Berger Paints to invest ₹2k cr in 2 plants in Bengal, Odisha
Times of India | 13 August 2024
Kolkata: Berger Paints will invest around Rs 2,000 crore in two greenfield projects, one in Bengal and the other in Odisha, aiming to expand its overall production capacity by around 25-30%. Berger’s production capacity stands at around 1 lakh million tonnes per month.
Speaking at Berger Paints India’s 100th AGM on Monday, company chairman Kuldip Singh Dhingra told shareholders: “We continued our journey towards augmenting our capacities.Our upcoming greenfield project at Panagarh, Bengal is progressing well. We are in the process of receiving all necessary approvals and construction activity is about to start. We expect commissioning by end-2025.” The company will set up an integrated manufacturing unit in Odisha’s Khurdha, expected to be commissioned in mid-2027.
In a press meet after the AGM, Berger MD and CEO Abhijit Roy said the company planned to close down the manufacturing facility at its Howrah unit and shift it to Panagarh. The Howrah unit was the oldest functioning paint factory in India and would be transformed into an R&D centre. “Some workers at the Howrah factory will be relocated to the Panagarh unit. Some of them will be given VRS,” Roy said. He added that the Panagarh facility would be an industrial and construction chemical-based plant. The company’s capital investment would be around Rs 600 crore and around Rs 1,400 crore for the plants in Bengal and Odisha, respectively, Roy added.
Dhingra pointed out that the Odisha unit would be built on 80 acres of land allotted by the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation. The company planned to use advanced production technology at the facility to manufacture paints, intermediates and allied products.”
The company is also planning to double its turnover to Rs 20,000 crore by FY29. “It took us almost 100 years to touch Rs 10,000 crore and another Rs 10,000 crore is expected in the next six years,” Roy said.