RHI Magnesita, the global supplier of refractory products, announced the acquisition of the Indian refractory business of Dalmia Bharat Refractories Limited (DBRL).
DBRL will transfer its Indian refractory business to Dalmia OCL (DOCL). Under the terms of a Share Swap Agreement, RHI Magnesita will acquire all outstanding shares in Dalmia OCL (DOCL) in exchange for 27 million new shares in RHI Magnesita India Limited. Based on the issuance price of RHI Magnesita India Limited at ₹632.5029 per share, the Share Consideration had a value of approximately ₹1,708 Crores (€208 million), the statement said.
RHI Magnesita will consolidate DOCL’s earnings and approximately INR 443 Crores (€54 million) of net debt held by DOCL. The acquisition will significantly increase RHI Magnesita’s presence in the fast-growing Indian refractory market, with forecast steel production growth in India of 12% in 2022 and a 7-8% compound annual growth rate until 2030.
Through the consolidation of DBRL’s production into RHI Magnesita’s existing operations, significant network optimisation synergies will be captured. The company employs approximately 1,200 people in India and has production capacity of more than 300,000 tons of refractory annually, from five refractory plants and raw material sites. The acquisition will add production capacities in important industrial regions in the south and west of India where RHI Magnesita currently has no assets, according to the statement.
Stefan Borgas, CEO of RHI Magnesita, said: “I am very pleased to announce this highly value creating acquisition which will accelerate our development in the fast-growing Indian refractory market. It is another step in the execution of our Group strategy. We see material financial and operational benefits from the addition of the Dalmia Bharat Refractories business to our existing network, which will enable us to increasingly serve our customers with a ‘local for local’ approach in India and offer a broader range of products, in particular in the Industrial segment, in which RHI Magnesita is currently under-represented. This transaction demonstrates our ability to continue to grow our business in India where the outlook for the refractory industry is strong, at a time when demand in other geographies is weakening.”
Parmod Sagar, CEO of RHI Magnesita India, said: “As a trusted and reliable business partner, the integration of the Dalmia Bharat Refractories business into our network will underline our position as the leading player in the Indian refractory market. This transaction represents a strong commitment from the senior management to continue strengthening the company’s operations in India and to further expand our footprint in the region.”
Commenting on the transaction, Sameer Nagpal, Managing Director & CEO of DBRL said: “We were able to scale up the business over the last few years on the back of product breadth and service capabilities, establishing ourselves as a reliable Indian player. For the next phase of growth of this business it is imperative to have access to technology which RHI Magnesita, being a global leader, brings to the table. We believe our business can be optimally utilised to serve Indian customers by becoming a part of RHI Magnesita’s network.”
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