Bilt Q1 net rises 29%

BS 200 SCORECARD

Ballarpur Industries has reported a 28.5 per cent rise in its Q1 (July-September) net profit at Rs 40.1 crore from Rs 31.21 crore in Q1 of 2003-04. However, total income fell one per cent to Rs 493.24 crore (Rs 499.13 crore).

According to Bilt vice-chairman & managing director Gautam Thapar, the improvement in net profit for the quarter in spite of a flat turnover is due to softening in international pulp prices.

Pulp accounts for almost half of the cost of producing paper. "This has been particularly important in the performance of the plant we acquired from Sinar Mas as it uses imported pulp," he said.