Grasim | About us | Milestones

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milestones | aquisitions and restructuring | recent accolades

Grasim was incorporated on 25 August 1947, just 10 days after India became independent, manufacturing textiles made from imported raw materials. It is now a global leader in viscose staple fibre (VSF), the country's largest merchant producer of sponge iron and the second-largest caustic soda maker in India; and poised to be India's largest cement manufacturer.

Milestones

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | 1993 | 1992 | 1991 | 1987 | 1985 | 1977 | 1972 | 1968 | 1963 | 1962 | 1954 | 1950 | 1947

2009

::	Grasim hives off its sponge iron business by way of slump sale
::	Grasim commissions a greenfield cement plant at Kotputli (Rajasthan).
::	Vikram Cement and Aditya Cement wins the Federation of Indian Mineral and Industries' "Social Awareness Award for the year 2008-09".
::	Grasim's plants Vikram Cement (Khor, Madhya Pradesh) and Aditya Cement (Sambhupura, Rajasthan), have won the TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) CSR Award for their sterling work in 37 villages among 12,550 families in the area of healthcare. Mr. Ratan Shah, the Group Executive President and Chief Marketing Officer, Cement and Mr. R. M. Gupta, Sr. Executive President, Vikram Cement and Aditya Cement, received the Award at the hands of the honourable President of India, Mrs. Pratibha Patil on 5 June at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

2008

::	Grasim commissions brownfield expansion at Aditya Cement at Shambhupura (Rajasthan).

2007

::	Grasim divests Shree Digvijay Cement Company Limited.
::	Textile units at Bhiwani transferred to a subsidiary, Grasim Bhiwani Textiles Limited.
::	Eighteen ready-mix concrete plants commissioned.

2006

::	Formed joint venture company, Birla Jingwei Fibres Company Limited and acquired VSF plant in China.

2005

::	Acquired St. Anne Nackawic Pulp Mill, Canada with Tembec Inc.

2004

::	Completion of the implementation process to demerge the cement business of L&T and completion of OpenOffer by Grasim, with the latter acquiring controlling stake in the newly formed company UltraTech.
::	UltraTech Board reconstituted with Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla taking over as Chairman.
::	The Staple Fibre Division and Engineering & Development Division of Grasim, Nagda receives SA 8000:2001 certification from SAI in recognition of its social accountability initiatives.

2003

::	The board of engineering major, Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) decides to de-merge its cement business into a separate cement company, UltraTech CemCo Limited, now UltraTech Cement Limited.
::	Grasim's Chemical Division receives the SA 8000 (Social Accountability) and OHSAS 18001 certifications.

2002

::	Grasim divests Gwalior textiles unit. Textile operations consolidated at Bhiwani to manufacture 'Grasim' and 'Graviera' brands.
::	Merger of Dharani Cements Limited in Grasim Industries Limited.
::	VSF Research & Application Centre set up at Kharach in Gujarat.

2001

::	Consultancy and software services spun off; becomes separate entity, Birla Technologies Limited.
::	Grasim acquires 10% stake in L&T. Subsequently increases stake to 15.3% by October 2002.
::	Four Ready-Mix Concrete plants commissioned with an aggregate capacity of one million cubic meters.

2000

::	The Lawson Competency Centre is set up as a division of Birla Consultancy & Software Services, the software arm of Grasim, following a tie up with Lawson Software (USA), among Fortune's top five private software companies.

1998

::	Atholville Pulp Mill at Canada - a joint venture with Tembec Inc.
::	The cement business of Group company, Indian Rayon and Industries Limited demerged to Grasim.

1999

::	Grasim's viscose staple fibre (VSF) and rayon grade pulp units at Mavoor are closed down owing to lack of raw material.
::	Third issue on 16 September 1999 to Indian Rayon's GDRs holders: Three GDRs in Grasim for every 10 GDRs in Indian Rayon, on de-merger of its Cement business into Grasim. Nos: 1,624,336

1996

::	The first phase of Grasim's fourth VSF plant is commissioned at Kharach (Gujarat).

1995

::	Grasim commissions two greenfield cement plants — Grasim Cement at Rawan (Chattisgarh) and Aditya Cement at Shambhupura (Rajasthan).
::	Vikram Woollens, spinning unit at Malanpur (Madhya Pradesh) set up.

1994

::	Second issue of GDRs on 15 June 1994 for US $100 million. Nos: 4,878,048

1993

::	Vikram Ispat, India's third largest gas-based sponge iron plant, is commissioned.
::	Birla Consultancy & Software Services is set up, to provide IT consulting services and for software development.

1992

::	Grasim sets up Birla International Marketing Corporation (BIMC), a merchant exporter.
::	First GDR issue on 2 December 1992 for US$ 90 million. Nos: 6,933,745

1991

::	A third production line is added at Vikram Cement.

1987

::	Vikram Cement's second production line is commissioned.

1985

::	Vikram Cement — Grasim's first cement plant goes on stream at Jawad (Madhya Pradesh).

1977

::	Grasim's third rayon plant – at Harihar, Karnataka – goes into production.

1972

::	VSF and Pulp plant at Harihar (Karnataka) based on in-house engineering and know-how.
::	Nagda commences production of rayon grade caustic soda — for VSF production.

1968

::	Rayon production commences at Mavoor, Kerala.

1963

::	Composite textile mill at Bhiwani (Haryana).

1962

::	Inception of Engineering Division for plant and machinery for VSF.

1954

::	VSF production commences at Nagda (Madhya Pradesh).

1950

::	Production of fabrics at Gwalior with imported man-made rayon.

1947

::	Grasim Industries incorporated.

Acquisitions and restructuring

2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 1998

2007

::	Grasim divests Shree Digvijay Cement Company Limited.
::	Textile units at Bhiwani transferred to a subsidiary, Grasim Bhiwani Textiles Limited.