Aditya Birla Group

Infobox Company
company_name = Aditya Birla Group
company_
company_type = Private Conglomerate/Listed Companies.
foundation = 1900s
location =
key_people = flagicon|IND Kumar Mangalam Birla (Chairman)
industry = Metals and several others.
products = Aluminium, Copper, Cement, Fertilizer, Textile, Fibre, etc.
revenue = gain $24 billion
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees = 100,000+
subsid = Several.
homepage = [http://www.adityabirla.com/ www.adityabirla.com]

The Aditya Birla Group is a multinational corporation based in Mumbai, India and operations in 20 countries including Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Egypt, Canada, Australia, China, USA, UK, Germany, Hungary, Brazil, Italy, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Malaysia and Korea.

A US$ 28 billion conglomerate, with a market capitalization of US$ 23 billion. Over 50 per cent of its revenues flow from its operations across the worldFact|date=July 2007. The group is a major player in all the industry sectors it operates in.The Group has been adjudged the best employer in India and among the top 20 in Asia by the Hewitt-Economic Times and Wall Street Journal Study 2007cite news
title = Best Employers in India 2007
url = http://was7.hewitt.com/bestemployers/asia/english/results2007/india.htm
work = Hewitt Associates Best Employers in India Survey
date = 2007-04-13
accessdate = 2007-09-20] . The origins of the group lie in the conglomerate once held by one of India's foremost industrialists Mr. Ghanshyam Das Birla. He bequeathed most of these companies to his grandson, Mr. Aditya Vikram Birla – the father of the current Chairman of the group, Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla. Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla is the grandson of Mr. Basant Kumar Birla, who heads his own independent business conglomerate. Several other members of the Birla Family, own and run their independent business groups.

Businesses

Aditya Birla is organized into various subsidiaries that operate across different sectors. Among these are viscose staple fibre, non-ferrous metals, cement, viscose filament yarn, branded apparel, carbon black, chemicals, Modern retail (under the 'More' brand of supermarkets, and also under the Trinethra, and Fabmall brands until recently), fertilizers, sponge iron, insulators, financial services, telecom, BPO and IT services.The Group consists of four main companies, which operate in various industry sectors through subsidiaries, joint ventures, etc.These are Hindalco, Grasim, Aditya Birla Nuvo, and UltraTech Cement.

Non Ferrous Metals

The groups non-ferrous metals are under Hindalco. It is a dominant player in aluminum and copper. Its manufacturing locations are primarily in India, and it owns mines in Australia. On February 11 2007, the company entered into an agreement to acquire the Canadian company Novelis for U$6 billion, making the combined entity the world's largest rolled-aluminium producer. On May 15 2007, the acquisition was completed with Novelis shareholders receiving $44.93 per outstanding share of common stock.cite news
title = Birla buys Novelis for $6 bn
url = http://www.indianexpress.com/story/23106.html
work = The Indian Express
date = 2007-02-12
accessdate = 2007-02-12] .

Hindalco has also recently acquired Alcan's stake in the Utkal Alumina Project Joint venture in Orissa, India. Hindalco is a Fortune500 company.Hindalco makes alumina chemicals, primary aluminum, rolled products, alloy wheels, roofing sheets, wire rods, cast copper rods, copper cathodes and several other products. But the project has faced massive protests from locals. On 16 Dec 2001 three tribal people were shot dead because they were opposed to the project.

Cement

The Groups cement business is under both Grasim and UltraTech cement. Together the two companies under the group account for a substantial share of the cement market in India. UltraTech cement comprises the cement business of L&T which was acquired by the group. UltraTech announced an increase in sales by 17% and Profit After Tax by 46% for the quarter ending September 30 2007.Fact|date=December 2007

Carbon Black

The Group is the fourth largest manufacturer of Carbon Black worldwide. It operates out of facilities in Egypt, Thailand, India and China. It is a major supplier to several major automobile tyre manufacturers worldwide.

Textile Business

The Aditya Birla Group is the world's largest player in the Viscose Staple Fiber industry. It operates out of India, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and China. It owns the Birla Cellulose brand. Apart from viscose staple fiber, the group also owns acrylic fiber businesses in Egypt and Thailand, viscose filament yarn businesses and spinning mills at several locations all over India and South East Asia.

The group has pulp and plantation interests in Canada and has recently invested in plantations in LaosThe Aditya Birla group is also a major player in the branded garments market in India. Its subsidiary, Madura Garments, is a major producer of textile fabric as well as the brand licensee of Louis Phillipe, Van Heusen and Allen Solly in IndiaFact|date=July 2007. It operates it's own retail outlets in several cities in India and now planning to go to into Pakistan as well.

Telecom Services

Idea Cellular is now owned by Adittya Birla Group itself. Previously Aditya Birla Group held a 98.3% stake in Idea Cellular, a leading telecom operator in IndiaFact|date=July 2007. Idea Cellular started off as a joint venture with the group, AT&T and the Tata Group. However the stakes of the remaining partners was eventually acquired by the group.After an Initial Public Offering on the Indian Stock Markets, Idea Cellular now accounts for a third of the group's market capitalization.

Other Businesses

Apart from the above businesses, the group is a major player in industry sectors like Insulators, Fertilizers, IT (It owns PSI Data Systems Limited - http://www.psidata.com), ITeS (It owns Transworks and recently acquired the Canadian BPO Firm Minacs), Chemicals, Mining, Sponge Iron, Financial Services (A joint venture with Sunlife) and more recently, Retail.

Philanthropy

The Group actively involves itself in several community development initiatives - in particular around its manufacturing location. The group also supports development activities in areas like healthcare, education, sustainable livelihood, infrastructure and social causes. The group's philanthropic activities are guided by Mrs Rajashree Birla.

It works in 3700 villages, reaching out to 7 million people annually through the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development. It runs 45 schools and 18 hospitals. Aditya Birla group has entered into retail in the brand name of MORE.

ee also

* Kumar Mangalam Birla
* Birla family
* Birla Foundation

External links

* [http://www.adityabirla.com/ Official site]

References