The Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) has registered an all-time record in production, marketing and profit for 2021-22 fiscal.
While the company sold 32,800 tonnes of products during the current financial year, the turnover was ₹1,058 crore with a profit of ₹310.5 crore. This is the highest profit and turnover in the history of the KMML, as the company could generate only ₹115-crore profit in 2020-21.
This fiscal, the KMML also hit an all-time record in Beneficiated Ilmenite (Synthetic Rutile) production, used for manufacturing titanium dioxide, its flagship product. While 44,900 tonnes of synthetic rutile was produced, 6,500 tonnes of sillimanite was extracted at its Mineral Separation Unit. Titanium dioxide production during the period was 35,100 tonnes, the highest in the last 11 years.
The marketing of titanium tetrachloride (Tickle) also touched a record by selling 5,922 tonnes. According to officials, 97.5% of the company’s production capacity was utilised and strategic marketing decisions were made to achieve the feat. In addition to the ilmenite obtained from KMML’s Mineral Separation Unit, it was also sourced from the Indian Rare Earth Limited (IRE). This fiscal, the company did not have to buy synthetic rutile from outside, leading to an increase in profit.
“Careful study of market potential and preparation of regular market plans helped the company to move ahead in the market. The company could find new customers along with selling more volume to existing customers,” they said.
The KMML had become self-reliant in oxygen production with the commissioning of a 70 tonne per day (TPD) plant in October 2020. When commissioned in 1984, the production capacity of the Titanium dioxide pigment (TP) unit in the KMML was 22,000 tonnes. A 50-TPD oxygen plant corresponding to the demand was also commissioned along the unit, but the current capacity of TP unit is 36,000 tonnes.
After the oxygen plant fell inadequate to meet the 63 tonnes a day demand, the KMML had to buy additional oxygen from other manufacturers. The company was spending around ₹12 crore per year for the purchase of oxygen. While the KMML could save the amount this fiscal, it also generated an extra ₹2.5 crore through the sales of liquid oxygen.
