Duncans Industries Ltd - Stock Valuation and Financial Performance

Duncans Industries Limited, a Duncan Goenka Group company, was incorporated in 1951 with interests in two of the core industries of India, tea and jute.The company is presently in the tea and fertilizers sector.

The tea gardens of the company encompass over 7500 hectares of land spread over the Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling regions of North Bengal. The average garden yields are almost 50% more than the All India average. The Company’s own in-house research and development has helped achieve optimal use of nutrients and fertilizers.

Uprooting/replanting and rejuvenation of tea areas are carried out regularly, and planting is done with high yielding clones which have been propagated in the company’s own nurseries. The two prestigious gardens in Darjeeling, Marybong, and Runglee Rungliot , have very successfully implemented Quality Systems in line with ISO 9002 standards. They have been awarded the ISO 9002 certification from Det Norske Veritas (DNV). The Group plants over 2,00,000 tress every year to help improve the micro climate of the area.

By the 80’s Duncans had established itself as a major packet tea player in India. The result was an ambitious land project. In 1990 Duncans acquired about 2,000 hectares of land in Dinajpur & Jalpaiguri districts of North Bengal. And thus was laid the foundation of four gardens being developed under two land projects : TLP (Tarai land Project) & MLP (Madarihat Land Project). With Duncans’ long expertise in plantation these gardens are being developed into one of the finest clonal gardens in the world.

The fertisiler division derives tremendous satisfaction from the strong brand equity that its brand of 'Chand Chhap' urea has built over the years. 'Chand Chhap' is a virtual household name in the rural markets of the division’s command area. The brand has been painstakingly nurtured by an excellent quality product, attractive packaging,reliability in supplies, extensive promotion and superior customer service. The 'Chand Chacha' mascot has further developed the 'Chand Chhap' brand equity by heightening brand recall. The target consumer – the farmer – identifies himself with the brand mascot in everyday rural life with the 'Chand Chacha' perceived as playing a formidable role in farmers’ upliftment and prosperity.

The Duncan Goenka Group today is highly diversified with 20 operating companies and a workforce of 40,000 employees. Its present turnover of Rs. 20 billion, places it amongst the top ten industrial groups in the country.

Duncans goes on to become one of the country’s fastest growing business houses, their interests touching industries as far-encompassing and varied as electronics, tyre machinery, petrochemicals, thermosetting plastics, paper, specialty chemicals, synthetic rubber, carbon black, nylon tyre cord, synthetic fibers, leasing, and even education and healthcare.

For Duncans Industries Limited, 1998-99 has been immensely satisfying. Not because it joined the elite fraternity of Indian Companies with its annual turnover in excess of Rs 1000 crore but the satisfaction evolved from both core operating businesses giving a most creditable account of themselves and in the process improving profits despite the general recession in the entire operating enviroment.

Product range

It products are available in Darjeeling Teas and CTC Teas.

• Runglee Rungliot- A premium Darjeeling tea, Runglee Rungliot is one of the oldest brands of Duncans, named exclusively after the garden it is grown in. Packaged in shades of cool green, with the Himalayan peaks as the backdrop, this brand is famed for its light liquor and lingering aroma. Available in 250 gm and 100gm carton.
• Shakti- Shakti CTC leaf is available in 1 kg to 50 gm poly packs, while CTC dust sells in 100 gm to 25 gm soft packs and 1 kg to 25 gm poly packs
• Double Diamond- A trendsetter in the jar segment, Double Diamond maintains an attractive inventory of jars, from the 250gm ‘Keep Fresh’ to the 500 gm ‘Vacuum Jars’. Cartons come in 500gm, 250 gm, 100 gm and 50 gm pack sizes.The brand is also conveniently available in soft packs and paise packs.
• No.1- Distributed in poly, carton and jar variants, the 500 gm, 250 gm and 100 gm cartons are popular in the domestic segments.
• Sargam- Packaged in majestic green, it is available in 250 gm to 1 kg jars, and 25 gm to 500 gm paise packs.

Recent developments

Double Diamond, Duncans’ flagship brand, is now being launched in the new never-before METALOCKâ PACK with registered Almetâ lining in 100g, 250g and 500g packs.