Aditya Birla(Aditya Birla Group)

Aditya Vikram Birla (14 November 1943, - 1 October 1995), was an Indian industrialist. Born into one of the largest business families of India, Birla oversaw the diversification of his group into textiles, petrochemicals and telecommunications. He was one of the first Indian industrialists to expand abroad, setting up plants in South east Asia, Philippines and Egypt, among other places.
Background Aditya Birla was born on 14 November 1943 in Kolkata to industrialist Basant Kumar and Sarala Birla .Aditya Vikram Birla was born into the formidable business family of the Birlas, and is the grandson of the legendary Ghanshyam Das Birla, who was one of India's most outstanding industrialists and founder of the vast Birla industrial empire. Besides being a successful business tycoon, he also led a well-balanced family-life, along with his wife, son Kumarmangalam, the present Chairman, and a daughter.
Education

Aditya Birla completed his formal education, graduating in science from St Xavier's College, Calcutta, and then earning a degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston.

Career
After returning to India in 1965, Birla struck out on his own in textiles. His Eastern Spinning Mills in Kolkata quickly became a success, putting the group's sinking rayon and textile business back on track. He was then placed in charge of the corporation's expansion into the oil sector. It was also the time that Indira Gandhi was consolidating her hold on the Congress Party with a series of populist moves-nationalizing banks and enacting draconian controls on private investment. Her socialist ideas clearly dampened his attempt to expand, to build world sizeplants, to bring in world-class technology, or even modernize old plants. Having

turned around Indian rayon, he now hungered around bigger challenges. His thoughts tuned eastward, In 1969, Birla set up Indo-Thai Synthetics Company Ltd, the group's first overseas company. In 1973, he established P.T. Elegant Textiles to manufacture spun yarn. It marked the group's first venture in Indonesia. In 1974 Thai Rayon, the Group's Viscose Rayon Staple Fibre business was incorporated in Thailand. In 1975 The Indo Phil Group of companies, the first Indo-Filipino joint venture commenced production of spun yarn. In 1977 Pan Century Edible Oils was incorporated in Malaysia, going on to become the world's largest single-location palm oil refinery. In 1978 Thai Carbon Black, the Group's first carbon black company was incorporated in Thailand. In 1982 P.T Indo Bharat Rayon was established, the first producer of Viscose Staple Fibre in Indonesia. All these ventures not only put the Birla group on world map but also carved a niche for corporate India.

Businesses
Aditya Birla is organized into various subsidiaries that operate across different sectors. Among these are viscose staple fibre, non-ferrous metals, cement, viscose filament yarn, branded apparel, carbon black, chemicals, Retail (under the 'More' brand of supermarkets), fertilizers, chemicals, insulators, financial services, telecom, BPO and IT services. The Group consists of four main companies, which operate in various industry sectors through subsidiaries, joint ventures, etc. These are Hindalco, Grasim, Aditya Birla Nuvo, Idea cellular and UltraTech Cement. Operating Countries The Group operates in 33 countries Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Laos, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, UAE, UK, USA and Vietnam. Non-ferrous metals The Group's non-ferrous metals are under Hindalco.[7] It is a dominant player in aluminum and copper. Its manufacturing locations are primarily in India, and it owns mines in Australia. On 11 February 2007, the company entered into an

agreement to acquire the Canadian company Novelis for U$6 billion,[8] making the combined entity the world's largest rolled-aluminium producer. On 15 May 2007, the acquisition was completed with Novelis shareholders receiving $44.93 per outstanding share of common stock.[9] Hindalco makes alumina chemicals, primary aluminum, rolled products, alloy wheels, roofing sheets, wire rods, cast copper rods, copper cathodes and several other products.[10] Cement The Group's cement business was earlier under both Grasim Industries and UltraTech Cement. The two entities are now merged into UltraTech cement to form India's largest cement company. UltraTech cement was originally the cement business of L&T which was acquired by Aditya Birla Group in 2004. Carbon black The Group is the fourth largest manufacturer of Carbon Black worldwide.[11] It operates out of facilities in Egypt, Thailand, India and China. Birla has also announced their intentions to purchase Columbian Chemicals Co. Press Release Textile business The Aditya Birla Group is the world's largest player in the Viscose Staple Fiber industry.[12] It operates out of India, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and China. It owns the Birla Cellulose brand. Apart from viscose staple fiber, the group also owns acrylic fiber businesses in Egypt and Thailand, viscose filament yarn businesses and spinning mills at several locations all over India and South East Asia. The group has pulp and plantation interests in Canada and has recently invested in plantations in Laos. The Aditya Birla group is also a major player in the branded garments market in India. Telecom Services Main article: Idea Cellular

Idea Cellular is now owned by Aditya Birla Group.[13] Idea Cellular started off as a joint venture with the group, AT&T and the Tata Group. However the stakes of the remaining partners was eventually acquired by the group. After an Initial Public Offering on the Indian Stock Markets, Idea Cellular now accounts for a third of the group's market capitalization. The company is headquartered in Mumbai and has pan-India operations.

Major subsidiaries and associates

Aditya Birla Nuvo Grasim Industries Limited Hindalco Industries Limited UltraTech Cement Limited Aditya Birla Minacs Worldwide Limited Samruddhi Cement Novelis Inc. Aditya Birla Minerals Aditya Birla Chemicals (India)Limited Utkal Alumina International Limited Dahej Harbour & Infrastructure Limited Aditya Birla Science and Technology Company Limited Tubed Coal Mines Limited Birla Sun Life Asset Management Company Limited Aditya Birla Finance Limited Aditya Birla Money Mart Limited Aditya Birla Money Limited Aditya Birla Insurance Brokers Aditya Birla Capital Advisors Private Limited Idea Cellular Limited Madura Fashion & Lifestyle Essel Mining and Industries Aditya Birla Retail Thai Rayon Indo Thai Synthetics Thai Acrylic Fibre Thai Carbon Black

Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand) Limited Birla Laos Pulp and Plantations Company Limited Indo Phil Textile Mills Indo Phil Cotton Mills Indo Phil Acrylic Manufacturing Corporation Pan Century Surfactants Inc. PT Indo Bharat PT Elegant Textile Industry PT Sunrise Bumi Textiles PT Indo Liberty Textiles PT Indo Raya Kimia Swiss Singapore Overseas Enterprises Pte Limited Alexandria Carbon Black Company SAE Alexandria Fiber Company SAE Liaoning Birla Carbon Company Limited Birla Jingwei Fibres Company Limited

Major Achievements of Aditya Birla Group Largest aluminium rolling company Largest single location copper smelter No.1 in viscose staple fibre The third largest producer of insulators The fourth largest producer of carbon black Among the best energy efficient fertiliser plants Among the world's top 15 and India's top three BPO(business process Outsourcing) companies. One of the biggest producers of primary aluminium in Asia Fastest-growing copper company in Asia The Aditya Birla Group is the 11th largest cement producer in the world and the seventh largest in Asia.