Micon Snaps Link With Nepc, Floats Own Company

NEG Micon, the windmill major from Denmark, has snapped ties with the city-based NEPC group and formed its own 100 per cent subsidiary called Asian Wind Turbines.

The NEPC group, it may be recalled, had re-christened itself as NEPC India late last year. NEPC Micon was the flagship of the business group led by the Khemkas that has interests in textiles, paper, processed foods and airlines.

The break-up with Micon comes at a time when NEPC's other high-profile business as a private airline operator is in the dumps.

The parting of ways finally Micon came about when trouble brewing between the two firms reached a point of no-return. The main hassle, from Micon's point of view, was the quality of the wind turbines being supplied.

 

The new Micon company, Asian Wind Turbines was incorporated in late 1996 and commercial production commenced in October 1997. Its production facility at Kandanchavdy, on the outskirts of Chennai, is the first outside Denmark.

The local subsidiary will cater to the entire south Asian region in due course.

Although slated to commence operations only in the latter half of this year, Asian Wind Turbines started ahead of schedule as it bagged some substantial projects.

It has just completed a 4 mega watt project in Gujarat and has another 3 mega watt project lined up in Sri Lanka.

In its first year of operations, Asian Wind Turbines expects a turnover of RS 25 crore.

In the coming year, the company hopes to install equipment that can generate 15 mw in the country.

It is also entering into annual maintenance contracts with clients who were earlier serviced by NEPC Micon. Its client list in Tamil Nadu include India Cements, Chettinad Cement and Dalmia Cements and Tamilnadu Newsprint Ltd.

The cement manufacturers meet between 10 and 15 per cent of their power requirements from wind energy.