Balco

The company commenced its activities towards an integrated aluminium project at Kobra in Madhya Pradesh almost 30 years ago. BALCO has two working units, one at Kobra having a production capacity of 1, 00,000 tones of aluminium including semis and the second in West Bengal at Jaykaynagar, an erstwhile private unit nationalised in June, 1984 and vested in BALCO renamed as BIDHANBAG).

The Korba project is the result of a multinational collaboration. While M/s ChemoKomplex of Hungary assisted in the alumina plant,

the expertise of M/s Tsvetmetpromexport of the U.S.S.R. was drawn upon for the smelter and fabrication plants. On the Indian side, NIDC and MECON provided the prime consultancy for the alumina plant and the smelter and fabrication complex.

Bauxite for the aluminium refinery comes from BLACO's captive mines at Pahutkaphar, Amarkantak and Manipat in Madhya Pradesh. Part of the company's requirement of Bauxite is also met from outside sources. The company is now developing a new mine taken on lease at Rajnandgaon, which will lead to self sufficiency in bauxite requirement during the coming years. The growth, performance and achievements of BALCO are unparalleled in the Indian aluminium industry. BALCO has witnessed a consistent rise in its profits since 1987-88 with a steady growth from Rs.19 lakhs to Rs. 163 crores. The company achieved a highest ever turnover of Rs, 760.57 crores for the year 1996-96 by sale of 91,996 tonnes of aluminium, earning a profit before tax of Rs. 127.17 crores for the year ended 31'st March 1997. The company witnessed a setback in the early part of 1997 because of failure of one of its units of the captive power plant but is espoused to finish wit better turnover exceeding Rs. 800 crores this year and will also

improve upon its profits by value addition of its products.