Association).

BILT is a highly socially-conscious company

BILT had total revenues of and has always had a very strong commitment
Rs. 2899.33 crore (US$ 604 million) towards the environment. Today, three of its
for the year ended June 2009 and had plants have gained certifications in socially
recorded pulp and paper production beneficial and ecological forest management. Its
of 700,000 metric tonnes. plant in Ashti has received the SCS-COC-
002610, BILT Graphics Paper Products Limited
Achievements at Bhigwan has the SCS-COC-002612 while
The undisputed leader in the Indian BILT Graphics Paper Products Limited, Ballarpur
paper industry, Ballarpur Industries has been awarded the SCS-COC-002678. These
Limited (BILT), a part of the Rs. 14,400 recognitions are chain-of-custody (COC)
crore (US$ 3 billion) Avantha Group, is certifications issued by the Forest Stewardship
ranked amongst the top one hundred Council Certification (FCS) conducted by
pulp and paper companies worldwide Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).
(Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers Top
100 Global Forest and Paper Industry History
Survey, 2005). One man's dream turned BILT into reality. The
Using state-of-the-art technology to man was the late Lala Karam Chand Thapar – a
produce best-in-class products, the visionary with the indomitable spirit of an
company has emerged as a major entrepreneur. This tradition of leadership has
player in the writing and printing continued uninterrupted across six decades and
(W&P) segments. It controls 46% of three generations.
the market in premium coated paper, It is remarkable that at a time when
35% in uncoated hi-bright wood-free manufacturing itself was in its infancy in India, a
paper, 25% in copier paper and 83% in business should have been thinking of branding.
the business stationery segment In fact, this is exactly what BILT did after its
(Source: internal estimates). incorporation as a company in 1945. The paper
In the office supplies and stationery that it launched carried the proud legend, Three
segment BILT Royal Executive Bond, Aces. Soon after, the company introduced a
BILT Copy Power, BILT Image Copier, brand of stationery called Wisdom.
BILT Matrix and BILT Ten on Ten are its In 1965, Shree Gopal Paper Mills, in a
Market best selling brands. strategic move, was merged with Ballarpur
The invention of paper unleashed a knowledge BILT Matrix Premium in the paper category Paper and Straw Board Mills. A decade later
revolution that remains undiminished 5000 years the company was renamed
later. Notwithstanding all the theorising about Ballarpur Industries. In 1988 this
a paperless world, the demand for paper company entered the business
continues to be on an upward spiral. It appears stationery segment with
that paper, for all time, will remain the most Executive Bond. To this day, it
convenient medium of communication. Its remains India's best known
reassuringly tactile quality appeals to all – the stationery paper brand.
practical who meticulously file their documents The economic liberalisation
and the sentimental who tie-up bundles of of the 1990s ushered in a
precious letters in blue ribbon. period of frenzied activity. The
India's per capita consumption of paper is still company restructured its
one of the lowest in the world. But with the business portfolio by both
expected rise in literacy levels and steady backward and forward
economic growth, an exponential increase in its integration. In India, it acquired
demand is expected. In fact, projections suggest the Sinar Mass Pulp and Paper
that the industry will grow to 9 million tonnes Company. This was followed by
by 2009/10 and to 20 million tonnes by 2020 the acquisition of Sabah Forest
(Source: Poyry Consulting). Industries (SFI) in Malaysia in
Clearly, the industry is significant in terms of 2007. It also set up BILT Tree
both the economic value it brings as well as the and BILT Matrix Youth series in the notebook Tech Limited (BTTL), a company instituted to
employment it generates. Recognising its social category have each won the 2009 Product of look after its vast forestry programmes across
and economic impact the government de- the Year award – a global consumer recognition several states in India.
licensed it in 1997. standard that celebrates and rewards the best By 2007 many companies in the group had
The 100% foreign innovations in retail merchandise. attained leadership positions. It was felt that
equity participation BILT products are marketed in India through they now
that is now allowed a well-established network of 135 paper- and needed a
augurs well for a 350 retail- distributors spread across 270 single, unified
business clocking locations. Internationally, the brand is serviced by philosophy.
annual output in a strong team of market agents who cover This was the
excess of 7.6 million more than 40 countries across the globe. advent of the
tonnes and turnover In recent years, BILT has evolved as a Avantha
estimated to be dynamic, knowledge-driven organisation focused Group.
Rs. 25,000 crore towards creation of stakeholder value. In the BILT's
(US$ 5.95 billion) process, it has also transformed the paper success stands
(Source: Indian industry from its traditional commodity market firmly on the
Paper Manufacturers mindset to one with a brand orientation. pillars of a

34 SUPERBRANDS
strong marketing and distribution network, tonnes per annum) to 315,000 MTPA while at the village level to implement its social
efficient multi-location manufacturing facilities, capacity for the uncoated wood-free variety at programmes and has joined hands with Pratham,
continuous transition to higher value-added Ballarpur has been increased by 165,000 metric an NGO that runs primary education
products and its obsession with quality. tonnes. With these expansions BILT now programmes all over the country.
produces more than 1,000,000 metric tonnes of For small farm holders who cannot derive the
Product pulp and paper. benefit of scale BILT has created a farm forestry
In dozens of unobtrusive ways, BILT has With the launch of digital and colour programme, which has, to date, brought 32,000
permeated people's lives. For instance, as a label multipurpose papers BILT has recently hectares under plantation, benefiting nearly
on a carton, as the paper for an expensive introduced new innovative products in the 37,000 farmers.
glossy magazine, in the form of a letter delivered paper category. In the stationery segment it has
by the postman, or even in the guise of a also extended the Ten on Ten brand
pack of playing cards. Each is a unique paper by including colour pencils, wax
developed for a very special purpose. crayons and oil pastels. For school
With so many different uses, the range BILT children, BILT has introduced note
has on offer is very extensive. Its coated, wood- books with the familiar characters of
free range comes in two varieties: double- Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob Square
coated paper under the brand BILT Royal and a Pants, Chennai Super Kings and
triple-coated version under the BILT Emperor Kolkata Knight Riders.
range. The uncoated, wood-free series includes As an environmentally conscious
popular brands such as Sunshine Super Printing, company, BILT has launched BILT
BILT Classic, BILT TA NSD and Easy Print. The Matrix Rainforest series, a range of
copier paper is available as BILT Matrix, BILT eco-friendly notebooks using 100%
Copy Power, BILT Image Copier and BILT Ten re-cycled board for the cover while
on Ten. the paper for the inside pages is manufactured Brand Values
BILT always remembers that first impressions from renewable sources. The company believes that its sustainability is
are often formed by the quality of paper in any Seeing the opportunity of organised retail in intrinsically linked to the environment in which
business or personal communication. This India, BILT entered the office supply retailing it operates. It is, therefore, sensitive to its
explains the reason why the brand lays business with the launch of its first store called responsibilities and receptive to nature's calling.
P3 – Paper, Print, Pens – in June 2008. The company logo is a symbol of BILT'S
These stores retail a complete suite of corporate character. Encased in a red square, it
office supplies products with more than stands for victory, achievement and a place of
2000 SKUs. honour in the Indian paper industry. The white
P3, serves all office needs ranging from typeface denotes spirit, focus and integrity. BILT
stationery, technology, corporate gifting to written in the lower case represents modernity,
print solutions. Its footprint has expanded flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic business
significantly with presence not
only in the Delhi-NCR region
but also in Bangalore. The
brand has seven stores
currently with plans for a pan-
India presence in the coming
five years. On the B2B front,
exceptional stress on quality. It also explains why P3 has been successfully positioned
many of its brands such as BILT Royal Executive as the 'Choice of the Professional'
Bond have achieved near-iconic status. and is directly servicing leading
The BILT range of paper and stationery corporates across India.
products comprises more than fifteen product
segments including notebooks, premium paper, Promotion
writing instruments, files and folders, tapes, glues In today's world, where technology
and sticky notes. These are available through is blurring the lines of differentiation
800+ stock keeping units (SKUs). between products, BILT has taken
the pioneering initiative to raise the
Recent Developments relevance of the category itself and
The last two years have been a phase of both develop brands out of a segment,
innovation and augmentation. not so long ago, considered a
The rising demand necessitated BILT to commodity. environment. The turning page stands for BILT's
embark on a strategic scaling up of capacity. At The objective of this complex exercise was to vivacity, exuberance and progress. It is also
Bhigwan, capacity for coated, wood-free paper build distance between BILT and competitors by suggestive of expanding horizons, attaining new
has been increased from 125,000 MTPA (metric creating brands and evolving strategies that heights and making a mark in the international
could reach them to designated audiences. In arena.
the short term, BILT had hoped to generate
awareness and equity for itself and in the long- www.biltpaper.com
term harboured the hope of developing
customer loyalty. The success of this effort has
been remarkable. Today, BILT has such a
Things you didn’t know about
powerful presence in the market that in many BILT
quarters it is seen as the industry itself.
Having attained such influence, BILT has not BILT is the largest paper company in India and
lost sight of the fact that out there is still a Malaysia
dynamic and competitive market. This has led BILT is India's first company to get FSC
BILT to adopt a 360-degree marketing approach certification
encompassing mass media campaigns, direct
marketing, in-shop merchandising, sales Two of BILT's products have been adjudged as
promotions, trade engagements, exhibitions and the Product of the Year
tele-marketing.
BILT is the first company in the world to
While commercial strength is important, BILT
commercially exploit the fractionation of
also sees a role for itself in uplifting marginalised
bamboo, replacing expensive imported
sections of society. Of the many endeavours
coniferous pulp. BILT has applied for a patent
that were possible, BILT has preferred working
for this innovation
at the roots and offering vocational training and
micro-finance to this neglected community. By India's premium magazines – India Today,
doing this, the company expects to arm them Reader's Digest, Cosmopolitan, Outlook and
for a life that has a future. Outlook Money are all printed on BILT paper
BILT has established self help groups (SHGs)

SUPERBRANDS 35