Mr. Deepak Atal

Mr. Deepak Atal has joined the Apeejay Tea Group as Managing Director from Oct 1,2004.Mr. Atal brings with him 35 years of management experience having joined the Tea industry in 1969 as an Asst. Manager in Assam with James Warren.
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Mr. Atal in the year 2000 joined South Asian Petrochem Ltd. as an Executive Director.He has served as Chairman, Indian Tea Association, CCPA, and later Darjeeling Planters Association in the eightees.A keen sports enthusiast with interests in Golf and Cricket Mr. Atal is also active in the Club circle of Kolkata having served as the President of Tollygunge Club in the year 2001-2002.

Deepak Atal

Mr. Deepak Atal, Managing Director, Apeejay Tea Group

Interview with Mr. Deepak Atal, Managing Director, Apeejay Tea Group

Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, Mr. Deepak Atal, Executive Director, said that the project with an annual capacity of 1.4 lakh tonnes will be set up in association with the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC).Dhunseri Group, the core promoter, alongwith WBIDC will be contributing Rs.105 crores to the equity.Zimmer AG of Germany a member of the Lurgi Group, who will be the EPC contractor for the project, has also been offered a stake of less than seven per cent, said Mr. Atal.The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Helm AG and Polytrade, also German companies, for export of about 73% of the total output from the SAPL plant.Mr. Atal said though the market condition was not encouraging, with substantial part of the equity having been almost tied up, the company does not expect to face any difficulty in mopping up the resources from the market.

Three PSU insurance companies, LIC, GIC and United Insurance Company have also agreed to subscribe to the FCD issue to the extent of Rs.25 cr. About the prospects of the project, he said there was a huge demand for PET resin bottles.Worldover, the resin market was growing at steady 12%, which gave SAPL the confidence to go for a global scale capacity of 1.4 lakh tonnes.

West Bengal govt to exit Haldia Petro by March '02

THE West Bengal government will get out of Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) as a major promoter by March 31, a senior bureaucrat told.

It is just the beginning. ‘‘We are scouting for opportunities to acquire businesses or brands both in India and abroad," says Deepak Atal, managing director of Apeejay Tea Ltd, part of the Karan Paul-led Apeejay Surrendra Group.Meanwhile, Goodricke India, part of the diversified Camellia group from the UK, is contemplating the launch of innovative and designer teas in the international market.

The company is said to be talking to buyers in European countries such as Germany for the same, though company secretary DP Chakraborti reiterates that the rollout will take a while. ‘‘It is still some way off," he says.
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Says Atal of Apeejay Tea, ‘‘What counts is the goodwill of the company being acquired and its product portfolio.