AMBUJA CEMENT RAJASTHAN LIMITED
PRESS RELEASE
April 9, 2003

AMBUJA CEMENT RAJASTHAN LIMITED (ACRL) PERFORMS WELL



ACRL an associate of Gujarat Ambuja Cements Limited has earned cash profit during the third quarter of the financial year ending June 2003 despite a drop in the realisations by over 9%. Cement prices in Rajasthan, Delhi and other markets were very low during the quarter.


During the third quarter the company sold 4.18 lac tonnes of cement as against 3.45 lac tonnes in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, an increase of 21% p.a. Turnover in the third quarter is up 11% to Rs. 84.29 crores as against 76.21 crores in the third quarter of the previous year.


Similarly, production during March 2003 is up at 1.02 million tonnes as compared to 7.25 lac tonnes, an increase of 41%.


Operating Profit was at Rs. 9.41 crores as against Rs. 11.92 crores in the same quarter of the previous year. The decline in the Operating Profit was low despite a drop in the sales realisation by around 9% on account of higher productivity and lower cost of production on account of substantial savings in the power and fuel cost which were down by about 17% as compared to the last year.


Interest cost has reduced by 16% to Rs. 9.36 crores as against Rs. 11.20 crores.


After charging depreciation of Rs. 6.22 crores (Rs. 6.12 crores in the previous year), the loss for the year was Rs. 6.17 crores as against Rs. 5.4 crores.


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Anil Singhvi,
Director