As the government enabled a degree of progress with infrastructural changes, building roads,developing communication networks and facilitating travel, the corporate world flexed its unused business muscle picking up prestige brands like Tetley Tea and global behemoths like Corus.
But as India emerged victorious in the merger and acquisition game, there were hurdles on the way as well. In many cases,questions were raised about the capabilities of Indian companies. Sometimes, as in the case of Arcelor, it acquired a racist hue.
At other times, it was a question of the fit of an international luxury brand like Jaguar with an Indian company. The Indian economy grew, but not all Indian businesses made the transition from socialist isolation to economic connectedness. Some spilt amicably, others much less so.
1. FIRST AMONG EQUALS
Ram Prasad Goenka
The RPG Group led by 'takeover wizard'R.P. Goenka made a series of acquisitions, kicked off by the Duncan buy in 1959 to the offshore holdings of tyre-maker Dunlop India in 1980, Ceat Tyres in 1982, the Gramophone Co.of India (nowSaregama) in 1986, and Noida Power Company (NPCL) in 1992 among many others.The latest in the list was Canara Electric Controls in 2002. I gamble only in companies, Goenka told India Today in August 1984. Starting in the 1950s, the group patriarch and R.P.Goenka's father, K.P.Goenka, along with his three sons, made over 30 acquisitions in 25 years.
2. THE TREND-SETTER
Manohar 'Manu' Chhabria
Among the original corporate raiders of the country, Dubai-based Manohar 'Manu' Rajaram Chhabria picked up a large stake in Shaw Wallace in 1987 for Rs 35 crore, which remained mired in controversy and was finally sold to arch rival Vijay Mallya 20 years later.
Spending over Rs 300 crore on acquisitions, he bought stakes in companies such as Hindustan Dorr-Oliver, Mather and Platt and Dunlop India.
Hardly any other Indian businessman has climbed to the top 10 league so rapidly. (India Today, January 1989).
3. BLENDING SUCCESS
Ratan Tata
In 2000,Tata Tea took over Tetley Tea, the company which was twice Tata Tea's size and had introduced the world to tea bags, for £271 million via a leverage buyout. Themove turned the company into the world's second-largest tea marketer. While Tata was strong on the production front, Tetley's strengths lay in marketing.
At the time of acquisition,The two companies were merged a year later. The Tetley brand name would give Tata Tea access to markets in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the CIS countries, said the company's vicechairman, R.K. Krishna Kumar,whose mandate for the acquisition was simple: to eliminate the competition, Unilever. Tata Tea's transformation is an eloquent example of the group becoming market-focused and consumercentric (India Today, February 2003).
4. PACKING A PUNCH
Subhash Chandra
In 2000,Essel Packaging owned by Subhash Chandra of Zee acquired Switzerland's Propack AG, and became the world's largest producer of laminated tubes.
The cash and stock deal resulted in Essel issuing 6.68 million shares to Propack's promoters, in addition to a cash payment of $11 million.
In subsequent years, Essel Propack continued acquisitions across the world and ventured into manufacturing of medical devices with the acquisition of Tapro Inc.,US and Avalon Medical Services, Singapore.
5. V FOR VICTORY
Venugopal Dhoot
In an interview to India Today in October 2003, Videocon Industries chairman Venugopal Dhoot had said, You have seen the 'Intel Inside' badges on computers and soon you will see 'Videocon Inside' on most durables.
In less than two years from then, he acquired French electronics company Thomson SA's colour picture tube manufacturing business for Rs 1,280 crore and just over a week later, Swedish major AB Electrolux's Indian subsidiary Electrolux Kelvinator.
6. GOING WEST
Ratan Tata
The year 2006 proved to be the 'year of buyouts' by Indian companies. In October, Tata Steel acquired Anglo-Dutch firm Corus Group for Rs 60,000 crore.
Many thought our bid was audacious but this was really the commencement of our global strategy, Ratan Tata said at a press conference. Tata's victory symbolises the new confidence of Indian corporates and its growing global ambitions. (India Today, February 2007) In line with this, the group acquired automaker Ford's Jaguar and Land Rover car brands for $2.3 billion in March 2008, amid severe opposition from Jaguar's dealers in the UK and US which expressed concern about selling a luxury brand to an Indian company.
7. INDIA RISING
L.N. Mittal
It was as big an idea as Andrew Carnegie's merger of steel companies in Britain and the US (India Today, March 2006). In what remains the biggest outbound deal by an Indian, the L.N.Mittalowned Mittal Steel acquired Arcelor for $33.7 billion in October 2006.The acquisition was perhaps one of the greatest hostile takeovers. Mittal's aggressive bid shook the world,especially Europe, with French and Indian governments intervening.
8. HIGH ON LIFE
Vijay Mallya
Vijay Mallya, hailed as India's Richard Branson, acquired Glasgow-based Scotch whisky group Whyte & Mackay for £595 million in an all-cash deal in 2007, making him the second-largest spirits manufacturer in the world. It also restored partial peace with the Scotch Whisky Association which had argued that UB's Indian-made products were not genuine whisky, as they were distilled from molasses. With W & M, the association invited him to be a member.
9. HEAVY METAL
Kumar Birla
In 2007, the Aditya Birla Group's Hindalco Industries acquired USbased aluminum giant Novelis for nearly $6 billion, making it the world's largest aluminum rolling company.
This will enable Hindalco's entry into downstream business, from cans to cars (India Today, February 2007).
10. THE ODD WON
Ratan Tata
In October this year, when the world was feeling the meltdown heat, Tata Consultancy Services acquired BPO Citigroup Global Services for $505 million which was on the block for almost a year.
A valuation nearly 50 per cent lower was what finally clinched the deal.
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