BANGALORE, APRIL 4: The Rs 300-crore Hyderabad Industries Ltd, a CK Birla group company, is planning to acquire a controlling stake in Malabar Building Products Ltd (MBPL).Confirming this, Hyderabad Industries executive vice-president V Pattabhi said: "The company is negotiating with the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) for the purpose. We are planning to increase our stake to 51 per cent from the present 24 per cent. KSIDC is willing to dilute its equity holding in this venture," he added.Based in Trichur, Kerala, Malabar Building Products is jointly promoted by Hyderabad Industries and KSIDC with equity participation of 24 per cent and 26 per cent respectively while the balance 50 per cent is with the public.The company is mainly involved in the manufacturing and marketing of building materials like Aerocon panels, AC roofing sheets, and ARTZ sanitaryware. Malabar Building Products reported a sales turnover of Rs 27 crore in 1997-98 against Rs 22 crore registered in theprevious year, according to Pattabhi.Diversifying into the manufacturing of solid surfacing materials and cultured marble products, MBPL has set up a production facility in Alway in Kerala. The Rs 3-crore facility has a manufacturing capacity of about 200 tonne of material per annum.The company has also entered into a marketing alliance with the $1-billion Wilsonart International of the US to offer "Eurostone" dsurfacing material in the country.In addition to selling the products, Malabar Building Products will also be providing a wide range of customer support and design services to ensure perfect installation. The company is also opening "Eurostone showrooms" in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi for educating the architectures and customers.Eurostone is available in an array of 24 colours, unlike the limited range of marble and granite which can be co-ordinated or contrasted with the colour scheme of the environment. It can be polished to high gloss or matt finish to resemble raw stone.One of the main advantages of this material is that it is completely renewable, claimed Pattabhi.
