Autoline Industries Ltd - Stock Valuation and Financial Performance

Autoline Industries (AIL) was incorporated on December 16, 1996, as Autoline Stampings. It was initially set up in January 1995 as a partnership firm known as Autoline Pressings under the Indian Partnership Act 1932, with a capital of Rs 0.30 million and term loan of Rs 0.15 million from State Bank of India and Cash Credit limit of Rs 0.05 million.

AIL has grown into a medium sized engineering and auto ancillary company manufacturing sheet metal components, sub-assemblies and assemblies for large OEMs in the automobile industry.

August 2004 was major turning point in Autoline's history. Tata Motors was looking to entrust the manufacture of the load body of their new mini truck to someone whose capabilities they believed in. It was a challenge, no doubt, to its highly skilled yet small team that had hitherto handled designs and manufacture of small and medium assemblies. However, being a team that enjoys challenges, Autoline got cracking and tackled the job so efficiently that in precisely 20 weeks, the first mini truck model named 'Ace' load body came off the assembly and six months later a 200 strong workforce was rolling out 150 load bodies in a three-shift day, as Ace became a runway success, six months down the line another fully automated line had to be set up to meet the demand of 300 units per day.

AIL is exporting auto parts i.e. brake shoes for Mercedes Benz trailers to Saudi Arabia, Dubai, etc. Further negotiations are at various stages with various Detroit-based auto component makers for direct exports. Due to excellent quality in work, cost competitiveness, timely deliveries and state-of-the-art Tool Room with latest CAD / CAM facilities, the company has, in a short span, become prime vendor to all the reputed Auto Manufacturers in and around Pune.

Business area of the company

The company is engaged in manufacturing of various auto parts/sheet metal components for passenger cars, sports utility vehicles (SUV), commercial vehicles, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, tractors, etc.

Subsidiaries of the company

• Western Pressing
• Autoline Dimensions Software
• Union Autoline Spare Parts LLC, UAE
• DEP Autoline INC. USA
• Autoline Industries USA INC.
• Nirmiti Auto Components

Milestones

• January 1995: Set up the first manufacturing facility at Kudalwadi, Chikhali, Pune with one 150 T ‘C’ frame press and supporting machinery on a built-up shed of 3000 sq ft area. Doing job work as Tier III supplier
• June 1996: Obtained the Vendor Code for direct supplies to Bajaj Auto.
• September 1996: Obtained the Vendor Code for direct supplies to Tata Motors. (then TELCO)
• December 1996: Converted the partnership firm into a private limited company
• June 1997: Expanded the facilities at Kudalwadi by acquiring adjacent land, adding 250/300 T press, setting quality systems, etc. for supplies to Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors and Kinetic Engg.
• January 1998: Received ‘CQ’ certification from Tata Motors for supplying on “DSL” basis (Direct Supply Online, without inspection at OEM)
• March 1997 to October 1998: Set up second manufacturing facility at Chakan with presses ranging from 250 T to 600 T and supporting facilities for Tata Motors prestigious “Indica” car project on the basis of Letter of Intent
• August 1999: Set up a tool room at Chakan.  Imported Hartford CNC vertical milling centre and bought other sophisticated machines locally.
• December 1999: Set up CAD/CAM facilities with the latest software available for tool making.
• April 2001: Took over Amogh Engineers, a Rs 40 million company manufacturing brake assembly for Tata Motors 407/709 models and also entered into export of brake shoes to UAE, Singapore, Germany, etc.(since merged with AIL).
• September 2002: Received QS 9000/ISO 9002: 1994 certification from TUV(Rh), Germany for Chakan Plant.
• June 2003: Took over smaller pressing companies (Tier II and III) locally supplying to Tata Motors with their dies and tools.
• December 2003: Set up third manufacturing unit at MIDC, Bhosari on 54,000 sq ft land with a modern light press shop facilities (Press Range 40 T to 300 T) for small and medium components for Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Walker Exhaust, Kinetic, etc.
• February 2004: Obtained a term loan from a nationalized bank and shifted its banking operations from a co-operative bank to a large bank in the public sector.
• March 2004: The company achieved a turnover of Rs 510 million in 2003-04, registering a hefty growth of 87% over previous year.
• August 2004: Load body for Tata Motors prestigious “Ace” mini truck model awarded to company as a single source supplier, to make large sized floor dies in-house.
• October 2004: Chakan unit gets ISO/ TS 16949: 2002 certification from TUV (Rh), Germany one among the 40 companies then all over India
• December 2004: Purchased 15 acres of land in Chakan prime area near to existing factory for future expansion
• February 2005: Bhosari unit gets ISO/TS 16949: 2002 certification from TUV (Rh), Germany
• August 2005: Duke Special Opportunities Fund, a private equity investor, invests in company
• November 2005: Acquired as a wholly-owned subsidiary Western Pressing, a company manufacturing tubular cross members, silencers and exhaust systems thus is getting into proprietary products. Turnover of Rs 140 million in 2005-06.
• March 2006: Acquired 51% stake in Dimensions Engineering Software Services, a company with 40 people into CAD/CAM/CAE and design engineering services making AIL a “Concept to Delivery” company.
• September, 2006: Filed Draft Red Herring Prospectus with Securities and Exchange Board of India
• November, 2006: Crossed Turnover of Rs 111 crore achieved in full financial year 2005-06
• January,2007: Launched its Initial Public Offering (IPO) and listed in Bombay 
• March 2007: Commenced commercial production of skin panel like door assembly at Chakan Unit II
• March 2007: 100% acquisition of Autoline Dimensions Software.
• March 2007: Closed financial year with turnover of Rs 210 crore.