A Brunner Mond redux for Tata Chemicals
DNA Money — March 27, 2007

A year after it acquired Brunner Mond, a soda ash manufacturer, Tata Chemicals is now shopping for another overseas acquisition in the same segment. Brunner Mond Group, the UK-based soda ask maker, has major interests in Kenya. Investment banking circles are talking about Tata Chemicals eyeing another overseas acquisition, possibly in the soda ash space in the next fiscal. P K Ghose, chief financial officer (CFO), Tata Chemicals, told DNA Money:

"We are looking out for acquisitions and the focus is more on overseas soda ash firms though no deal has been finalised yet and if something happens, company will inform the stock exchanges."

Tata Chemicals plans to invest Rs 50 crore over the next three years in research and development (R&D) on new technologies in the biofuels (jatropha, sweet sorgum), and nano- technology space. It is also investing initially around Rs 26 crore for setting of supply chains in Kolkata and Ludhiana for fresh farm products.