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Expansion project targeted for completion by Sept 2009

Tiruchi May 18 Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd (TNPL) would soon call for tenders for its second phase of mill development programme, to be taken up at an investment of Rs 680 crore, Mr V. Moorthy, Managing Director of TNPL, said here on Friday.

A third paper machine would be added to the company's unit at Pugalur in Karur district under the expansion programme which would increase its production capacity to 3.65 lakh tonnes a year. Techno-economic feasibility report has been submitted by the consultant Seshasayee Paper and Boards. The expansion programme is targeted for completion by September 2009 and the company would mobilise the resource through internal generation and loans, Mr Moorthy said in an informal chat with reporters.

TNPL unit currently produces about 2.3 lakh tonnes of newsprint, writing and printing paper a year. The first phase of mill development programme, now under execution at a cost of Rs 565 crore, will be completed by July. It would increase its capacity to 2.45 lakh tonnes a year, with a major portion of the funds being spent on strengthening the company's effluent treatment systems.

Cement plant

TNPL has also decided to put up a cement plant with a capacity of 400 tonnes a day at its factory premises with an investment of about Rs 45 crore. The plant, which would fully utilise the fly-ash and lime sludge discharge, would be commissioned by March 2009, Mr Moorthy said.

An Information Technology Park would be developed under the Build Own Operate and Transfer scheme at TNPL's property in Chennai.

The company has exported about 52,500 tonnes of writing and printing paper, worth Rs 180 crore, during 2006-07 and the export target for the current financial year is 54,000 tonnes. The company has added new clients in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador and its products are now being exported to 26 countries.

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