Tata Chemicals: Q1 FY2006 PAT increases by 42% to Rs 65 crore, basic EPS: Rs 3.02

Tata Chemicals Limited, a leading manufacturer of chemicals, fertilisers and food additives, has announced its audited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2005.

Commenting on the Company's performance for Q1 FY2006, Prasad Menon, Managing Director, Tata Chemicals, said, "I am delighted to announce strong operating and financial performance for the quarter under review.

"In the chemicals segment, improved realisations from all our products facilitated by earlier announced price increases have improved our profitability.

"While supply of phosphoric acid has stabilised as a result of the IMACID partnership, we moderated our phosphatic fertilisers sales due to the delay in the monsoon. However, delays in the announcement of phosphoric acid prices as well as expected tight supplies of rock phosphate in the foreseeable future continue to be causes for concern.

Urea sales volumes were especially strong and this was the first complete quarter when our Babrala facility plant operated without any usage of naphtha.

"I believe with its continued focus on enhancing customer relationships and controlling input costs Tata Chemicals is optimally positioned to take advantage of the healthy demand environment and sustain its growth momentum "

Performance summary
Q1 FY2006 (April - June 2005) v/s Q1 FY2005 (April - June 2004)

	Income from operations (net of excise) at Rs 510 crore compared to Rs 520 crore. This was the first complete financial quarter that the Company did not use naphtha as a fuel in the manufacture of urea. As a result there was no price escalation component in the income from operations.
	Profit from operations improves 9 per cent to Rs 122 crore from Rs 111 crore. Improved realisations from the chemicals segment on the back of price increases announced in previous year.
	PBIT of the chemicals business amounted to Rs 74 crore up by 30 per cent from Rs 57 crore.
	PBIT of the fertiliser business was Rs 27 crore, compared to Rs 32 crore.
	PBT amounted to Rs 96 crore, up by 32 per cent in Q1 FY2006 compared to Rs 72 crore in Q1 FY2005. Improvement in PBT also attributable to increase in tax refunds and reduction in interest costs.
	PAT increased 42 per cent to Rs 65 crore compared with Rs 46 crore in Q1 FY2005.
	Basic EPS (for the quarter): Rs 3.02
	Diluted EPS: Rs 2.71

Segmental performance

Chemicals

Soda ash

	Amongst domestic manufacturers, Tata Chemicals' marketshare stood at 32.4 per cent, remaining the largest player in the Indian soda ash segment. On an overall market basis (including imports), the Company's marketshare was 30 per cent.
	Sale contracts initiated with effect from the ongoing fiscal, incorporated the increased prices (by approximately Rs 500 per tonne effected in November 2004), enabling increased contributions from soda ash sales.
	Production of soda ash during the quarter under review amounted to 160,530 tonnes translating to a capacity utilisation of 73 per cent. Production volumes were lower during the quarter due to a planned plant maintenance shut down, which lasted for around two weeks.
	Sales of dense soda ash to the fast growing glass segment, improved by 10 per cent over the corresponding quarter last year. During the quarter, Tata Chemicals sold 150,000 tonnes of which 32 per cent was dense ash.
	Prices of soda ash, especially in North America and Europe remained firm resulting in reduced imports into the country. Capacity expansions have however resulted in marginal lowering of prices by Chinese manufacturers.

Food additives

	Tata Salt's dominance of the domestic market continued with the brand's marketshare standing at 37 per cent in the first two months of the quarter.
	The quarter ended June 30, 2005 was the first wherein Tata Salt was sold at the increased price levels of Rs 9.25 per kg.
	The Tata Salt advertising series was awarded the Best Advertisement campaign for June 2005, by the Economic Times Brand Equity Ad Monitor Track.
	During the quarter, the Company commenced exports to the Middle East with an initial shipment effected to the UAE

STPP

	Sales volumes of sodium tri poly phosphate (STPP) improved by 11 per cent over the last year
	Lower production volumes though, as a result of the implementation of the plant expansion programme and limited raw material availability, resulted in an increase in imports and a reduction in the Company's overall marketshare.
	Chinese STPP prices have softened over the last two months.

Cement

Cement sales remained healthy during the quarter.

Fertilisers

Nitrogenous (urea)

	Improved rainfall towards the end of June 2005 contributed to higher urea sales. Sales volumes for the quarter ended June 30, 2005 were higher by 23 per cent quarter-on-quarter at 201,000 tonnes.
	Tata Chemicals remains the most energy efficient player in the industry with an energy consumption of 5.2 G Cal/ MT urea.
	The quarter under review was the first in recent times where complete production was without any naphtha usage. This was achieved through the combined use of APM, RLNG and PMT gas.
	The Babrala manufacturing facility was awarded the Golden Peacock Environment Management Award for the year 2005 and the Greentech Safety Gold Award for the year 2004-05 in the chemical sector

Phosphatics (NPK, SSP, di ammonium phosphate)

	DAP, NPK and complex fertiliser sales volumes were at lower levels during the quarter under review due to the delayed monsoon which resulted in lower consumption.
	Phosphoric acid supplies, however, have stabilised as a result of the sourcing agreement with Indo Maroc Phosphore S.A. (IMACID), Morocco, ensuring continued production.
	Nevertheless, delays in the settlement of phosphoric acid prices and expected tight supply of rock phosphate and phosphoric acid in the foreseeable future are a challenge.

Financial management

	Interest costs in line with the Company's focused debt restructuring programme amounted to Rs 1.94 crore in Q1 FY2006, a 73 per cent decline compared to the corresponding quarter last year.
	Total debt as on June 30, 2005 stood at Rs 1,246 crore. The debt includes a balance amount of approximately Rs 500 crore availed via the Company's Foreign Currency Commercial borrowing
	Debt comprises short-term buyers credit amounting to around Rs 459 crore, the tenor for which is around six months

http://tatawestside.com/tata_chemicals/releases/20050721.htm

Tata Chemicals introduces Indias first free flowing table Topp Salt dispenser

Tata Chemicals, the pioneers and leaders of branded iodized salt, has introduced India’s first free flowing table top salt dispenser. Packed in a classy see-through bottle Tata Topp Salt Sprinkler is specially designed to avoid problems like top clogging and moisture seeping in the bottle.

Topp Salt Sprinkler promises to make the use of tabletop salt more convenient and also adds a touch of class to tabletop salt usage. Backed by a strong aesthetic appeal and the functional benefits of a sprinkler, Topp Salt Sprinkler promises to be a boon for the consumers.

Tata Topp Salt Sprinkler is available in a pack of 100 grams, priced at Rs 10. It is available across cities like Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Ludhiana.

“In the Indian households, the name of salt is synonymous with Tata Salt. Being one of India’s most respected brands, Topp Salt Dispenser is the latest addition from the house of Tata’s. A premium product that is both aesthetically appealing and functionally sound, we are confident that Topp Salt Sprinkler will become very popular among the consumers.” says Satish Sohoni, chief operating officer, food additives business, Tata Chemicals.

http://tatawestside.com/tata_chemicals/releases/20050804.htm

Tata Chemicals Vhali wins the Green Governance Award

Tata Chemicals has won the Green Governance Award 2005 for its project — Conservation of the Whale Shark. The award will be given by Dr Manmohan Singh, prime minister of India on November 10, 2005 at a ceremony in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

The Green Governance Awards have been instituted by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in order to provide impetus to sustainable development and to encourage environmental protection initiatives. The purpose of the award is to recognise and appreciate an organisation's efforts beyond meeting statutory compliance for protection and conservation of the environment. There were 28 participants in three categories: Conservation and restoration of habitat, conservation of flora and conservation of fauna.

Tata Chemicals won the award in the category — Conservation of Fauna. Tata Chemicals started work on this Whale Shark Conservation project in September 2003, and has used unique and innovative conservation intervention techniques that has brought about positive results in terms of popularising and ensuring the long-term survival of the whale shark — the largest fish on this planet. The approach involved all stakeholders in the whale shark's universe, including the whale shark hunters, boatmen, coastal communities, the forest department, the coast guard, school children and conservation NGOs. The project succeeded in creating an emotional bond between the coastal communities and the whale shark, through interpretation of Indian traditions. Tata Chemicals partnered with Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), an NGO of international repute in this project. The project won international acclaim at the Whale Shark Conservation Conference at Perth, Australia in May 2005, where experts noted that the approach deployed by Tata Chemicals and WTI is a role model for other developing nations where traditional values are strong.

The pre-requisite for this award is for the organisation to have robust environment management systems, that include recycle / reuse of effluents, environmental quality monitoring and management, use of clean technology, emergency preparedness, energy conservation techniques, and training of employees in environmental protection, and conservation of biodiversity.

http://tatawestside.com/tata_chemicals/releases/20051011.htm

Tata Chemicals Q2 FY06 PAT increases 44 per cent to Rs 126 crore

Tata Chemicals Limited, a leading manufacturer of chemicals, fertilisers and food additives, has announced its audited financial results for the quarter and half year ended September 30, 2005. The company is one of the largest manufacturers of synthetic soda ash in the world, enjoys leadership in the Indian edible salt market and is the most efficient manufacturer of urea in the country.

Commenting on the company’s performance for Q2 and H1 FY2006, Prasad Menon, Managing Director, Tata Chemicals, said, "Our strong business performance is a result of enhanced sales volumes, improved price realisations and a concerted thrust on control of prices of various inputs as well as sales and distribution costs. The external environment is becoming increasingly conducive with encouraging demand growth especially in the chemicals business. Concerns however remain with regard to the settlement of phosphoric acid prices. I believe our focus on identifying viable organic and inorganic opportunities will further accelerate growth and strengthen our competitive position."

Performance summary
H1 FY2006 (April-September 2005) v/s H1 FY2005 (April-September 2004)
Income from operations (net of excise) at Rs 1,506 crore compared Rs 1,249 crore.


Profit from operations improves 22 per cent to Rs 308 crore from Rs. 252 crore.

* Healthy performance of chemicals business drives profitability. PBIT margins of the segment strengthen to 27 per cent compared with 21 per cent in the corresponding period last year.

Profit before tax (PBT) stood at Rs 278 crore, up 39 per cent in H1 FY2006 compared to Rs 200 crore in H1 FY2005.
Profit after tax (PAT) up 43 per cent at Rs 191 crore compared with Rs 133 crore in H1 FY2005.
Basic EPS (for the period): Rs 8.87.
Diluted EPS (for the period) : Rs 7.94.

Q2 FY2006 (July-September 2005) v/s Q2 FY2005 (July-September 2004)
Income from operations (net of excise) up 37 per cent at Rs. 997 crore compared to Rs 729 crore.
Profit from operations improves 32 per cent to Rs 186 crore from Rs 140 crore.
PBIT of the fertiliser business was Rs 82 crore, compared to Rs 62 crore.
PBT amounted to Rs 183 crore, up 44 per cent in Q2 FY2006 compared to Rs 127 crore in Q2 FY2005.
PAT increased 44 per cent to Rs 126 crore compared to Rs 87 crore in Q2 FY2005.
Basic EPS (for the quarter): Rs 5.85.
Diluted EPS (for the quarter): Rs 5.23.


Segmental performance

Chemicals
Soda ash
Performance perspective
Tata Chemicals maintained its dominance in the Indian soda ash segment with a domestic marketshare of 33.7 per cent for the last six months under review. On an overall market basis (including imports), the company’s marketshare was 31.9 per cent.
Domestic demand for soda ash showed good traction, growing at 4.3 per cent YOY. Tata Chemicals’ sales volumes increased 12.3 per cent over the corresponding six months in the preceding year.


Soda ash sales volumes for the quarter stood at 172,000 MT taking sales volumes for the year to date to 322,000 MT.

* Dense soda ash comprised 40 per cent of total sales.
* Export volumes for the half year stood at 44,000 MT (24,000 MT for the quarter).

Production for the half year under review amounted to 345,000 MT (185,000 MT for the quarter) translating to a capacity utilisation of 88 per cent.

Organic initiatives

In September 2005, Tata Chemicals expanded its dense soda ash manufacturing capacity to include a 600 tonne per day unit. This translates to a 70 per cent increase in the company’s dense soda ash capacity.

* Dense soda ash is used to manufacture float glass which is used in the construction, automobile, electronic (television and plasma screens) and mobile telephone (display panel) industries. The demand from the float glass segment is estimated to be growing at over 9 per cent, with China, India and the US being the largest manufacturers.
* Construction was completed in a record time at a cost of Rs 32 crore.
* The unit has been commissioned based on mono hydrate technology, which ensures that the company is able to meet with the stringent quality requirements of the leading float glass manufacturers both globally and in India.

Industry perspective

* Prices of soda ash, especially in North America and Europe remained firm resulting in reduced imports into the country. These are expected to sustain in the near to medium term on the back of strong demand.
* Higher international prices combined with enhanced efficiencies of India players has resulted in a significant 31 per cent decline in import volumes.
* Prices of coke and coal remained firm but steady during the six months under review.
* On October 1, 2005, prices of soda ash were increased by an average of Rs 400 pmt.

Food additives
Tata Salt’s dominance of the domestic market continued with the brand’s marketshare standing at 35.5 per cent (for the months of July and August 2005).


The company also launched a new brand Topp iodised salt in the Sultanate of Oman and Singapore.

* Topp is being marketed in the West Asian region, including the United Arab Emirates and Oman by Tata West Asia FZE, a Tata Group company based in Dubai.
* Tata West Asia has appointed Naranjee Hirjee & Co. LLC as its sole distributor for the Topp iodised salt in the Sultanate. Naranjee Hirjee, a 100-year-old organisation, is one of the leading FMCG distribution companies in Oman.
* Topp iodised salt is available in two formats — a smart and convenient dispenser pack of 750gm and an economical refill pack of 1kg. It retails at all leading hyper / supermarkets and other retail outlet

STPP
Prices which had weakened during the quarter are showing signs of firming up going forward.

Cement
Cement sales remained healthy during the review period.

Fertilisers
Nitrogenous (urea)

* A good monsoon contributed to healthy urea demand during the Kharif season. Sales volumes for H1 FY205-06 stood at 508,000 MT (307,000 MT for the quarter).
* Tata Chemicals remains the most energy efficient player in the industry with an energy consumption of 5.13 G Cal/ MT urea.
* Production in the quarter was completed with minimal naphtha usage necessitated due to the fire at Bombay High. A considerable proportion of the production was achieved through the combined use of APM, RLNG and PMT gas. Production volumes for the six months ended September 30, 2005 stood at 267,600 MT.

Phosphatics (NPK, SSP, di-ammonium phosphate)

* DAP, NPK and complex fertiliser sales volumes were healthy during the quarter on the back of normal to excess rainfall in most of the core command areas.
* Sales in H1 FY2005-06 stood at 323,000 MT (272,000 MT for the quarter) of which 53 per cent was made up of higher margin NPKs and complex crop specific fertilisers.
* Production during H1 FY2005-06 amounted to 373,000 MT (207,000 in Q2 FY06) of which 57 per cent comprised NPK and complex fertilisers. Supplies of phosphoric acid through the company’s partnership with Imacid ensured continuity of production.
* Delays in the settlement of phosphoric acid prices and expected tight supply of rock phosphate and phosphoric acid in the foreseeable future, however continue to be a challenge.

Financial management

* Interest costs in line with the company’s focused debt restructuring programme amounted to Rs 3.6 crore in Q2 FY2006 and Rs 5.5 crore in H1 FY2006, a decline of 40 per cent and 58 per cent respectively compared to corresponding periods last year.
* Total debt as on September 30, 2005 stood at Rs 1324 crore. The debt includes an amount of approximately Rs 660 crore availed via the company’s Foreign Currency Commercial borrowing.
* Debt comprises short-term buyers credit amounting to around Rs 585 crore, the tenor for which is around six months.



http://tatawestside.com/tata_chemicals/releases/20051025.htm

Tata Chemicals bags 12 ABCI National awards

Tata Chemicals (TCL) bagged 12 awards at the recently held 45th ABCI (Association of Business Communicators of India) annual awards ceremony at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai.

TCL corporate communications team won five golds, six silvers and one bronze in categories ranging from newsletters, posters, digital communications, intranet / internet, CSR and environmental communication campaigns to raise their tally to 12 awards by the end of the evening. The TCL team was in full strength to receive the awards at the glittering ceremony, which was attended by stalwarts from the field of business communications.

Said Homi Khusrokhan, ED, TCL, “In today’s business environment, good communication has become more critical than ever. Our thrust has been on transparent internal and external communications that employ unique and innovative ways of disseminating clear and factual information to all employees and other stakeholders. The ABCI awards have reinforced our commitment towards the way we communicate and vindicates our philosophy of bringing excellence into all that we do”.

The Association of Business Communicators of India is the apex body of professionals in business communications. Founded in 1956, the Association was originally called the Indian Association of Industrial Editors. ABCI (Association of Business Communicators of India) Annual Awards are designed to promote excellence in all areas of written and visual business communications (design, presentation and print quality). The purpose of the awards is to recognise the best in corporate communications. ABCI conducts seminars, refresher courses, study workshops, presentations, lectures, etc and is a forum for communicators to meet and exchange / share ideas and best practices. ABCI is the only association in India promoting excellence in business communications.

Considered as the Oscars of business communications in India, the entries are received from a large number of organisations across the country. ABCI received more than 450 entries in 2005 which included companies like Blue Star Limited, Indian Oil Corporation, Thomas Cook, Goodlass Nerolac, Crisil Ltd, Reserve Bank of India, SBI, National Dairy Development Board, Tata Motors, Colgate-Palmolive, IDBI, Larsen & Toubro, NABARD, Western Railway, Wockhardt, Kotak Mahindra, among others.



http://tatawestside.com/tata_chemicals/releases/20051031.htm

Alcar Chemicals Group's CEO in Live Interview With MN1

MONTREAL--(MARKET WIRE)--Mar 15, 2007 -- Alcar Chemicals Group Inc. (Other OTC:ACMG.PK - News) announces today that its CEO will be interviewed live on MN1.

According to the company, Dr. Cavasin, founder and current CEO of ACMG, will be conducting an interview with MN1 to be aired live on April 2nd at 12:45 PM central time. Dr. Cavasin assured that he will elaborate on the topics of interest expressed by his shareholders such as who the new partners are and what some of the new projects will entice and what they will bring to ACMG; he will elaborate on the new company structure as well as topics such as what the company is undertaking to counter the naked shorting of its stock which has been eroding shareholder's value.

Dr. Cavasin has taken the feedback and questions from various discussion groups formed by his shareholders and will address these in the interview. Please log on to www.mn1.com on April 2nd 12:45 PM central time.

About Alcar Chemicals Group Inc.

The Alcar Chemicals Group (Other OTC:ACMG.PK - News) represents a significant market opportunity due to a serious worldwide supply shortage of raw materials for polymers as well as an increased requirement for ethanol and biodiesel. ACMG has been concentrating on innovative methods for biomass (forestry waste, agricultural waste and non-food crop) valorization for the past decade, specifically petroleum-independent fuel and plastics resin production. Its proprietary technology represents today's most economical and advanced manufacturing process for plastic raw materials, ethanol and bio-diesel, allowing production at cost savings of up to 40% when compared to current production methods.

Important Information About Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this news release that are other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements, which contain our current expectations about our future results. Forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties. We have attempted to identify any forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipates," "believes," "could," "expects," "intends," "may," "should" and other similar expressions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in all of our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

A number of factors may affect our future results and may cause those results to differ materially from those indicated in any forward-looking statements made by us or on our behalf. Such factors include our limited operating history; our need for significant capital to finance internal growth as well as strategic acquisitions; our ability to attract and retain key employees and strategic partners; our ability to achieve and maintain profitability; fluctuations in the trading price and volume of our stock; competition from other providers of similar products and services; and other unanticipated future events and conditions.


http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/070315/0227130.html

Common plastic chemicals linked to obesity

Phthalates, a class of chemicals used in some plastic food packaging and soaps, have been implicated in higher belly fat in men.

Phthalates are used to make plastic flexible, and are found in plastic tubes, some children's toys, cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, lotions, lubricants, paint, pesticides, and other plastics.

The chemicals have been implicated in reproductive problems in men such as low sperm counts and low testosterone levels, and subtle changes in the reproductive organs of baby boys.

In a new study to be published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, Dr. Richard Stahlhut of the University of Rochester Medical Center and his team looked at the connection between phthalates and testosterone.

The researchers wanted to test the idea that phthalates may be linked to obesity, since low testosterone levels appear to cause abdominal obesity and pre-diabetes in men.

"Substantial declines in testosterone levels and sperm quality have been observed in the United States and other countries over the last several decades … and it urgently requires explanation," Stahlhut said.

"While we can't say yet that phthalates are a definite cause, I am certain they are on the list of chemicals that demands careful study."

Exposure could contribute to insulin resistance: study

The team analyzed urine and blood samples from a national cross-section of men in the U.S. from 1999 to 2002. They looked at data on phthalate exposure, obesity, waist circumference, fasting glucose and insulin levels for 651 men.

Men with the highest levels of phthalates in their urine had more belly fat and insulin resistance, after adjusting for other factors that could affect the results. In insulin resistance, the body is less able to use insulin to control blood sugar levels, a condition that can lead to Type 2 diabetes.

"If confirmed by longitudinal studies, our findings would suggest that exposure to these phthalates may contribute to the population burden of obesity, insulin resistance, and related clinical disorders," the study's authors concluded.

More than 75 per cent of the U.S. population had measurable levels of several phthalates in their urine, the researchers found.

Researchers do not know what combinations of common low-dose exposures to phthalates may be contributing to reproductive problems, Stahlhut said, but long-term data on hormone levels is needed to investigate the possible link.

Phthalates are among the 69 known contaminants that Statistics Canada is testing 5,000 Canadians for as part of a comprehensive survey announced last year.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/03/15/phthalates.html?ref=rss#skip300x250