Paints not a commodity play; brand plays a key role
Business Standard|December 05, 2024
Competition is intensifying in the decorative paints segment. Berger Paints India, the country's second-largest paint manufacturer, plans to hold on to its share in the face of challenges. Abhijit Roy, managing director and chief executive officer of Berger, spoke to Ishita Ayan Dutt in Kolkata about his 100-year-old company's plans and why price is "not the only game in town" in the industry. Edited excerpts:
ABHIJIT ROY MD & CEO, Berger Paints India
Paints not a commodity play; brand plays a key role

Birla Opus recently flagged off its fourth plant and is said to have become the second largest decorative paints player by installed capacity. Would it prompt you to accelerate expansion plans or look at inorganic options?

First of all, they are not the second largest. We have an installed capacity of 1.5 million kilolitres and they are about half our size. We are actually operating at 55 per cent of our installed capacity. So, there is no need to increase capacity (immediately).

Dutch firm Akzo Nobel said in October that it was reviewing its decorative paints portfolio in South Asia. Does it interest Berger?

We look at all options and proceed only if it makes sense. As of now, they have not made their plans very clear. For any acquisition that we have made in the past, big or small, the same logic is applied. If the acquisition cost is less than the value we can derive out of it, then we look at it. If not, then we give it a pass.

Berger's revenue was flat in Q2FY25. Was it due to extended monsoons?

Denne historien er fra December 05, 2024-utgaven av Business Standard.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra December 05, 2024-utgaven av Business Standard.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BUSINESS STANDARDSe alt
KEEPING UP WITH BRAZIL
Business Standard

KEEPING UP WITH BRAZIL

If India wants to become a biofuel superpower like Brazil, it needs to get its ethanol 2.0 policies right

time-read
5 mins  |
January 08, 2025
Business Standard

Indian cities reduce PM2.5 levels by 27% in 6 yrs: Report

Indian cities achieved an average 27 per cent reduction in PM2.5 pollution levels from 2019 to 2024, with those under NCAP alone recording a 24 per cent decline, a new report has found.

time-read
1 min  |
January 08, 2025
India adding N-power faster than global peers
Business Standard

India adding N-power faster than global peers

India's nuclear power generation has grown twice as fast as the rest of the world in recent times.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 08, 2025
Manmohan Singh was unfailingly measured, thoughtful and wise
Business Standard

Manmohan Singh was unfailingly measured, thoughtful and wise

It is both an honour and pleasure to have been invited to address this event in honour of Dr Manmohan Singh, the greatest man I have had the privilege of knowing.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 08, 2025
Compare cited reasons with policy terms before challenging decision
Business Standard

Compare cited reasons with policy terms before challenging decision

Health and general insurers paid 82 per cent of claims by volume and 71.3 per cent by value (₹1.17 crore), according to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India's (Irdai's) annual report for 2023-24.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 08, 2025
PVR Inox shares fade to black: Down 23%
Business Standard

PVR Inox shares fade to black: Down 23%

Shares hit 44-month low as HMPV scare rattles market

time-read
3 mins  |
January 08, 2025
Indo Farm shares up 27% on mkt debut
Business Standard

Indo Farm shares up 27% on mkt debut

Shares of Indo Farm Equipment on Tuesday ended with a premium of over 27 per cent against the issue price of ₹215. The stock started the trade at ₹258.40, reflecting a premium of 20.18 per cent on the BSE. During the day, it jumped 33.44 per cent to ₹286.90. Shares of the firm ended at ₹272.70, up 26.83 per cent. At the NSE, it listed at ₹256, up 19 per cent. The stock ended at ₹273.69, a gain of 27.29 per cent. The company's market valuation stood at ₹1,310.37 crore.

time-read
1 min  |
January 08, 2025
Zomato shares fall 5% after Jefferies downgrade
Business Standard

Zomato shares fall 5% after Jefferies downgrade

Food aggregator Zomato's shares bled on Tuesday, as the stock plunged up to 5 per cent to hit an intraday low of ₹251.40 per share.

time-read
1 min  |
January 08, 2025
Q3 updates point to strong growth ahead for jewellery companies
Business Standard

Q3 updates point to strong growth ahead for jewellery companies

Two leading listed jewellers, Titan and Kalyan, have just released their pre-quarterly updates for the third quarter of the current financial year (Q3FY25).

time-read
2 mins  |
January 08, 2025
Equities may deliver 8-12% in 2025, says ABSL MF
Business Standard

Equities may deliver 8-12% in 2025, says ABSL MF

In a year that is poised to be one of macroeconomic turbulence, with significant policy shifts and global trade uncertainties, investors should consider asset allocation strategies to capitalize on gains in all asset classes while reducing risks, Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund (ABSL MF) said in its outlook for 2025.

time-read
1 min  |
January 08, 2025