Clean paper mills make better profits

IPMA estimates India's printing paper market at 4.6 mn tonnes in 2015-16 with annual growth of 5%

Writing and printing paper mills have seen a sharp increase in their top and bottom lines over the last six quarters. Seshasayee Paper posted a nearly 10-fold increase in its net profit to Rs 39.54 crore in the March quarter and West Coast Paper posted a two-and-a-half times jump. Profits of International Paper, JK Paper and Tamil Nadu Newsprint also increased, but at a slower pace. Their income is up significantly.

A number of small and medium size mills have shut down over the past six quarters due to stringent environmental laws. Mills are required to make large capital investments in