailand, India and China. It is a major supplier to several major automobile tyre manufacturers worldwide.

Textile Business

The Aditya Birla Group is the world's largest player in the Viscose Staple Fiber industry.[12] It operates out of India, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and China. It owns the Birla Cellulose brand. Apart from viscose staple fiber, the group also owns acrylic fiber businesses in Egypt and Thailand, viscose filament yarn businesses and spinning mills at several locations all over India and South East Asia. The group has pulp and plantation interests in Canada and has recently invested in plantations in Laos. The Aditya Birla group is also a major player in the branded garments market in India.

Telecom Services

Idea Cellular is now owned by Aditya Birla Group.[13] Idea Cellular started off as a joint venture with the group, AT&T and the Tata Group. However the stakes of the remaining partners was eventually acquired by the group. After an Initial Public Offering on the Indian Stock Markets, Idea Cellular now accounts for a third of the group's market capitalization. The company is headquartered in Mumbai and has operations in all the 22 telecom circles in India.

Other Businesses

Apart from the above businesses, the Group is a major player in industry sectors like Insulators, Fertilizers, BPO (Aditya Birla Minacs), Insurance (Birla Sun Life Insurance), IT, Chemicals, Mining, Sponge Iron, Financial Services (jointly with Sunlife) and more recently, Retail. Aditya Birla acquired Business Processing Outsource Minacs in 2007.

Philanthropy

The Group actively involves itself in several community development initiatives - in particular around its manufacturing location. The group also supports development activities in areas like healthcare, education, sustainable livelihood, infrastructure and social causes. The group's philanthropic activities are guided by Mrs Rajashree Birla.[14]

It works in 3,700 villages, reaching out to 7 million people annually through the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development. It runs 45 schools and 18 hospitals.

ABOUT

A US$ 29 billion corporation, the Aditya Birla Group is in the League of Fortune 500. It is anchored by an extraordinary force of 130,600 employees, belonging to 40 different nationalities. In the year 2009, the Group was ranked among the top six great places for leaders in the Asia-Pacific region, in a study conducted by Hewitt Associates, RBL Group and Fortune magazine. In India, the Group has been adjudged the best employer in India and among the top 20 in Asia by the Hewitt-Economic Times and Wall Street Journal Study 2007.

Over 60 per cent of the Group's revenues flow from its overseas operations. The Group operates in 26 countries – Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Laos, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE, UK, USA and Vietnam.

Globally, the Aditya Birla Group is: :: A metals powerhouse, among the world's most cost-efficient aluminium and copper

producers. Hindalco-Novelis is the largest aluminium rolling company. It is one of the three biggest producers of primary aluminium in Asia, with the largest single location copper smelter

:: No.1 in viscose staple fibre:: The fourth-largest producer of insulators

:: The fourth-largest producer of carbon black:: The fifth-largest producer of acrylic fibre:: The ninth-largest cement producer:: Among the best energy-efficient fertiliser plants

In India: :: One of the leading cement producers:: The top fashion (branded apparel) and lifestyle player:: The second-largest producer of viscose filament yarn:: The second-largest in the chlor-alkali sector:: Among the top four mobile telephony companies:: Among top 10 Indian BPO companies by revenue size:: A leading player in life insurance and asset management:: Among the top three supermarket chains in the retail business

Rock solid in fundamentals, the Aditya Birla Group nurtures a culture where success does not come in the way of the need to keep learning afresh, to keep experimenting.

Beyond business Transcending business for over 50 years now, the Group has been and continues to be involved in meaningful welfare-driven initiatives that distinctly impact the quality of life of the weaker sections of society in India, South-East Asia and Egypt.

In India, the Group's social projects span 2,500 villages. It reaches out to seven million people annually through the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, spearheaded by Mrs. Rajashree Birla. Its focus is healthcare, education, sustainable livelihood, infrastructure and espousing social causes.

The Group runs 42 schools, which provide quality education to over 45,000 children in India's interiors. Of these, over 18,000 children receive free education. An additional 8,000 students receive merit scholarships. Likewise at its 18 hospitals in India, more than a million patients are given extremely subsidised medical care. To embed corporate social responsibility as a way of life in organisations, the Group has set up the FICCI – Aditya Birla CSR Centre for Excellence, in Delhi.

The Group transcends the conventional barriers of business and reaches out to the marginalised because of its conviction of bringing in a more equitable society.

Our Vision

To be a premium global conglomeratewith a clear focus on each business.

Our Mission

To deliver superior value to our customers, shareholders, employees and society at large.

Our Values

IntegrityCommitmentPassionSeamlessnessSpeed

 

The name “Aditya Birla” evokes all that is positive in business and in life. It exemplifies integrity, quality, performance, perfection and above all character.

Our logo is the symbolic reflection of these traits. It is the cornerstone of our corporate identity. It helps us leverage the unique Aditya Birla brand and endows us with a distinctive visual image.

Depicted in vibrant, earthy colours, it is very arresting and shows the sun rising over two circles. An inner circle symbolising the internal universe of the Aditya Birla Group, an outer circle symbolising the external universe, and a dynamic meeting of rays converging and diverging between the two.

Through its wide usage, we create a consistent, impact-oriented Group image. This undoubtedly enhances our profile among our internal and external stakeholders.

Our corporate logo thus serves as an umbrella for our Group. It signals the common values and beliefs that guide our behaviour in all our entrepreneurial activities. It embeds a sense of pride, unity and belonging in all of our 130,600 colleagues spanning 26 countries and 40 nationalities across the globe. Our logo is our best calling card that opens the gateway to the world.

— Dr. Pragnya Ram as the Chief Custodian of the Aditya Birla logo.

The Aditya Birla Group, India's first multinational corporation, traces its origins back to the tiny village of Pilani in the Rajasthan desert, where Seth Shiv Narayan Birla started cotton trading operations in 1857. Today, the Group's footprint extends to 26 countries and its revenues are US$ 29 billion. We retrace the highlights of this remarkable journey, starting from the present:

2010:: Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Group, was presented the All India Management

Association (AIMA) Managing India Award 2010 for ' Business Leader of the Year'. AIMA confers these awards to persons who are “exemplary leaders who have made a fundamental difference”.

:: Mrs. Rajashree Birla, Chairperson, Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, was awarded the Global Golden Peacock Life Time Achievement Award for Community Development for the year 2010 for "Outstanding Contribution Towards Community Development and Social Welfare".

:: Hindalco and Birla White declared winners in the Golden Peacock Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility 2010 by an eminent international jury, headed by Justice P.M. Bhagwati, the erstwhile Chief Justice of India.

:: The Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development teamed up with Columbia University's research centre, the Columbia Global Centers' Earth Institute in Mumbai, to become its principal partner. The Earth Institute's goal is to help achieve sustainable development primarily by expanding people's understanding of the earth as one integrated system.

:: Hindalco wins Amity International Business School’s, ‘Amity Corporate Excellence Award for Corporate Social Responsibility’

2009:: Grasim's pulp and fibre division won the highly prestigious Asian CSR Award. The Asian CSR Awards,

Asia's Premier CSR Awards program, is a project of the Asian Institute of Management, Manila.:: The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Government of Thailand conferred “The Best Labor

Relations and Welfare Award, 2009” on Indo Thai Synthetic Company Limited.:: Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund was named "The Asset Management Company of the Year, India", by the

Hong Kong based magazine, The Asset, in the country awards category of their "Triple A Investment

Performance Awards 2009".:: CNBC TV18 Crisil recognised Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund as "The Mutual Fund House of the Year" in

2008 and 2009 (for 2007 and 2008), creating history as the only fund house to have won this recognition in two consecutive years.

:: The Birla Sun Life Equity-Linked FMP wins the "Best Local Currency Structured Product-India" at the Triple A Investment Performance Awards 2009.

:: Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund was named the best "Onshore Fund House — India" by Hong Kong based magazine, The Asian Investor, at the Investment Performance Awards 2009.

:: Rajiv Gandhi Award for Eminence in Social Field, 2009 was conferred on Mrs. Rajashree Birla by Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Union Minister of State, Commerce & Industry) on 19 August 2009. The award recognises Mrs. Birla's pathbreaking work among the poor, more so in India's villages, carried out through the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development.

:: Idea Cellular won the Economic Times' "Emerging Company of the Year Award for 2009".:: Vikram Cement and Aditya Cement won the Federation of Indian Mineral and Industries' "Social

Awareness Award for the year 2008-09".:: In recognition of work that truly exemplifies the highest values of society and corporate leadership for

social responsibility and sustainable development initiatives, the Reader's Digest Pegasus Star Award was conferred on Hindalco. Mrs. Rajashree Birla who spearheads all the Group's social projects received this much coveted award on behalf of Hindalco from Mr. Arun Jaitley, MP, Rajya Sabha, on 21 January 2009 in Delhi.

The Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Limited, is the Group's apex decision making body and provides strategic direction to Group companies. Its Board of Directors comprises::: Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman:: Mr. Sanjeev Aga:: Mr. D. Bhattacharya :: Mr. Rajiv Dube:: Dr. Rakesh Jain:: Mr. K. K. Maheshwari:: Dr. Santrupt Misra :: Mr. Vikram Rao:: Mr. Ajay Srinivasan

sectors > overview

non-ferrous metals | cement | textiles | chemicals | agri business | carbon black | mining | ferro chem | wind power

insulators | telecom | financial services | IT-ITeS | retail | trading solutions

* subsidiaries** joint ventures

Sectors Company Units in India and overseas

Non-ferrous metals Hindalco Industries Ltd. Aluminium

Renukoot – alumina, primary metal and fabricated products, power generation

Renusagar – power generation

Samri, Lohardaga, Durgmanwadi, Chandgad, Maliparbat – bauxite mines

Muri, Belgaum – alumina refining

Hirakud – smelting, power generation

Talabira – coal mines

Silvassa, Kalwa, Kollur – foil

Belur, Taloja – sheet rolling

Mouda – sheet rolling, concast

Alupuram – extrusions, smelter

Copper

Dahej – copper cathodes, continuous cast copper rods, sulphuric acid, DAP and complexes, precious metals, power

Novelis Inc.*

North America (United States and Canada) – 11 rolled products facilities

Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) – 13 rolled products facilities

Asia (Malaysia and South Korea) – 3 rolled products facilities

South America (Brazil) – 2 aluminium smelters and 2 rolled products facilities

Aditya Birla Minerals Limited*

Australia – Nifty Copper Mines

Australia – Mt. Gordon Copper Mines

Hindalco-Almex Aerospace Limited** Aurangabad – aerospace alloys

Utkal Alumina International Limited* Baphlimali, Rayagada, Odisha – bauxite

mines

Doragurha, Rayagada, Odisha – alumina plant

Cement – grey and white

Grasim Jawad, Rawan, Shambhupura, Malkhed, Reddipalayam, Kotputli – composite plants

Hotgi, Bhatinda, Panipat, Aligarh, Dadri – grinding units

Kharia Khangar – white cement plants

Thirty-five ready-mix concrete plants

UltraTech Cement Limited*

Awarpur, Hirmi, Jafrabad, Kovaya, Tadipatri – composite plants

Arakkonam, Durgapur, Ginigera, Jharsuguda, Magdala

Ratnagiri – grinding units

Thirty-four ready-mix concrete plants

Textiles (pulp, fibre, yarn, fabric, apparel)

Grasim

Nagda – viscose staple fibre (VSF)

Harihar – VSF, rayon grade pulp (RGP)

Kharach – VSF

Malanpur – yarns

Grasim Bhiwani Textiles Limited* Bhiwani – fabrics, yarns

Thai Rayon

Thailand – VSF

PT Indo Bharat Rayon

Indonesia – VSF

Birla Jingwei

China – VSF

AV Cell**

Canada – RGP

AV Nackawic**

Canada – paper grade pulp

Birla Lao Pulp and Plantations Laos – eucalyptus plantations and DGP

Thai Acrylic Fibre

Thailand – acrylic fibre

Alexandria Fiber

Egypt – acrylic fibre

Aditya Birla NuvoUnit – Indian Rayon Veraval (Gujarat) – viscose filament

yarn

Unit – Jaya Shree Textiles Rishra (West Bengal) – linen fabrics, flax yarns, worsted yarns, wool tops

Unit – Madura Garments Bengaluru – branded apparel retail

Indo Thai Synthetics

Thailand – yarns

PT Elegant

Indonesia – yarns

PT Indo Liberty

Indonesia – yarns

PT Sunrise Bumi

Indonesia – yarns

Indo Phil Textiles

Philippines – yarns

Chemicals Grasim

Nagda – caustic soda

Aditya Birla NuvoUnit – Indian Rayon Veraval (Gujarat) – caustic soda

Aditya Birla Chemicals (India) Limited Garhwa Road, Palamu – caustic soda

Tanfac**

Cuddalore – fluorine chemicals

Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand) Limited Thailand

– chlor-alkali products, epichlorohydrin

– epoxy resins

– sodium phosphates, speciality phosphates

– sodium sulphite, sodium metabisulphite

Thai Peroxide**

Thailand – hydrogen peroxide

Aditya Birla Grasun**

China – food grade phosphoric acid

PT Indo Raya Kimia

Indonesia – carbon disulphide

Pan Century Surfactants

Philippines

– fatty alcohols

– fatty acids

– glycerine

Agribusiness Aditya Birla NuvoUnit – Indo Gulf Jagdishpur (Uttar Pradesh) – fertilisers,

seeds, agrochemicals

Carbon black Aditya Birla Nuvo

Unit – Hi-Tech Carbon Renukoot (Uttar Pradesh) and Gummidipoondi (Tamil Nadu) – carbon black

Alexandria Carbon Black

Egypt – carbon black

Thai Carbon Black

Thailand – carbon black

Liaoning Birla Carbon

China – carbon black

Mining Essel Mining & Industries

Barbil, Odisha – iron ore mining

Ferro chem Essel Mining & Industries Limited Vapi – noble ferro alloys

Wind power Essel Mining

Dhule – wind power generation

Insulators Aditya Birla NuvoUnit – Aditya Birla Insulators Halol (Gujarat) and Rishra (West

Bengal) – insulators

Telecommunications Idea Cellular Limited

Mumbai (corporate office) – cellular services

Financial services Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Ltd.** Mumbai (head office)

Birla Sun Life Asset Management Company Ltd.**

Mumbai (head office)

Aditya Birla Finance Ltd.* (erstwhile Birla Global Finance Company Ltd.)

Mumbai (head office)

Aditya Birla Money Mart Ltd.* (erstwhile Birla SunLife Distribution Company Ltd.)

Mumbai (head office)

Aditya Birla Insurance Brokers (erstwhile Birla Insurance Advisory & Broking Services Ltd.*)

Mumbai (head office)

Aditya Birla Money Ltd.* (erstwhile Apollo Sindhoori Capital Investments Ltd.)

Chennai (head office)

Aditya Birla Capital Advisors Pvt. Ltd.* (Private Equity) Mumbai (head office)

IT-ITeS Aditya Birla Minacs Worldwide Ltd* Bengaluru, Mumbai, Baroda,

Aurangabad, Kolkata, Chennai – India

Manila – Philippines

Russelsheim – Germany

Peterlee, Canary Wharf – United Kingdom

Budapest – Hungary

Halifax, Port Hawkesbury, Moncton, Niagara Falls, Oshawa, Peterborough, Toronto, Hamilton and Mississauga – Canada

Austin, Farmington Hills, Flint, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Costa Mesa, Pleasanton – USA

Novelis (India) Infotech Limited India

Retail Aditya Birla Retail Limited

640 supermarkets

Trading solutions Swiss Singapore Overseas Enterprises Pte Limited Singapore, UAE, China, Indonesia,

Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Myanmar, Canada, Russia, Benin

* subsidiaries** joint ventures

Grasim Industries Limited, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, ranks among India's largest private sector companies, with consolidated net revenue of Rs.202 billion and a consolidated net profit of Rs.27.6 billion (FY2010).

Starting as a textiles manufacturer in 1948, today Grasim's businesses comprise viscose staple fibre (VSF), cement, chemicals and textiles. Its core businesses are VSF and cement, which contribute to over 90 per cent of its revenues and operating profits.

The Aditya Birla Group is the world’s largest producer of VSF, commanding a 24 per cent global market share. Grasim, with an aggregate capacity of 333,975 tpa has a global market share of 11 per cent. It is also the second largest producer of caustic soda (which is used in the production of VSF) in India.

In cement, Grasim along with its subsidiary UltraTech Cement Ltd. has a capacity of 49 million tpa and is a leading cement player in India. In July 2004, Grasim acquired a majority stake and management control in UltraTech Cement Limited. One of the largest of its kind in the cement sector, this acquisition catapulted the Aditya Birla Group to the top of the league in India.

The cement business of the Group is being restructured in a phased manner. In the first phase, Grasim's cement business is being demerged into Samruddhi Cement Limited, a subsidiary of Grasim. In the second phase, Samruddhi Cement Limited will amalgamate with UltraTech. Upon completion of restructuring, the cement business will be consolidated in UltraTech, a pure play cement company.

Viscose staple fibreGrasim is India's pioneer in viscose staple fibre (VSF). >>

CementGrasim has grown to become a leading cement player in India. >>

ChemicalsGrasim has India's second largest caustic soda unit. >>

TextilesGrasim has strong nation-wide retail network and also caters to international fashion houses in USA and UK. >>

more about the businesses

Capacities Division Capacity

Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF) 333,975 tpa

Joint venture  Birla Jingwei Fibres Company Limited 30,000 tpa

Rayon grade pulp

Harihar, Karnataka 70,000 tpa

AV Cell Inc 122,500 tpa

AV Nackawic Inc. 189,000 tpa

Cement

Grey cement (Including UltraTech Cement Ltd's capacity)

48.8 million tpa

Ready-mix concrete (Including UltraTech Cement Ltd's capacity)

12.1 million cubic metres

White cement 560,000 tpa

Chemicals 258,000 tpa

Textiles

Yarn8832 spindles

Subsidiaries  Grasim Bhiwani Textiles Ltd.

Fabric 146 looms

Yarn 35,808 spindles

textiles

 

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products overview

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investor centre

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management team

Grasim has a strong presence in fabrics and synthetic yarns through its subsidiary, Grasim Bhiwani Textiles Limited, and is well known for its branded suitings, Grasim and Graviera, mainly in the polyester - cellulosic branded menswear. Its textile plants are located at Bhiwani (Haryana) and Malanpur (Madhya Pradesh). Fabric operations are centralised at Bhiwani with a processing capacity of 17.0 million metres a year. Vikram Woollens, Malanpur, a unit of Grasim manufactures worsted dyed yarn spun from 100 per cent merino wool along with polyester and other blends.

Grasim's strong nationwide retail network includes exclusive showrooms, wholesalers and multi-brand outlets through which it reaches its customers. Grasim caters to international fashion houses in the USA and UK supplying fabric to them for manufacturing of garments, which are available in some of the largest retail chain stores.

The Aditya Birla Science and Technology Company (ABSTC) is the corporate research and development centre for the Aditya Birla Group. Located in Taloja, just outside of Mumbai in India, ABSTC supports the broad diversity of the Group's businesses through multi-disciplinary teams of expert scientists and engineers who lead fundamental and applied research projects. The company aims to be a world-class organisation that delivers innovative solutions, continuously improves core competencies and executes effectively. The centre is supported by state-of-the-art equipment set in a one-of-a-kind brand new technology-led environment.

ABSTC seeks advances in products, processes and applications in several areas including: :: Non-ferrous metals (from extraction and smelting to downstream operation):: Carbon black technology (from feedstock to finished product):: Cement (mineralogy, clinkerisation and concrete):: Fibre technology (spinning processes, materials and new applications):: Chemicals (chlor-alkali product stream development, fluorine derivatives, phosphates,

sulphites and specialty thermoset resins)

ABSTC has generated extensive intellectual property for the Group, with the filing of more than 30 patent applications that cover novel processes, products and applications.

Built on a 20-acre plot, the 30,000 sq. mt. facility comprises modern laboratories, multi-purpose scale-up facilities, modelling and simulation areas. It also hosts the Knowledge Centre for the Group, which has access to databases on areas of interest and information on patents, periodicals and other publications.

At ABSTC, research and development is based on two strong capabilities. The Process Engineering and Sciences Laboratory focuses on advanced processes and designs, process control and automation, and process engineering

platforms and scale-up. The Science and Technology Platforms Laboratory provides expertise in metallurgy, fibre science and textiles, material and surface sciences, and chemistry.

ABSTC is supported by the Analytical Science and Technology Laboratory, with state-of-the-art equipment that will enable advanced measurement and characterisation techniques. The analytical services laboratory will support all the needs of the Group units and, in the future, even those of external customers.