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Vidyut Metallics plans 5 overseas units

April 05, 2004 10:25 IST

Vidyut Metallics, which produces such shaving blades brands as Supermax, is setting eyes on the global market with manufacturing units in five countries.

The company is planning to establish manufacturing units in Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Mexico and Brazil, over the next two years.

The new units would be funded by savings from import duty. Vidyut Metallics already has packaging units in these countries, which would be converted into manufacturing units. Some of the units could also be greenfield manufacturing units.

R K Malhotra, chairman, Vidyut Metallics, said, the company already had a sizeable market share in these countries.

Back home, the company is drawing out new expansion plans. A new manufacturing unit would be commissioned in Himachal Pradesh in the next few weeks. The investment in this project would be to the tune of Rs 200-250 crore (Rs 2-2.5 billion).

Over the next 4-5 years, Vidyut Metallics also plans to set up a manufacturing unit in Kolkata. The company's existing manufacturing units are in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Vidyut Metallics manufactures safety razor blades and owns brands such as Supermax, Vidyut, Zorric.

The company's future plans include going for mass production for economies of scale and selling products at affordable prices to the customers.

Vidyut Metallics is in the process of introducing triple disposable blades at an affordable price and the company hopes to garner a good share of world markets. The product would be priced at Rs 15.

The company has also developed three-, four-blade products with polymer guard bar. These products would be introduced in the country later this month.

On the technology front, the company plans to import new machines and employ foreign technologists to improve product quality.
BS Bureau in Kolkata