Piramal Enterprises Ltd’s structured financing group (SFG), has invested Rs300 crore in Coimbatore-based auto component company Indo Shell Mould Ltd, two people aware of the development said.
“The two parties had been in talks for a while and the transaction has been closed recently. Indo Shell has raised Rs300 crore through structured debt through the transaction, which will help the company refinance its bank debt,” said one of the two people mentioned above, requesting anonymity.
In an emailed response, a spokesperson for Piramal Enterprises confirmed the development.
“The deal has been completed and Rs300 crore has been disbursed,” said the spokesperson.
The company set up in 1973 now has over 55 customers, including automakers Hero MotoCorp Ltd, Force Motors Ltd, Honda and TVS Motor Co., according to the Indo Shell website. It exports its products to more than 10 countries.
The second person cited above said the transaction is part of Piramal’s plans to focus on increasing its loan book in areas such as auto components, transportation, and logistics.
“Outside of their historically strong area of infrastructure and energy, these are the new verticals that they are focusing on keenly,” he added.
Indo Shell has a total of eight manufacturing units in Coimbatore and the US. It makes more than 200 different components.
The company manufactures components for two-wheelers, four-wheelers, tractors and other commercial vehicles. It also supplies components for other industries such as petroleum, aerospace, construction and home appliances.
Some of the major components manufactured by the company include two-wheeler engine cylinder blocks and hydraulic valve bodies.
In a September interview with Mint, Khushru Jijina, managing director at Piramal Fund Management, the wholesale funding arm of the Piramal Group, had said that the SFG unit is focused on expanding its activities beyond infrastructure and will also focus on a wider portfolio of products to help companies meet financing requirements.
On 23 August, Mint reported that Piramal’s SFG agreed to invest Rs150 crore in Smaaash Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, a sports-based entertainment firm co-owned by cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
Prior to the Smaaash investment, the SFG’s core focus was operating infrastructure and renewable energy.
On 15 August, Mint reported that the SFG was in advanced talks to invest Rs800 crore (about $120 million) in solar power producer ACME Solar. In March, Mint had reported that Piramal SFG was investing Rs900 crore ($132 million) in Essel Infrastructure Ltd’s solar platform across India.
SFG is expanding its product portfolio to include offerings such as loans against shares and senior debt.
Source: Mint