Twenty six years ago, ITC responded to the call of the Nation for backward area
development and chose a tribal-dominated village in Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh to
set up its first paperboards mill. Today, ITC’s Unit in Bhadrachalam is synonymous
with the largest and the most contemporary paperboards manufacturing facility in the
country. It accounts for over 80% of ITC’s total installed paperboard manufacturing
capacity of 325,000 tonnes.
Yet, only a decade ago, outdated technology
and products, dwindling sources of raw material supply and the high cost and unreliability
of power supply had stacked the odds overwhelmingly against the business. Conventional
wisdom would have dictated ITC’s exit from the business. However, ITC’s total
commitment to creating sustainable value within India inspired the Company, against all
odds, to craft a comprehensive turnaround strategy.
The aggressive pursuit of international
competitiveness in cost and quality has enabled ITC’s Paperboards business to
fundamentally reinvent itself. The implementation of state-of-the-art technology has
enabled the Company to create value-added products and packaging solutions, making ITC the
decisive leader in this segment. The effective implementation of innovative energy and
fibre strategies have provided the Company a distinct competitive advantage in the fast
globalising Indian market.
