The Hindu Business Line : Ellora Time forays into vitrified tiles

The Rs 500-crore Ellora Time Ltd, clock makers under the Ajanta-Quartz brands, has diversified into manufacturing vitrified tiles with the aim of doubling its turnover this fiscal.

The Morbi-based group may also foray into food products soon.

After the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, inaugurated the group's first showroom of vitrified tiles here on Sunday, its Director Mr Jaysukh O. Patel told a news conference that Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd (Ceramic Division) had set up its vitrified tiles factory at Bhachau, Kutch district, with installed capacity of 30,000 sq metres per annum at an investment of Rs 250 crore.

Since the demand was increasing 30-40 per cent per annum, the company may invest as much to expand its capacity further, for which infrastructure has already been developed in the 213-acre area. At present, the company was utilising 60 per cent of its capacity and may go fully critical soon.

Mr Patel said that its facility, under the brand name of Oreva, had the longest kiln in the country with a 16-megawatt in-house power plant, a 48-head polishing machine and a 5,000-tonne press, apart from the largest tile formats of one square metre size. The company expected a business of about Rs 500 crore this year and is setting up showrooms and galleries across India.

Company officials also told reporters that the group was considering to enter the food product business as well, with an investment of about Rs 20 crore at the Morbi complex. Initially, the group would foray into potato wafers, namkeen and other snacks.

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