APL to set up battery unit

Associated Pigments Ltd (APL), a company engaged in the production of refined lead, lead alloys and lead oxides, on Thursday reported a net profit of Rs 2.38 crore on net sales of Rs 91.14 crore for the quarter to June 2010-2011 against a net profit of Rs 62 lakh on net sales of Rs 49.74 crore. SN Sahaya, APL managing director, said the company has firmed up plans to set up a 60 million ampere per hour industrial battery unit at Panskura in West Bengal, which would be a forward integration of their refined lead, lead alloys and lead oxide production. APL currently produces 48,000 tonne of refined lead, lead alloys and lead oxides per annum from its facilities in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and plans to take it up to 1,50,000 tonne per annum by July 2011 in two phases. The company will make a total investment of Rs 125 crore for setting up the battery unit on 11 acres and expanding lead capacity.