Journey of Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited

Incorporated in 1924, Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited is a Government of India Enterprise that is involved in the business of Logistics Infrastructure and Services, manufacturing of Industrial Packaging and Greases and Lubricants and Tours and Travels. The company started as a partnership firm in 1867 in Kolkata. In 1888, the company started food export to the West Indies. In 1924, Balmer Lawrie became a private limited company, and in 1936, it became a public limited company. In 1937, Balmer Lawrie & Company started grease production in Pilkhana, Howrah. In 1947, they opened branches in Chittagong and Karachi. In 1972, Balmer Lawrie became a subsidiary of Indo Burma Petroleum Co. Ltd. and a government company. In 1987, the company became a ‘Schedule B’ PSE (Public Sector Enterprise). In 1990, the company went public and got listed on the stock exchanges in India. In 1995, the company began exporting leather chemical products. In 2003, it became a Mini Ratna II PSE, which was followed by Mini Ratna I PSE status in 2006. In 2022, the company started its Cold Chain Unit in Bhubaneswar. As of March 2023, Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited has 6 manufacturing plants in India and their products and services are supplied all over the country. They also serve 5 overseas regions.

Business Segments of Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited

There are 2 strategic business units of the company, as follows:

• Manufacturing Business:The company is involved in the manufacturing of industrial packaging products like steel barrels and drums, as well as leather chemicals. They also manufacture and supply grease, lubricants and compounds. The company also delivers advanced technical services for the oil and gas industry, with a primary core priority on pollution prevention and the recovery of hydrocarbons from waste.
• Service Business: Under this segment, the company offers services like container freight stations, cold chain and other logistics services. They also offer tours and travel services, such as ticketing and planning package tours.

As of March 31, 2023, the subsidiary company of Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited is,

• Visakhapatnam Port Logistics Park Limited:This is a subsidiary of the organization that was established to set up a Multi-Modal Logistics Hub (MMLH) at Visakhapatnam. Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited holds a stake of 60% in this organization.

Key Personalities of Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited

Adika Ratna Sekhar, Chairman and Managing Director Adika Ratna Sekhar has been the Chairman and Managing Director of Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited since November 2021. He has more than 30 years of experience and has worked at various companies, such as Vijay Electricals Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Federal-Mogul Goetze India Limited, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited, Ramky Group of Companies and Tata Projects Limited. He joined Balmer Lawrie & Company in 2014 as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources.

Corporate Actions of Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited

• In 2019, the organization announced a bonus share of 1:2 ratio with a record date of December 28, 2019.
• In 2016, the organization announced a bonus share of 3:1 ratio with a record date of December 27, 2016.
• In 2013, the organization announced a bonus share of 3:4 ratio with a record date of May 24, 2013.