Concor looks at 20% growth from north-western region

Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor) is looking at a 20 per cent growth in its revenues from the operations in the North-Western region and a majority of it will be triggered by the growth of Gujarat-based ports like Mundra, Pipavav and Kandla.

The company is also planning to set up nine more domestic cargo terminals in the country and it is likely that two of them might come up in Gujarat. The company is also eyeing a major growth in its annual turnover within the next three years.

Rakesh Mehrotra, Managing Firector, Concor, told Business Standard, said, "We are looking at the business growth of 20 per cent per annum from the North- Western region which includes states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Gujarat is likely to play a major role in this as cargo volumes are likely to increase substantially at ports like Mundra, Kandla and Pipavav. At present 15 per cent of our revenue comes from the North-Western region. Our turnover last year was Rs. 3,000 crore. Ports like Mundra and Pipavav has high potential of growth and that will also trigger our business volume growth."

On the future plans of the company, Mehrotra said, "We are planning to set up 9 more domestic cargo terminals in the country. Out of these 9 terminals 4 will be completed by March 2008 and then we will go ahead with the rest. The new terminals will come up at various places in the country. But looking at the volume growth potential of Mundra and Pipavav we might set up one terminal each there. Presently we have total 57 terminals across the country."

On the company's future plans he said the company is aiming at a substantial growth in its turnover over the next three years.

"Our turnover in the last fiscal was Rs 3,000 crore and we will achieve a Rs 5,000 crore turnover in the next three years. The kind of growth we are witnessing at the moment will make it easier for the company to fulfill this target."

After successfully launching the double-decker container trains in the country Concor is now looking at introducing triple decker container trains in the country.

"We are planning to introduce triple decker container trains in the country. However, we are not looking at increasing the height of the trains as it will create problems for the train to pass through the existing infrastructure like cables and tunnels etc. We are looking at designing triple decker container trains with a height of 19 feet which is same as the existing double decker container trains."

"However, the plan is in the concept level and it will take time for the company to get a viable design. The design is the main part of such trains as we will be incorporating three containers in the 19 feet height which is the existing height of our double decker trains. The triple-decker trains can only be used for transporting automobiles. Cars or a motorcycles can easily fit in the container designed for the triple decker container trains," he said.