Aksh Optifibre announces expansion plans

MUMBAI: Aksh Optifibre Ltd., the country's second largest optic fiber

manufacturing firm is set to expand its production capacity with the estimated

investment of around Rs 107 crore. Aksh Optifibre CEO Rajiv Naik announced this

at a press conference in Mumbai, recently.

Aksh Optifibre, currently a Rs 145 crore-firm plans to expand their present

capacities of optical fiber cables from 82,038 ckm to 2,10,000 ckm, their fiber

capacity from 14,50,000 ckm by March 2002.

It is worth noting that Aksh had acquired Rs 60 crore-order from BSNL in the

previous financial year. The firm is expected to receive similar orders from

China worth $200 million, he said. The worldwide demand of the optic fiber is

more than the production or supply of the optic fiber, Naik added.

As far as the domestic market is concerned the demand in the year 2001-02 is

going to be around 2.5 million-fkm and Aksh's contribution in the market is

estimated to be around 5.30 million-fkm in 2001/02.

According to the firm’s vice president, (finance) Ahuja, the firm's income

is expected to grow by 200 per cent with the total turnover of Rs 4,350 million

against Rs 1,449 million last year. This increase shows 328 per cent increase in

income in the last two years, he said.

Presently having four manufacturing plants, the fourth one was recently set

up in Ringus, Rajasthan. The new plant is said to be the world's largest FRP

manufacturing plant in terms of production. This apart, the plant would be the

one of its kind to manufacture optic fibers, cables and FRP at the same place.

Speaking to CNS, Chief Operating Officer Chetan Choudhary, Aksh revealed that

with the production increased to one million kms from the present three million

km by March 2002, Aksh would be the largest manufacturer of the FRP in the

world. He further noted that around 60% of the fibers would be exported to the

US, Europe and other countries.

Aksh has also commissioned one fiber tower of 650,000fkm while another fiber

tower of 650,000 fkm is in the process of being installed. The fiber towers are

expected to bring down fiber making costs significantly. To add to the list,

Aksh has also installed equipment for sleeving lathe and preform etching

process.

In addition to this, very recently Aksh has also ventured into providing

fiber optic-based telecom solutions. Naik stated that Aksh had also signed an

$172 million-contract for export of cables to USA that will be supplied over the

next three years. The foreign exchange earnings through exports amounted to Rs

24.07 crore as against Rs 4.09 crore in the previous year, representing an

increase of 488% over the last year.