GHCL Limited

Background GHCL Ltd (GHCL) was established in 1988 as Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd. In 2005, the company entered the European markets by acquiring a soda ash manufacturer in Romania. In 2006, the company acquired Rosebys, a home textile retailer with more than 300 retail stores across UK; and in Feb 2007, it acquired a US based home textile player named Best Manufacturing Group. The company is mainly involved in the business of soda ash and textiles. Business Profile

GHCL operates its business through two segments viz. inorganic chemicals and home textiles. The inorganic chemicals segment mainly manufactures light and dense soda ash used in textiles, paper, metallurgical industries and desalination plants. The company's soda ash is also used in detergent, soap, glass, and food products among others. The home textile segment manufactures cotton yarn, griege fabric and home textile products like bed linen, curtains, madeups, pillow cases, duvet covers and other bed-top items. The company operates a soda ash plant at Junagadh, Gujarat; salt works and refineries at Nagapattinam and Thiruporur in TN; and textile units at Madurai and Manaparai in TN and Valsad, Gujarat. For FY08, the company's annual installed capacity stood at 850,000 MT of soda ash; 200,000 MT of refined salt; 140,000 spindles of yarn and 18,000 MT of sodium bicarbonate. During FY08, the company commenced the restructuring of its business wherein the company's home textile business of sourcing and manufacturing and its retail business would be shifted to separate subsidiaries; and GHCL would only house the soda ash business.