Business Standard

Universal Cables plans upgrade

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Shashikant Trivedi Bhopal
Rs 61-crore investment plan to be funded by term loans and internal accruals.
 
MP Birla group company Universal Cables Ltd is planning a technology upgrade of Rs 61 crore in its Satna (Madhya Pradesh) facility, to manufacture cross-linked polyethylene cables.
 
The company will adopt vertical continuous vulcanisation (VCV) technology for the first time in India. The state-level investment promotion empowerment committee, an apex body, has cleared the company's proposal.
 
Cross-linked polyethylene cables or XLPE cables have now replaced paper-insulated cables in the industry. With the government trying to make India a power hub on demand by 2012, the company expected a profit of Rs 29 crore, within six years of the upgrade, sources told Business Standard.
 
"Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has cleared the proposal to give necessary concessions under the Industrial Promotion Policy, 2004, for the proposed Rs 61-crore investment of the firm," a source, who participated in the meet, told Business Standard.
 
The company has plans to adopt VCV technology for manufacturing XLPE power cables in two phases in the existing premises of its Satna facility.
 
Initially, in phase I of the upgrade, the company will start the production of cables up to 132 Kv, and then switch over to the 400 Kv range in phase-II. Besides, the company also has a presence in the field of cables, conductors and capacitors.
 
"The company will arrange for Rs 47 crore as term loan, and Rs 16 crore from internal accruals. It has requested the government for provision of sops under the mega-project status, since the upgrade involves modern technology and management," a source said.
 
The company claimed the proposed investment would gear up India for the future needs of XLPE cables, which were being imported at present.
 
The company has demanded an industrial investment promotion subsidy for 11 years on sale of furnished goods; waste and scrap, produced during the process of manufacturing.
 
Further, UCL has asked for exemption on commercial tax and value-added tax on the purchase of raw material, and exemption on entry tax. It has also asked for capital investment subsidy, interest subsidy, transport subsidy and power subsidy.
 
"The committee had considered the proposal and has cleared it, so that it can take shape as soon as possible," said sources.
 
UCL manufactures PILC cables up to 33 Kv, XLPE cables up to 145 Kv, high temperature fluro-plastic cables, winding wires and flat cables, PVC cables up to 11 Kv, elastomeric cables up to 30 Kv, mixed dielectric, and power capacitors up to 145 Kv.
 

SCALING UP
  • The company will adopt vertical continuous vulcanisation technology for the first time in India
  • The firm expects a profit of Rs 29 crore within six years of the upgrade
  • The company has demanded industrial investment promotion subsidy for 11 years
  • UCL manufactures PILC cables, XLPE cables, high temperature fluro-plastic cables, winding wires and flat cables, PVC cables, elastomeric cables, mixed dielectric, and power capacitors
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    First Published: Jan 21 2006 | 12:00 AM IST

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