Mumbai: Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers Company (GNFC) Bharuch has posted a turnover of Rs 1464.27 crore and a profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 136.39 crore for the financial year 2002-2003, which is Rs 18.20 crore higher than the last year. In spite of a higher tax provision of Rs 5.16 crore in comparison to the last year, the profit after tax has increased by Rs 13.04 crore in comparison to the last year.

GNFC''s financial performance has been excellent despite the recession in the international markets coupled with a fierce competition in the domestic chemicals sector. The board of directors of the company has recommended a dividend of 25 per cent at a meeting held here today.

GNFC''s management has effectively handled plant operations, repairs and maintenance and the overall marketing through the strategic planning route, cost-cutting exercises and efficient administration, as a result of which GNFC has earned a distinction in the fields of production, turnover, sales and profit.

All the units of the company have maintained the tradition of achieving over 100-per cent capacity utilisation and have established 62 daily, monthly and annual production records during the year — a true reflection of the professional approach of the company''s management.

The ammonia plant with a capacity utilisation of 112 per cent has achieved 4,97,119 MTA of production, while the urea plant with 107 per cent has achieved a production of 6,36,935 MTA. Methanol-I&II plants have achieved a production of 38,889 MTA and 1,39,460 MTA with 194 per cent and 139 per cent capacity utilisation, respectively, while the formic acid plant with a production of 11,104 MTA has achieved 222 per cent capacity utilisation.

The acetic acid plant with a production of 67,016 MTA has achieved 137-per cent capacity utilisation and the weak nitric acid plant with a production of 2,88,362 MTA has achieved 117-per cent capacity utilisation. The ANP plant with a production of 1,75,551 MTA has achieved a capacity utilisation of 123 per cent and the CAN plant with a production of 65,239 MTA has achieved a capacity utilisation of 99 per cent.

Crossing all the earlier records of chemical production, the industrial product plants of the company like methanol, formic acid, weak nitric acid and concentrated nitric acid have established 17 daily, monthly and annual productivity records in the year 2002-2003. And in the field of fertilisers, the ammonium nitrophosphate plant has surpassed its earlier monthly and annual productivity records of January 1995 and the year 2001-02, respectively, and has established two new records.

After establishing a reigning presence in the field of fertiliser and chemicals, GNFC has now acquired nationwide presence in the IT infrastructure, solutions and services field. GNFC has created a world-class infrastructure to facilitate IT development. GNFC Infotower provides the best facilities to the IT industry. Infotower is increasingly becoming important in the fields of software development activities, IT-enabled services, call centres, medical transcription and back-office operations.

GNFC has also become one of the largest Internet bandwidth providers in Gujarat by establishing its International Gateway for Internet at Bharuch. The gateway has a feed range of 10 mbps to 50 mbps and is backed by OFC Gateway to provide the highest reliability, multiple routing capability and the shortest path.

GNFC provides Internet services through ISDN, wireless, leased line, VSATs and dial-up. Leveraging their initiative through the convergence of technologies, GNFC also offers services like video broadcast, turnkey earth stations, transportable VSATs and the satellite newsgathering system.

GNFC has recently embarked upon a project to set up a PKI-based commercial certifying authority infrastructure using Entrust Technology. PKI secures mission-critical transactions and allows organisations to have safe transaction from the paper-based business to a true electronic business.

After setting up Infotower in Ahmedabad, GNFC has set up Gujarat''s first earth station at Bharuch. It is GNFC''s endeavour to put Gujarat on the IT map of India.