Incorporated in Feb.'46, Madhusudan Industries (formerly Madhusudan Vegetable Products Company), now better known for its CERA range of sanitaryware and tiles, has emerged as a major force in the Indian ceramic industry. In 1980-81, it broadened its footprint operations into the sanitaryware industry, with its own technology. In 1987-88, it achieved a production of 8240 tpa (about 92% of the capacity). The company also exports sanitaryware to the Gulf countries.

The company has the units at Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Chittorgarh and Jamnagar. The company went public in Oct.'89 to expand the capacity of the tile unit from 7,000 tpa to 14,000 tpa; to manufacture glazed tiles and also to raise the capacity of the solvent extraction plant from 25,500 tpa to 45,000 tpa.

In Nov.'92, the company offered PCDs on a rights basis to part-finance its Rs 25-crore modernisation plan. Today, it has an installed capacity of 36,000 tpa of vanaspati and refined oils, 23,000 tpa of cotton seed decortication, 13,500 tpa of oil mill expelling, 15,000 tpa of vitreous china sanitaryware, 7,000 tpa of ceramic tiles, 1,80,000 tpa of oil cake extraction, 3,600 tpa of soap, 7,500 tpa of refined vegetable oils. The company imported technology from West Germany, UK & Italy.

Cera Leasing Finance & Industries and Madhusudan Ceramics Industries are the subsidiaries of the company. The company continues to be first and the only sanitaryware manufacturer with ISO 9002 certification - the international recognition for quality system.

The company has decided to hive off its Ceramic Division by approving the Scheme of Arrangement and Reconstruction in the nature of De-merger. The de-merged Ceramic Division of the company will be transferred to another company, Madhusudan Oils and Fats Ltd.