Arijit Barman, Shubhashish

Stories by Arijit Barman, Shubhashish

Birla group now a global leader in carbon black

Birla group now a global leader in carbon black

Rediff.com   1 Feb 2011

After 15 months of negotiations, the Aditya Birla Group has finally agreed to buy out the US firm Columbian Chemicals Company (CCC) for $875 million from One Equity Partners, the merchant banking arm of JPMorgan Chase. This has catapulted the group to become the world leader in carbon black with a combined two million tonne annual production.

Taxation, operational issues clog mining sector

Taxation, operational issues clog mining sector

Rediff.com   27 Jan 2011

Ban fiats, freezes and new levies are ensuring a drying up of operations and new investments, complain companies.

NMDC, Tatas in talks to set up steel plant

NMDC, Tatas in talks to set up steel plant

Rediff.com   24 Jan 2011

NMDC Ltd has decided to set up its second steel plant in Chhattisgarh and is in talks with two companies to form a joint venture. One of them is Tata Steel.

Indian steel sold at a discount

Indian steel sold at a discount

Rediff.com   24 Jan 2011

The sudden surge in raw material prices has forced steel companies abroad to raise prices considerably but Indian counterparts have been unable to do so at such a pace. This has eroded the premium that Indian steel makers enjoyed and they're actually selling at a discount to international prices.

AV Birla set to buy US firm for $900 million

AV Birla set to buy US firm for $900 million

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2011

The Aditya Birla Group is in acquisition mode again. It appears set to acquire US carbon black manufacturer Columbian Chemicals. According to two independent sources, negotiations are at the last stages, and a deal is expected to be announced next week. The size of the deal, said these sources, is expected to be around $900 million (Rs 4,100 crore).

'Essar stake in Vodafone Essar is $2 billion'

'Essar stake in Vodafone Essar is $2 billion'

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2011

Five months before the put option window closes, JP Morgan has come out with a report stating that Essar's stake in Vodafone Essar is around $2 billion, which is far less than what the shareholder agreement between the two companies in 2007 envisaged.

Anchor plan to sell FMCG business

Anchor plan to sell FMCG business

Rediff.com   6 Jan 2011

The Mumbai-based Shah family of the diversified Anchor Group has decided to put its FMCG portfolio of oral care and personal care products on the block, according to two independent sources.

Patni-iGate deal hit by procedural delays

Patni-iGate deal hit by procedural delays

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2011

A stake sale deal between Patni Computer Systems and iGate is on course, but has been delayed due to procedural issues.Sources involved in the deal said they include tax-related developments and offshore transaction fees.

iGate-Apax closes in on Patni deal

iGate-Apax closes in on Patni deal

Rediff.com   24 Dec 2010

However, the Carlyle-Advent consortium could revise its bid upwards, said two independent sources tracking the deal.

Mittal brothers may chart their own course

Mittal brothers may chart their own course

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2010

Vinod takes centrestage as Pramod stays away from deal; uncertainty over the latter's continuity on Ispat board.

Jindal brothers join race for Ispat

Jindal brothers join race for Ispat

Rediff.com   17 Dec 2010

The O P Jindal Group has emerged as a strong contender for Ispat Industries, the debt-laden company owned by Pramod and Vinod Mittal.

Franchise route likely for Future, Carrefour JV

Franchise route likely for Future, Carrefour JV

Rediff.com   13 Dec 2010

As and when the sector opens up to FDI, the world's second-largest retailer will automatically get equity in Pantaloon Retail or will enjoy right of first refusal, said the sources.

Govt queers Vedanta buy

Govt queers Vedanta buy

Rediff.com   8 Dec 2010

The mining ministry's inordinate delay in giving approval to group firm Hindustan Zinc to buy London-based Anglo American's zinc mines has forced the company to route it through Sterlite.

Steelmakers look downstream for higher margins

Steelmakers look downstream for higher margins

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2010

Stable rise in demand, mega steel capacities on the anvil have resulted in the firms shifting up the value chain.

Essar Steel looks abroad for auto partner

Essar Steel looks abroad for auto partner

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2010

Essar Steel wants to partner with a foreign company to consolidate its position in the automobile steel market in India. The company, soon to be a 10-million tonne per annum manufacturer, has 20-25 per cent of the auto steel market. It does not wish to lose any of it to the recent joint ventures formed by various Indian steelmakers with Japanese ones.

NTT resumes talks for Patni promoter stake

NTT resumes talks for Patni promoter stake

Rediff.com   29 Nov 2010

NTT had earlier sought the combined 63 per cent stake of the promoters and private equity firm General Atlantic Partners, but their exclusive talks failed due to a valuation mismatch.

The rise and rise of Money Matters

The rise and rise of Money Matters

Rediff.com   25 Nov 2010

The company, which finds itself at the centre of the real estate scam, as alleged by the Central Bureau of Investigation, is housed in a dilapidated building, and from the exterior, nobody can ever guess that the fourth floor of MMFSL would be so swanky.

JSW Energy inks Rs1,895-cr deal for African coal

JSW Energy inks Rs1,895-cr deal for African coal

Rediff.com   24 Nov 2010

Sajjan Jindal's JSW Energy moved a step closer to securing its coal requirements, signing a definitive agreement with the management of CIC Energy on Wednesday, to buy them out and take control of the Toronto-listed company. CIC Energy has an 'A-grade' mining-cum-power complex called the Mmamabula Energy Complex in Botswana, Africa. The field there is estimated to have 2.6 billion tonnes of high-thermal coal, mostly above 6,000 Kcal/kg of calorific value.

Vedanta gives Modi's aluminium plant offer a miss

Vedanta gives Modi's aluminium plant offer a miss

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2010

Vedanta Aluminium is sourcing half of its bauxite requirement from Bharat Aluminium Company's mines.

Nalco plans to enter the power business

Nalco plans to enter the power business

Rediff.com   16 Nov 2010

National Aluminium Company (Nalco) has chalked out plans to enter the power business through the special purpose vehicle (SPV) route. The company plans to produce over 2000 MW by 2016.