Q1 2027 Deepak Nitrite Ltd Earnings Call

August 6, 2026

Speaker #1: Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to the Deepak Nitrite Q1 FY27 earnings conference call. As a reminder, all participant lines will be in listen-only mode, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions when the presentation concludes.

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to the Deepak Nitrite Q1 FY2027 earnings conference call. As a reminder, all participant lines will be in the listen-only mode, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions when the presentation concludes. Should you need assistance during this conference call, please signal an operator by pressing star then zero on your touchtone phone. Please note that this conference is being recorded.

Speaker #1: Should you need assistance during this conference call, please signal an operator by pressing star, then zero, on your touchtone phone. Please note that this conference is being recorded.

Speaker #1: At the outset, I would like to clarify that certain statements made or discussed on the conference call today may be forward-looking in nature, and a disclaimer to this effect has been included in the investor presentation shared with you earlier.

Operator: At the outset, I would like to clarify that certain statements made or discussed on the conference call today may be forward-looking in nature, and a disclaimer to this effect has been included in the investor presentation shared with you earlier. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Akash Majhi. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

Speaker #1: I now hand the conference over to Mr. Akash Maji. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

Speaker #2: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us on Deepak Nitrite's Q1 FY27 earnings conference call. Today, we have with us Mr. Malik Mehta, Deputy Managing Director, and Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay, Director of Finance and Group CFO.

Akash Majhi: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us on Deepak Nitrite's Q1 FY2027 earnings conference call. Today we have with us Mr. Maulik Mehta, Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay, Director – Finance & Group CFO, Mr. Somsekhar Nanda, CFO of Deepak Nitrite Limited. We will begin the call with opening remarks from the management team, followed by an interactive Q&A session. To begin, Mr. Maulik Mehta will share his view on the operating performance and the growth plans of the company, followed by Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay, who shall take us through the financial and segmental performance. The results document has been shared with you earlier and has also been posted on the company's website. I now invite Mr. Mehta to share his opening comments. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

Speaker #2: Mr. Somshivananda, CFO of Deepak Nitrite Limited. We will begin the call with opening remarks from the management team, followed by an interactive Q&A session.

Speaker #2: To begin, Mr. Malik Mehta will share his view on the operating performance and the growth plans of the company, followed by Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay, who shall take us through the financial and segment performance.

Speaker #2: The results document has been shared with you earlier and has also been posted on the company's website. I now invite Mr. Mehta to share his opening comments.

Speaker #2: Thank you, and over to you, sir.

Maulik Mehta: Hi. Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you for joining us. We appreciate your continued interest in Deepak Nitrite. Our investor presentation and financial statements have already been shared, and I trust you've had an opportunity to go through them. I will begin by sharing our perspective on the quarter, the evolving industry landscape, and the strategic progress we've made before Mr. Upadhyay takes you through the financial performance in greater detail. The first quarter of FY2027 marks further steps towards Deepak's agility to successfully weather global challenges. While the chemical industry at large continues to navigate price volatility, evolving geopolitical dynamics, and an uneven demand recovery, we believe the operating environment is gradually becoming more favorable for manufacturers with integrated and diversified platforms. Increasingly, customers are seeking partners who can offer not just consistency of supply, but also superior quality, technical collaboration, and the ability to scale reliably across geographies.

Speaker #3: Hi, good afternoon, everybody. Thank you for joining us. We appreciate your continued interest in Deepak Nitrite. Our investor presentation and financial statements have already been shared, and I trust you've had an opportunity to go through them.

Speaker #3: I'll begin by sharing our perspective on the quarter, the evolving industry landscape, and the strategic progress we've made, before Mr. Upadhyay takes you through the financial performance in greater detail.

Speaker #3: The first quarter of FY27 marks further steps toward Deepak's agility to successfully weather global challenges. While the chemical industry at large continues to navigate price volatility, evolving geopolitical dynamics, and an uneven demand recovery, we believe the operating environment is gradually becoming more favorable for manufacturers with integrated and diversified platforms.

Speaker #3: Increasingly, customers are seeking partners who can offer not just consistency of supply, but also superior quality, technical collaboration, and the ability to scale reliably across geographies.

Speaker #3: This structural shift aligns well with our strategy of building integrated value chains, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and reducing supply risk. Over the last six decades, Deepak Nitrite has been in a leading position in India's chemical industry.

Maulik Mehta: This structural shift aligns well with our strategy of building integrated value chain, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and reducing supply risk. Over the last 6 decades, Deepak Nitrite has been in a leading position in India's chemical industry, serving customers across more than 50 countries through 7 manufacturing facilities across 5 strategic locations. Our diversified portfolio, integrated manufacturing platform, and continuous investment in specialty chemicals, R&D, digitalization, and advanced manufacturing position us well to capture long-term growth opportunities. More importantly, the investments we have made over the past several years are now beginning to translate into stronger operating leverage and improved earnings quality. We are proud to report that Q1 demonstrated an improving trajectory for the company, with record revenues, EBITDA, profit before tax, and profit after tax. The strong performance reflects the benefits of our manufacturing model.

Speaker #3: Serving customers across more than 50 countries through seven manufacturing facilities across five strategic locations. Our diversified portfolio, integrated manufacturing platform, and continuous investments in specialty chemicals, R&D, digitalization, and advanced manufacturing position us well to capture long-term growth opportunities.

Speaker #3: More importantly, the investments we've made over the past several years are now beginning to translate into stronger operating leverage and improved earnings quality. We're proud to report that Q1 demonstrated an improving trajectory for the company.

Speaker #3: With record revenues, EBITDA, profit before tax, and profit after tax, the strong performance reflects the benefits of our manufacturing model. Molecules recently added to the product basket are being passed across for customer approval processes.

Maulik Mehta: Molecules recently added to the product basket and are being passed across for customer approval processes. Newer molecules are also being added to the commercial pipeline. Products out from these projects commissioned in recent past and projects being commissioned in the current quarter and ramping thereafter. Consolidated revenue from operations stood at INR 2,592 crores, registering a 35% improvement year-on-year and a 22% growth sequentially. EBITDA reached an all-time high of INR 554 crores, growing 159% year-on-year and 45% sequentially. EBITDA margins expanded to 21% compared with 11% last year and 18% sequentially. Profit before tax increased to INR 468 crores, up 202% year-on-year and 55% quarter-on-quarter.

Speaker #3: Newer molecules are also being added to the commercial pipeline. Product output from these projects, commissioned in the recent past and projects being commissioned in the current quarter, will ramp up thereafter.

Speaker #3: Consolidated revenue from operations stood at ₹2,592 crore, registering a 35% improvement year-on-year and a 22% growth sequentially. EBITDA reached an all-time high of ₹554 crore, growing 159% year-on-year and 45% sequentially.

Speaker #3: While EBITDA margins expanded to 21%, compared with 11% last year and 18% sequentially. Profit before tax increased to ₹468 crores, up 202% year-on-year and 55% quarter-on-quarter.

Speaker #3: While PAT reached ₹345 crore, registering a 207% year-on-year and 57% sequential growth. The quarter benefited not just from improved market conditions but also from enhanced customer engagement.

Maulik Mehta: PAT reached INR 345 crores, registering a 207% YOY and 57% sequentially. The quarter benefited not just from improved market conditions, but also from enhanced customer engagement, stronger manufacturing efficiencies, integrated benefits from recently commissioned assets, innovative procurement, and continuous cost optimization initiatives. We believe these structural improvements position the business well for sustainable growth in the ensuing periods. Phenolics delivered its highest-ever quarterly performance, highlighting the strength of our manufacturing platform and operational excellence. Revenues increased to INR 1,775 crores, a 36% YOY and 24% sequential growth, EBIT reached a record INR 418 crores, registering 254% YOY and 46% QOQ. This performance was supported by stable plant operations, innovative procurement, and engagement with all kinds of customers in different applications.

Speaker #3: Stronger manufacturing efficiencies, integrated benefits from recently commissioned assets, innovative procurement, and continuous cost optimization initiatives. We believe these structural improvements position the business well for sustainable growth in the ensuing periods.

Speaker #3: To analyze, we delivered our highest ever quarterly performance, highlighting the strength of our manufacturing platform and operational excellence. Revenues increased to ₹1,775 crore, a 36% year-on-year and 24% sequential growth, while EBIT reached a record ₹418 crore, registering 254% year-on-year and 46% quarter-on-quarter growth.

Speaker #3: This performance was supported by stable plant operations, innovative procurement, and engagement with all kinds of customers in different applications. Despite continued volatility in global feedstock markets, initiatives taken in procurement, operations, and engagement, as well as a strong domestic market position, enabled us to maintain reliable customer deliveries, cost competitiveness, and healthy profitability.

Maulik Mehta: Despite continued volatility in global feedstock markets, initiatives taken at procurement, operations, and engagement, as well as a strong domestic market position, enabled us to maintain reliable customer deliveries, cost competitiveness, and healthy profitability. The Advanced Intermediates business also delivered a strong quarter, with revenues rising to INR 804 crores, representing a 33% YOY and a 14% sequential growth. EBIT was INR 67 crores, recording an 89% improvement YOY and sequentially with 100% improvement. Performance was driven by improving domestic demand, a better product mix, and increasing synergies from our recent backward integration, and growing contributions from other commissioned manufacturing assets. During the quarter, we also expanded our engagement in specialty chemical applications and strengthened our presence across high-value customer segments. Within AI, pressure of high-cost raw materials remained for certain products. However, customer engagement improved, demand strengthened across select export markets, and new products continued to gain traction.

Speaker #3: The Advanced Intermediates business also delivered a strong quarter, with revenues rising to ₹804 crore, representing 33% year-over-year and 14% sequential growth. EBIT was ₹67 crore, recording an 89% improvement year-over-year and a 100% improvement sequentially.

Speaker #3: Performance was driven by improving domestic demand, a better product mix, and increasing synergies from our recent backward integration, as well as growing contributions from other commissioned manufacturing assets.

Speaker #3: During the quarter, we also expanded our engagement in specialty chemical applications and strengthened our presence across high-value customer segments. Within AI, the pressure of high-cost raw materials remains for certain products.

Speaker #3: However, customer engagement improved, demand strengthened across select export markets, and new products continue to gain traction. Our strategy of diversifying products, customers, and geographies continues to reduce dependence on any single market or end application while strengthening the resilience of our business.

Maulik Mehta: Our strategy of diversifying products, customers, and geographies continues to reduce dependence on any single market or end application while strengthening the resilience of our business. Importantly, growth within AI is now being supported by two complementary drivers. The recovery in demand across our products that earlier experienced softer conditions and capacity-led expansion in established product lines that have continued to witness healthy customer demand. This provides us with greater confidence in the medium-term outlook for the business. One of the most strategic and significant developments over the last few quarters has been the successful completion and stabilization of our ammonia to amines integration chain. This gives me the opportunity to say that we're no longer a nitration company that makes nitric acid. We're now a nitrogen company that nitrates. This commissioning, along with the expansion of our nitration and reduction capacity, has materially strengthened our footprint.

Speaker #3: Importantly, growth within AI is now being supported by two complementary drivers: the recovery in demand across our products that earlier experienced softer conditions, and capacity-led expansion in established product lines that have continued to witness healthy customer demand.

Speaker #3: This provides us with greater confidence in the medium-term outlook for the business. One of the most strategic and significant developments over the last few quarters has been the successful completion and stabilization of our ammonia-to-amines integration chain.

Speaker #3: This gives me the opportunity to say that we're no longer a nitration company that buys nitric acid. We're now a nitrogen company that nitrates.

Speaker #3: This commissioning, along with the expansion of our nitration and reduction capacity, has materially strengthened our footprint. These investments not only enhance supply security but are also expected to improve structural cost competitiveness, increase value addition, and create new downstream opportunities.

Maulik Mehta: These investments not only enhance supply security but are also expected to improve structural cost competitiveness, increase value addition, and create new downstream opportunities over the coming years. These projects represent a significant shift from capacity creation towards platform creation, enabling us to leverage common manufacturing infrastructure across multiple downstream products and improve capital efficiency over time. The multipurpose agrochemical intermediates facility, along with MIBK and MIBC projects, remain on track. MIBK as well as MIBC will be commissioned along with acetophenone in August itself, and the rest of them will be commissioned within Q2. These projects will strengthen downstream integration, broaden our basket, and support future margin expansion. Coming to the establishment of India's first integrated polycarbonate project. This project continues to progress in line with our execution roadmap, and we remain focused on disciplined implementation while building a fully integrated advanced material platform for India.

Speaker #3: Over the coming years, these projects represent a significant shift from capacity creation towards platform creation, enabling us to leverage common manufacturing infrastructure across multiple downstream products and improve capital efficiency over time.

Speaker #3: The multipurpose agrochemical intermediates facility, along with the MIBK and MIBC projects, remain on track. MIBK, as well as MIBC, will be commissioned along with acetophenone in August itself.

Speaker #3: And the rest of them will be commissioned within Q2. These projects will strengthen downstream integration, broaden our basket, and support future margin expansion. Coming to the establishment of India's first integrated polycarbonate project.

Speaker #3: This project continues to progress in line with our execution roadmap, and we remain focused on disciplined implementation while building a fully integrated advanced materials platform for India.

Speaker #3: Further, we've also made major inroads into seed marketing of our polycarbonate compounds, having qualified with marquee customers and diverse end applications. Alongside these investments, we continue to advance digitization, process automation, and sustainability initiatives.

Maulik Mehta: Further, we've also made major inroads into seed marketing of our polycarbonate compounds, having qualified with marquee customers in diverse end applications. Alongside these investments, we continue to advance digitization, process automation, and sustainability initiatives to improve productivity, energy efficiency, and manufacturing reliability. Our R&D platform has a robust pipeline that continues to gain momentum. Several products across fluorination, amination, nitration, and specialty chemistries are progressing through customer qualifications and commercialization. While each product addresses a specific market opportunity, collectively they broaden our specialty portfolio, deepen customer engagement, and create a more diversified and resilient earnings base with best-in-class product carbon footprint scores. Our transition towards renewable energy continues to gather momentum and is expected to progressively improve both the sustainability as well as the cost competitiveness of our manufacturing operations. Looking ahead, we believe the business is evolving into the next stage of its growth journey.

Speaker #3: To improve productivity, energy efficiency, and manufacturing reliability, our R&D platform has a robust pipeline that continues to gain momentum. Several products across fluorination, amination, nitration, and specialty chemistries are progressing through customer qualifications and commercialization.

Speaker #3: While each product addresses a specific market opportunity, collectively they broaden our specialty portfolio, deepen customer engagement, and create a more diversified and resilient earnings base with best-in-class product carbon footprint scores.

Speaker #3: Our transition towards renewable energy continues to gather momentum and is expected to progressively improve both the sustainability as well as the cost competitiveness of our manufacturing operations.

Speaker #3: Looking ahead, we believe the business is evolving into the next stage of its growth journey. Improving demand feasibility across several product categories, recently commissioned capacities, expanding downstream product offerings, and continued customer qualification across PECCAN provide multiple opportunity drivers for the quarters ahead.

Maulik Mehta: Improving demand, visibility across several product categories, recently commissioned capacities, expanding downstream product offerings, and continued customer qualification across Tech can provide multiple opportunity drivers for the quarters ahead. While geopolitical developments and pricing volatility may continue to influence the operating environment, Deepak today is significantly stronger, significantly more integrated, and significantly more diversified. We remain very confident in our ability to deliver growth profitably while continuing to invest in the future. With that, I would now request Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay to take you through the financial performance.

Speaker #3: While geopolitical developments and pricing volatility may continue to influence the operating environment, Deepak today is significantly stronger—significantly more integrated and significantly more diversified.

Speaker #3: We remain very confident in our ability to deliver growth profitably, while continuing to invest in the future. With that, I would now request Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay to take you through the financial performance.

Speaker #2: Thank you, Maulik. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us today on our company's Q1 FY27 earnings conference call. I'll briefly take you through the financial performance for the quarter ended June 30th, followed by the performance of our business segments, and an update on our strategic growth initiatives.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Thank you, Maulik. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us today on our company's Q1 FY27 earnings conference call. I'll briefly take you through the financial performance for the quarter ended 30 June, followed by performance of our business segments and update on our strategic growth initiatives. We are pleased to report an excellent start to FY27, with the company delivering its highest-ever quarterly performance across revenue, EBITDA, and PBT. This performance reflects improving demand across key end user industries, the strength of our integrated manufacturing platform, disciplined execution, and increasing contribution from our recently commissioned assets. Revenue from operations increased to INR 2,592 crore, registering a 35% year-on-year and 22% sequential growth. The performance was driven by healthy volume growth across businesses and improving product mix, and stronger customer demand also helped in improving the profits and margins.

Speaker #2: We have thus reported an excellent start to FY27, with the company delivering its highest ever quarterly performance across revenue, EBITDA, and PBT. These performances reflect improving demand across key end-user industries, the strength of our integrated manufacturing platform, disciplined execution, and increasing contribution from our recently commissioned assets.

Speaker #2: Revenue from operations increased to ₹2,592 crore, registering 35% year-on-year and 22% sequential growth. The performance was driven by healthy volume growth across businesses and improving product mix. Stronger customer demand also helped in improving the profits and margins.

Speaker #2: Our domestic business remains resilient, with an 85:15 domestic-to-export revenue mix. In the same period, exports recorded healthy growth, reflecting our expanding global presence and diversified customer base.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Our domestic business remains resilient with an 85% to 15% domestic to export revenue mix. At the same time, exports recorded healthy growth, reflecting our expanding global presence and diversified customer base. EBITDA increased to INR 554 crore, representing a 159% year-on-year and 45% sequential growth. EBITDA margin expanded to 21% compared to 18% in previous quarter and 11% in Q1 FY26. Margin expansion was supported by higher operating usage, favorable product mix, backward integration benefits, improved manufacturing efficiency, and continued cost discipline. Reflecting the strong operating performance, PBT reached a record of INR 468 crore, increasing 202% year-on-year and 55% sequentially. PAT also reached an all-time high of INR 345 crore, growing 217% year-on-year and 17% sequentially. This result highlights the resilience of our diversified product portfolio and scalability of our integrated business model. Beyond the reported growth, we are particularly encouraged by the continued improvement in earnings quality.

Speaker #2: EBITDA increased to ₹554 crore, representing a 159% year-on-year and 45% sequential growth. EBITDA margin expanded to 21%, compared to 18% in the previous quarter and 11% in Q1 FY26.

Speaker #2: Margin expansion was supported by higher operating leverage, favorable product mix, backward integration benefits, improved manufacturing efficiencies, and continued cost discipline. Reflecting the strong operating performance, PBT reached a record of ₹468 crore, increasing 202% year-on-year and 55% sequentially.

Speaker #2: PAT also reached an all-time high of ₹345 crores, growing 207% year-on-year and 57% sequentially. These results highlight the resilience of our diversified product portfolio and the scalability of our integrated business model.

Speaker #2: Beyond the reported growth, we are particularly encouraged by the continued improvement in earnings quality, higher asset utilization, greater integration benefits, improved manufacturing efficiencies, and disciplined working capital management. Collectively, these factors strengthened cash generation during the quarter.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Higher asset utilization, greater integration benefits, improved manufacturing efficiencies, and disciplined working capital management collectively strengthened cash generation during the quarter. On segment performance, Phenolics business delivered its highest-ever quarterly performance with revenue increasing to INR 1,775 crore, up by 36% year-on-year and 24% sequentially. EBIT rose to a record INR 418 crore, registering a 254% year-on-year and 46% quarter-on-quarter growth with EBIT margin expanding to 24%. The business benefited from stronger product realization, sustained demand across product applications, and stable plant operations with consistently high utilization levels. Our fully integrated Phenolics value chain continues to provide a structural competitive advantage through superior cost efficiencies, deeper product integration, and enhanced value addition. The Advanced Intermediates segment also delivered a strong quarter with revenue increasing to INR 804 crore, representing 33% growth year-on-year and 14% sequential growth. EBIT of INR 67 crore recorded 89% year-on-year and 100% quarter-on-quarter growth, resulting in an EBIT margin of 8%.

Speaker #2: On segment performance, the Finalist business delivered its highest ever quarterly performance, with revenue increasing to ₹1,775 crore, up by 636% year-on-year and 24% sequentially. EBIT rose to a record ₹418 crore, registering a 254% year-on-year and 46% quarter-on-quarter growth, with EBIT margin expanding to 24%.

Speaker #2: The business benefited from stronger product realization, sustained demand across product applications, and stable planned operations with consistently high utilization levels. Our fully integrated finalist value chain continues to provide a structural competitive advantage through superior cost efficiencies, deeper product integration, and enhanced value addition.

Speaker #2: The AI segment also delivered a strong quarter, with revenue increasing to ₹804 crore, representing 33% growth year-on-year and 14% sequential growth. EBIT of ₹67 crore recorded 89% year-on-year and 100% quarter-on-quarter growth, resulting in an EBIT margin of 8%.

Speaker #2: The improvement was driven by better product realization, higher operating rates, and a modified product mix. In addition, the successful stabilization of recently commissioned nitration and hydrogenation facilities has enhanced manufacturing flexibility.

Sanjay Upadhyay: The improvement was driven by better product realization, higher operating rates, and modified product mix. In addition, the successful stabilization of recently commissioned nitration and hydrogenation facilities has enhanced manufacturing flexibility, strengthened raw material security, and improved our ability to serve higher value applications. I hope that investors will recognize the performance delivered this quarter reflects not only an improvement in market conditions, but also the cumulative impact of strategic investments, integration initiatives, and capability building undertaken over the past several years. Closure of debt funding for our new co-integration project, which I highlighted in the last AGM. As you're aware, mentioned by Maulik, two ongoing propylene polycarbonate projects of INR 11,500 crore is being funded by debt and equity, a ratio of 60/40. The entire debt has been tied up at a very competitive rate and terms, as mentioned yesterday during proceedings of AGM.

Speaker #2: We have strengthened raw materials security and improved our ability to serve higher value applications. I hope that investors will recognize that the performance delivered this quarter reflects not only an improvement in market conditions but also the cumulative impact of strategic investments, integration initiatives, and capability building undertaken over the past several years.

Speaker #2: The closure of debt funding for our new pro-integration project, which I highlighted in the last AGM, as you are aware, was mentioned by Maulik. The ongoing property and polycarbonate project of ₹11,500 crores is being funded by a debt-to-equity ratio of 60:40.

Speaker #2: The entire debt has been tied up at a very competitive rate and term, as mentioned yesterday during the proceedings of the AGM. This marks an important milestone in our growth journey and reinforces our ability to execute large-scale investments through a balanced financing network.

Sanjay Upadhyay: This marks an important milestone in our growth journey. Reinforcing our ability to execute large scale investments through a balanced financing network. On balance sheet and capital allocation, our balance sheet remains a key strategic strength, providing a solid foundation for our next phase of growth. Consolidated net worth increased to INR 6,214 crores, while our debt to equity ratio remained comfortable at 0.27x, reflecting a prudent capital structure. We continue to deploy capital in a disciplined manner, prioritizing projects that deepen integration, expand value-added offerings, strengthen our competitive positioning. Investments during the quarter continued across our integrated Polycarbonate project, downstream specialty chemical platforms, and other strategic manufacturing initiatives. Working capital efficiency also improved through tighter inventory management discipline, receivable collections, and supply chain optimization, resulting in healthy operating cash generation.

Speaker #2: On balance sheet and capital allocation, our balance sheet remains a key strategic strength, providing a solid foundation for the next phase of growth. Consolidated net worth increased to ₹6,214 crores, while our debt-to-equity ratio remained comfortable at 0.27x, reflecting a prudent capital structure.

Speaker #2: We continue to deploy capital in a disciplined manner, prioritizing projects that deepen integration, expand value net offerings, and strengthen our competitive positioning. Investments during the quarter continued across our integrated polycarbonate project, downstream specialty chemical platforms, and other strategic manufacturing initiatives.

Speaker #2: Working capital efficiency also improved through tighter inventory management discipline, receivable collections, and supply chain optimization, resulting in healthy operating cash generation. Our balance sheet continues to provide significant financial flexibility.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Our balance sheet continues to provide us significant financial flexibility, thereby allowing us to simultaneously execute our growth projects while maintaining prudent leverage and preserving capacity for our future opportunities. Looking ahead, we remain optimistic about the medium and long-term outlook for our business. As the benefit of our strategic investment continues to unfold over the coming quarters, we believe Deepak Nitrite is increasingly well-positioned to deliver superior earning quality, stronger cash generation, and sustainable long-term value creation. With that, I would now request the moderator to open the floor for question and answer session, please.

Speaker #2: This allows us to simultaneously execute our growth projects while maintaining prudent capacity for our future opportunities. Looking ahead, we remain optimistic about the medium- and long-term outlook for our business.

Speaker #2: As the benefits of our strategic investments continue to unfold over the coming quarters, we believe Deepak Nitrite is increasingly well positioned to deliver superior earnings quality, stronger cash generation, and sustainable long-term value creation.

Speaker #2: With that, I would now request the moderator to open the floor for the question and answer session, please.

Speaker #1: Thank you very much. We will now begin the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and one on their touch-tone phone.

Operator: Thank you very much. We will now begin with the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and one on their touchtone phone. If you wish to remove yourself from the question queue, you may press star and two. Participants are requested to use handsets while asking a question. Ladies and gentlemen, we will wait for a moment while the question queue assembles. The first question is from the line of Neeraj Jimuria from Anand Rathi Wealth. Please go ahead.

Speaker #1: If you wish to remove yourself from the question queue, you may press star and two. Participants are requested to use handsets while asking a question.

Speaker #1: Ladies and gentlemen, we will wait for a moment while the question queue ascends. The first question is from the line of Neerav Jumuria from Annual Wealth.

Speaker #1: Please go ahead.

Speaker #3: Yes, sir. Good afternoon, and thanks for the opportunity. I have a few questions to ask. The first is: yesterday in the AGM, you touched upon the fact that our phenol plant has now reached a capacity of close to around 400,000 tons.

Neeraj Jimuria: Yes, sir. Good afternoon, thanks for the opportunity. A few questions to ask. The first is on yesterday in the AGM, you touched upon the fact that our Phenol plant has now reached a capacity of close to around 4 lakh tons. If you can share that, whether we have actually touched the quarterly run rate of 1 lakh tons of Phenol production this quarter or the capability is now being built to run the plant at that rated capacity in the subsequent quarters. Also, on the propylene availability side, how are we covered to support this high level of Phenol production? Last bit on what would be your game plan in terms of the current market environment with respect to Acetone, IPA, and MIBK.

Nirav Jimudia: Yes, sir. Good afternoon, thanks for the opportunity. A few questions to ask. The first is on yesterday in the AGM, you touched upon the fact that our Phenol plant has now reached a capacity of close to around 4 lakh tons. If you can share that, whether we have actually touched the quarterly run rate of 1 lakh tons of Phenol production this quarter or the capability is now being built to run the plant at that rated capacity in the subsequent quarters. Also, on the propylene availability side, how are we covered to support this high level of Phenol production? Last bit on what would be your game plan in terms of the current market environment with respect to Acetone, IPA, and MIBK.

Speaker #3: So, if you can share whether we have actually touched the quarterly run rate of 1 lakh tons of phenol production this quarter, or if the capability is now being built to run the plant at that rated capacity?

Speaker #3: In the subsequent quarters. Also, on the property and availability side, how are we covered to support this high level of phenol production? And last bit, what would be our game plan in terms of the current market environment with respect to acetone, IPA, and MIB chemicals?

Speaker #4: Okay. Hi Neerav. So, as you know, Q1 had a lot of raw material volatility, and the team did an excellent job in securing propylene as it was required.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Okay. Hi, Neeraj. As you know, Q1 had a lot of raw material volatility, and the team did an excellent job in securing propylene as it was required. In the meanwhile, they also made sure that they were able to purchase competitively priced intermediates. When we're talking about our capacity, there were significant periods during the quarter where we came to that number on a run rate basis. There were periods where we did not because of raw material sourcing and if we had taken short-term shutdown for maintenance, which we normally do on an annualized basis anyway. Moving forward, I think we are more than capable of doing this. Of course, all of this is in line with regards to the demand market for both acetone, IPA, as well as phenol. Now, you're asking about capacity.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Okay. Hi, Nirav. As you know, Q1 had a lot of raw material volatility, and the team did an excellent job in securing propylene as it was required. In the meanwhile, they also made sure that they were able to purchase competitively priced intermediates. When we're talking about our capacity, there were significant periods during the quarter where we came to that number on a run rate basis. There were periods where we did not because of raw material sourcing and if we had taken short-term shutdown for maintenance, which we normally do on an annualized basis anyway. Moving forward, I think we are more than capable of doing this. Of course, all of this is in line with regards to the demand market for both acetone, IPA, as well as phenol. Now, you're asking about capacity.

Speaker #4: In the meanwhile, they also made sure that they were able to purchase competitively priced intermediates. So when we're talking about our capacity, there were significant periods during the quarter where we came to that number on a run-rate basis.

Speaker #4: There were periods where we did not, because of raw material sourcing and its short-term shutdown for tenants, which we normally do on an annualized basis anyway.

Speaker #4: So, moving forward, I think we are more than capable of doing this. Of course, all of this is in line with regard to the demand market for both acetone, IPA, as well as for phenol.

Speaker #4: Now, you're asking about capacity. Earlier, we used to have a situation where the summer months would have lower capacity and the winter would have higher.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Earlier, we used to have a situation where summer months would have a lower capacity and winter would have higher. We've seen how we can reduce the delta between summer and winter. We're at, I would say, a run rate of close to what you're saying on an annualized basis. We are looking at opportunities to debottleneck further, and hopefully we should, in the short to medium term, be able to achieve the big four number, and I think you can wish us best of luck for that. With regards to the market dynamics between acetone, IPA, MIBK, this is one of those things where the integrated model allows us a degree of flexibility to focus on running our assets as hard as possible. It doesn't matter whether we are consuming our acetone, we're converting it into IPA, converting that into MIBK, converting that into MIBC.

Speaker #4: We've seen how we can reduce the delta between summer and winter, so we are at a rate close to what you're saying on an annualized basis.

Speaker #4: We are looking at opportunities to de-bottleneck further, and hopefully, in the short to medium term, we should be able to achieve the Big Four number. I think you can wish us best of luck for that.

Speaker #4: With regards to the market dynamics between acetone, IPA, and MIBK, this is one of those things where the integrated model allows us a degree of flexibility to focus on running our assets as hot as possible.

Speaker #4: And then it doesn't matter whether we are consuming our acetone, whether converting it into IPA, converting that into MIBK, converting that into MIBC. That degree of flexibility remains with us.

Sanjay Upadhyay: That degree of flexibility remains with us. On all cases, it is safe to say that we are world scale in terms of our cost as well as our capacities. MIBK as well as MIBC in their pre-commissioning runs have already demonstrated meeting the stringent consumption norms that we had designed for. For example, in MIBC, we have already been able to exceed the originally designed capacity, and we will stabilize the run rates and the commissioning

Speaker #4: But in all cases, it is safe to say that we are world-scale in terms of our costs as well as our capacities. MIBK as well as MIBC, in their pre-commissioning runs, have already demonstrated meeting the stringent consumption norms that we had designed for.

Speaker #4: So, for example, in a couple of cases like MIBC, we've already been able to exceed the originally designed capacity, and we will stabilize the run rates and the commissioning in line with engagement with technology partners.

Maulik Mehta: In line with engagement with technology partners.

Speaker #3: Perfect, sir. So, second question is: In the annual report, you have mentioned that, let's say, in the medium term, the focus would be more towards the value-added products rather than the commodity ones.

Neeraj Jimuria: Perfect, sir. Second question is on, in the annual report, you have mentioned that in the medium term, the focus would be more towards the value-added products rather than the commodity ones, and this would support the higher profit growth for us. You touched upon a few of the products, like the chlorination part, VTF, as well as the Acetophenone project, which is getting commissioned shortly. If you can just help us understand in terms of with the projects already being commissioned, like the nitric acid part, which we already have commissioned, and the projects which are going to be commissioned in the near future, how this will help us to sustain the earnings momentum which we have achieved in Q1 of FY27 from the Advanced Intermediates side?

Nirav Jimudia: Perfect, sir. Second question is on, in the annual report, you have mentioned that in the medium term, the focus would be more towards the value-added products rather than the commodity ones, and this would support the higher profit growth for us. You touched upon a few of the products, like the chlorination part, VTF, as well as the Acetophenone project, which is getting commissioned shortly. If you can just help us understand in terms of with the projects already being commissioned, like the nitric acid part, which we already have commissioned, and the projects which are going to be commissioned in the near future, how this will help us to sustain the earnings momentum which we have achieved in Q1 of FY27 from the Advanced Intermediates side?

Speaker #3: And this would support higher profit growth for us. You touched upon a few of the products, like the fluorination part, BTF, as well as the acetophenone project, which is getting commissioned shortly.

Speaker #3: So if you can just help us understand, with the projects already being commissioned, like the nitric acid plant which we have already commissioned, and the projects which are going to be commissioned in the near future, how this will help us to sustain the earnings momentum which we have achieved in Q1 of FY27 from the advanced intermediates side.

Speaker #4: I think we should feel confident of being able to look at Q1 as a strong start to a strong year. And I can also say with a degree of confidence that all of these assets which we are targeting—in fact, two of these plants, the alkylation plant as well as the multi-purpose plant—were slated for commissioning a couple of months earlier. But Q1 also had a disruption where, you know, contractual manpower was not available.

Maulik Mehta: I think we should feel confident of being able to look at Q1 as a strong start to a strong year. I can also say with a degree of confidence that all of these assets which we are targeting, in fact, two of these plants, the alkylation plant as well as the multipurpose plant, were slated for commissioning a couple of months earlier. Q1 also had a disruption, where contractual manpower was not available. There was a natural gas shortage across the country. Some of those pre-commissioning activities, which should have been finished earlier, are currently in process. In any case, we had anticipated a ramp-up over a few months so that we can have regular operations in line with customer allocations in CY.

Speaker #4: There was a natural gas shortage across the country, and so some of those pre-commissioning activities which should have been finished earlier are currently in process.

Speaker #4: And so, basically, in any case, we had anticipated a ramp-up over a few months so that we can have regular operations in line with customer allocation in CY.

Speaker #4: So, that begins from January, and that is something where we are working hard to see that we remain on track with giving the commercial volumes.

Maulik Mehta: That begins from January, and that is something where we are working hard to see that we remain on track with giving the commercial volumes. These will have definitely a better margin profile than even the existing platform that Deepak Nitrite already serve in Advanced Intermediates.

Speaker #4: These will have, you know, definitely a better margin profile than even the existing platform that Deepak has already served in advanced intermediates.

Speaker #3: Got it. And sir, one last question from my side. Is it possible to quantify, in terms of what sort of incremental contribution to the top line, as well as some flavor on the margin side, if you can share based on the products we have introduced and those that are going to be commissioned in the subsequent quarters?

Neeraj Jimuria: Got it. Sir, last bit from my side. Is it possible to quantify in terms of what sort of incremental contribution in terms of, let's say, the top line as well as some flavor on the margin side, if you can share based on the products, what we have introduced and going to be commissioned in subsequent quarters. Some understanding on the top line as well as the EBITDA margins would be very helpful. Thank you so much.

Nirav Jimudia: Got it. Sir, last bit from my side. Is it possible to quantify in terms of what sort of incremental contribution in terms of, let's say, the top line as well as some flavor on the margin side, if you can share based on the products, what we have introduced and going to be commissioned in subsequent quarters. Some understanding on the top line as well as the EBITDA margins would be very helpful. Thank you so much.

Speaker #3: So, some understanding on the top line as well as the EBITDA margins would be very helpful. Thank you so much.

Speaker #4: Thanks. I'll refrain from answering that question. I'll just say that the margin profile is either in line with, or better than, the average margin profile that Advanced Intermediate has.

Maulik Mehta: Thanks. I'll refrain from answering that question. I'll just say that the margin profile is either in line or better than the average margin profile that Advanced Intermediates has. Many of them have the advantage of integrated asset fungibility, which allows us to see that we are able to gain more, not only from those products, but from the site at large.

Speaker #4: And many of them have the advantage of integrated asset fungibility, which allows us to see that we are able to gain more not only from those products but from the site at large.

Speaker #3: Perfect, sir. Thank you so much, and wish you all the best.

Neeraj Jimuria: Perfect, sir. Thank you so much. Wish you all the best.

Nirav Jimudia: Perfect, sir. Thank you so much. Wish you all the best.

Speaker #4: Thank you very much.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you very much.

Speaker #1: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Sajneesh Jain from ICICI Securities. Please go ahead.

Operator: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Sanjesh Jain from ICICI Securities. Please go ahead.

Speaker #5: Yeah, hi, this is Sanjesh Jain here. Thanks, thanks for the opportunity. First, from the phenolic side, Maulik, what was the average spread we did in this quarter, and how is the spread looking like in Q2 and Q3?

Sanjesh Jain: Yeah. Hi, this is Sanjesh Jain here. Thanks for the opportunity. First, on the Phenolics side, Maulik, what was the average spread we did in this quarter, and how is the spread looking like in Q2 and Q3? Will this kind of profitability sustainable, or we are looking at some moderation here?

Speaker #5: Will this kind of profitability be sustainable, or are we looking at some moderation here?

Speaker #4: Okay hi Sajneesh Sanjesh sorry.

Maulik Mehta: Okay. Hi, Sanjesh. As you would know from previous investor calls, I refrain from commenting on spreads. What I can say is that Deepak does have an operational excellence leverage that it places on what is considered as publicly available data on RM as well as FG prices. I would not comment on what the market sees as feedstock and Phenol Acetone prices. I would just say that Deepak is able to ensure that it is able to secure its feedstock at competitive rates, and it is able to get prices which are, I would say, better than what seems to be reflected on an international index.

Speaker #5: Yeah.

Speaker #4: As you would know from previous investor calls, I refrain from commenting on spreads. What I can say is that Deepak does have an operational excellence leverage that it applies to what is considered publicly available data on RM as well as FG prices.

Speaker #4: So I I would not comment on what the market sees as feedstock and phenol acetone prices. I would just say that Deepak is able to ensure that it is able to secure its feedstock at competitive rates and it is able to get prices which are I would say better than what seems to be reflected on an international index.

Speaker #5: Oh, very clear. Very clear, thanks. Second, on MIBK and MIBC, now we are very close to commissioning. Has the product been approved by the customer?

Sanjesh Jain: Oh, very clear. Thanks. Second one, MIBK and MIBC. Now we are very close to commissioning. Has the product been approved by the customer? Where are you in the approval cycle, and how much time will it take to fully ramp up the plant?

Speaker #5: Where are we in the approval cycle, and how much time will it take to fully ramp up the plant?

Speaker #4: Yeah, so product quality has been approved, has been appreciated. In fact, our product quality is best in class by a margin on both of these.

Maulik Mehta: Yeah. Product quality has been approved, has been appreciated. In fact, our product quality is best in class by a margin on both of these. We've already been able to achieve our target raw material as well as utility norms in our pre-commissioning runs. We are coordinating well with technology providers. We're confident that as demand comes in, we should be able to ramp up to beyond 100% very quickly. By the way, as we do, this will substantially help the entire site integration because asset OSBLs are common, and that will have a material uplift in terms of profitability.

Speaker #4: We've already been able to achieve our target raw material, as well as utility norms, in our pre-commissioning runs. And we are coordinating well with technology providers.

Speaker #4: We're confident that as demand comes in, we should be able to ramp up to beyond 100% very quickly. And, by the way, as we do this, it substantially helps the entire site integration because asset OSDLs are common.

Speaker #4: And that will have a material uplift in terms of profitability.

Speaker #5: That's great. One question, or rather, the last question on the phenolic: Maulik, earlier you thought—or we thought—that 350,000 was like reaching maturity for the asset, and probably we have even crossed the best of that, and we are now talking of further debottlenecking in the same facility.

Sanjesh Jain: That's great. One question, and last question on the Phenolics. Maulik, earlier you thought, or we thought that 350,000 was reaching a maturity for the asset, and probably we have crossed even the best of that, and we are talking of further debottlenecking in the same facility. What has changed since then to now?

Speaker #5: What has changed since then to now?

Speaker #4: I think the only thing that has changed is confidence.

Maulik Mehta: I think the only thing that has changed is confidence.

Speaker #5: Okay. Have you made any technological changes, or bought any additional site? Any tangible thing you can share, or is it just purely process improvement that's leading to all this?

Sanjesh Jain: Okay. Have you made any technological changes or any bought additional site? Any tangible thing you can share, or it's just purely a process improvement that's leading to all this?

Speaker #4: No, no. We've invested in advanced process controls, which allow us significantly tighter process management across the propylene and benzene to phenol and acetone. And one thing that our customers all appreciate is that more product does not mean more lower-quality product.

Maulik Mehta: No, we've invested in advanced process controls, which allow us significantly tighter process management across the propylene and benzene to phenol and acetone. One thing that our customers all appreciate is that more product does not mean lower quality product. The quality of our product has remained best in class. We continue to see how we can expand capacity in line with also improving constantly the product quality. By and large, I don't think there is a single customer anywhere that we have supplied to where there has been a concern about quality. The advanced process control has been a fundamental lever for us. I think along this journey from about 2 lakh tons to, as we keep on reaching higher and higher, the investment in the asset would have been somewhere along the lines of about INR 80 to 100 crores.

Speaker #4: So, the quality of our product has remained best in class. We continue to see how we can expand capacity, in line with also constantly improving the product quality.

Speaker #4: And by and large, I don't think there is a single customer anywhere that we have supplied to where there has been a concern about quality.

Speaker #4: So, the advanced process control has been a fundamental lever for us, and I think along this journey, from about 2 lakh tons to as we keep on reaching higher and higher, the investment in the asset would have been somewhere along the lines of about ₹80 to ₹100 crores.

Speaker #4: And this demonstrates an excellent return on capital employed, if I may say so.

Maulik Mehta: this demonstrates an excellent return on capital employed, if I say.

Speaker #5: No, that's fantastic, actually. One last question on the advanced intermediate.

Sanjesh Jain: Oh, that's fantastic, actually. One last question on the Advanced Intermediates-

Speaker #4: Sorry, I'll just mention that we are going to make, I think, about ₹70 crore investment further in deep bottlenecking the assets, to be able to touch about 4 lakh tons.

Maulik Mehta: Sorry. I just mentioned that we are going to make, I think about some 70 odd crores investment further in debottlenecking the assets to be able to touch about 4 lakh tons. In the meanwhile, as I mentioned earlier, we are also in the process of commissioning acetophenone in an integrated model from the same asset.

Speaker #4: Meanwhile, as I mentioned earlier, we are also in the process of commissioning acetophenone in an integrated model from the same asset.

Speaker #5: Can we talk about—when we talk about this 4 lakh metric ton, does it also include acetophenone, or is this just phenol-plus?

Sanjesh Jain: when we talk about this 4 lakh metric tons, it also includes acetophenone or this is just phenol plus-

Maulik Mehta: This is just Phenol. All of these other things, I don't add all of them to each other. That number would be very large. They should be considered as one product increases, the co-product also increases. Our capacity have also been bottlenecked in the interim, our Acetophenone will not be this kind of world scale, but it will be an international scale. It will probably have the lowest sort of carbon footprint in the world because it is made in an extremely innovative way. It will be top quality with extremely low PCF scores.

Speaker #4: Yeah this is just phenol. All of these other things I I don't add you know all of them to each other. That number would be very large.

Speaker #4: But there should be consideration, you know, as one product increases, the co-product also increases our capacity. I've also been de-bottlenecked in the interim.

Speaker #4: And our acetophenone will not be at this kind of world scale, but it'll be on an international scale. It will probably have the lowest product carbon footprint in the world because it is made in an extremely innovative way.

Speaker #4: So, it will be top quality with extremely low PCS scores.

Speaker #5: Oh, that's great to hear. One last question on advanced intermediates. We have now commissioned the hydrogenation and nitration facility. What are exactly the plans for these blocks, and how are we looking at utilizing this over the next one and a half years?

Sanjesh Jain: That's great to hear. One last on Advanced Intermediates. You have now commissioned the hydrogenation and nitration facility. What are exactly planned for this block, how are we looking at utilizing this over the next one and a half year?

Speaker #4: So we've—we actually already commissioned our nitration and reduction last year, I think Q3 if I'm not mistaken. And we have already started operating these assets with a relatively high utilization.

Maulik Mehta: We had actually only commissioned our nitration and reduction last year, I think Q3, if I'm not mistaken. We have already started operating these assets with a relatively high utilization. Anticipating that we need to place our products in the market once our nitric acid plant is also commissioned, it will allow us to be aligned from end to end. As we've already been in the market, those assets have already been operating. Our backward integration just allows us to capture a larger share of the value. Concurrently right now, we are able to manufacture eight products simultaneously with a high degree of efficiency across multiple assets.

Speaker #4: Anticipating that we need to place our products in the market once our nitric acid plant is also commissioned, it will allow us to be aligned from end to end.

Speaker #4: And as we've already been in the market, those assets have already been operating. Our backward integration just allows us to capture a larger share of the value.

Speaker #4: So, concurrently, right now we are able to manufacture eight products simultaneously with a high degree of efficiency across multiple assets.

Speaker #5: I just wanted to understand, how does doing nitric acid in-house enhance our downstream capability? Is it just that we'll become more cost-competitive, or is there more to it?

Sanjesh Jain: I just wanted to understand how does doing nitric acid in-house enhances our downstream capability? Is it just that we'll become more cost competitive or there is more to it?

Speaker #4: There is more to it, but cost competitiveness is certainly a powerful lever. There is more to it—it allows us to practice the kinds of chemistries which would be challenging otherwise.

Maulik Mehta: There is more to it. Cost competitive is certainly a powerful lever. There is more to it. It allows us to practice the kinds of chemistries which would be challenging otherwise. Let me just leave it at that.

Speaker #4: Let me just leave it at that.

Speaker #5: Great. Great. Thanks, Maulik. Thanks for answering all those questions.

Sanjesh Jain: Great. Thanks, Maulik. Thanks for answering all those questions.

Speaker #4: Thank you. Thank you.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you.

Sanjesh Jain: The question about it.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you.

Speaker #1: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Archit Joshi from Nuwama Wealth. Please go ahead.

Operator: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Archit Joshi from Nuvama Wealth. Please go ahead.

Speaker #5: Hi, good evening, sir. Thanks a lot for the opportunity, and I must acknowledge that the annual report has come out really well in terms of disclosures.

Archit Joshi: Hi. Good evening, sir. Thanks a lot for the opportunity, and I must acknowledge that the annual report has come out really well in terms of disclosures. Congrats to the team for a good set of numbers. First question, just extending the scope of the phenol capacity discussion from the previous participant. You just mentioned that we are in the phase of debottlenecking capacities to about 400 KTPA, and I think we will also should be on track to get another 300 KTPA in Deepak Chem Tech. Given the disclosures from the annual report, you're already operating at about 170% odd utilization, which is phenomenal. From a terminal basis, this looks like we'll easily clock something like 1,000 KTPA, possibly the four figure number that you were alluding to earlier.

Speaker #5: So congrats to the team for a good set of numbers. First question just extending the scope of the phenol capacity discussion from the previous participant you did mention that we are in the phase of deep bottlenecking capacities to about 400 KTP and I think we were also should be on track to get another three 100 KTPA in deeper chemtech and given the disclosures from the annual report you're already operating at about 170 odd percent utilization which is phenomenal.

Speaker #5: Just so from a from a terminal basis this looks like we'll easily clock you know something like a thousand KTPA possibly the four figure number that you are alluding to earlier.

Speaker #5: I was just wondering, how should we see it from an integration perspective when we hit that number, let's say three or four years down the line, or as early as possible?

Archit Joshi: I was just wondering how should we see it from an integration perspective when we hit that number, let's say three, four years down the line or as early as possible? How much would the merchant sales from that and how much should we have it for bisphenol and polycarbonate once those plants are up and running?

Speaker #5: How much would be merchant sales from that, and how much should we have it for this phenol and polycarbonate once those plants are up and running?

Speaker #4: So, thank you, Archit, for that question. Just to clarify, when I said the four-figure number, I meant in terms of ₹4 lakh for the existing asset, which is in deeper phenolics.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you, Archit, for that question. Just to clarify, when I said the four-figure number, I meant in terms of INR 4 lakhs for the existing asset, which is in Deepak Phenolics.

Archit Joshi: Oh, sure.

Speaker #4: No problem. Sorry, I may have miscommunicated. What I want to also clarify is that the new asset in Chemtech will largely serve as an integration platform for our downstream. We've recently announced BPA, and that kind of stitches propylene all the way to polycarbonate.

Maulik Mehta: No problem. Sorry, I may have miscommunicated. What I want to also clarify is that the new asset in Chemtech will largely serve as an integration platform for our downstream. We've recently announced a BPA, and that kind of stitches propylene all the way to polycarbonate. For all of these products, whether it is phenol, whether it is BPA, whether it is polycarbonate, and that will go into compounding. All of these will allow us to also participate in the merchant market as the downstream capacities get ramped up and the customer acquisition is in line. We appreciate that very often there is a situation where you might have an intermediate that has a better case, because the downstream is still in a process of validation from application or another. This will allow us to participate in every part of the value chain.

Speaker #4: And you know, for all of these products, whether it is phenol, whether it is BPA, whether it is polycarbonate—and that will go into compounding—all of these will allow us to also participate in the merchant market as the downstream capacities get ramped up and the customer acquisition is in line.

Speaker #4: So we appreciate that, you know, very often there is a situation where you might have an intermediate that has a better case because the downstream is still in a process of validation from application or another.

Speaker #4: So this will allow us to participate in every part of the value chain. Similar to the way it is in the existing assets, we can participate in acetone, IPA, MIBK, MIBC, as well as downstreams.

Maulik Mehta: Similar to the way it is in the existing assets, we can participate in acetone, IPA, MIBK, MIBC, as well as downstream. This is a similar model that you can anticipate in the propylene to polycarbonate and compounding chain.

Speaker #4: This is a similar model that you can anticipate in the propylene to polycarbonate and compounding chain.

Speaker #5: Sure sir. Thanks for that clarification. So it'll be safe to assume that the the the production that is happening in the standard in the phenolic business will be predominantly merchant sales and very opportunistic merchant sales in the chemtech subsidiary and just to add on to that if you can also help us with the timelines of commissioning of all these three if there is any delay or three point of the phenol plant the bisphenol A recently announced and the polycarbonate one.

Archit Joshi: Sure, sir. Thanks for that clarification. It will be safe to assume that the production that is happening in the Phenolics business will be predominantly merchant sales and very opportunistic merchant sales in the Chemtech subsidiary. Just to add on to that, if you can also help us with the timelines of commissioning of all these three, if there's any period requirement of the phenol plant, the Bisphenol A recently announced, and the polycarbonate one. That would be very helpful.

Speaker #5: That would be very helpful.

Speaker #4: So, I'll just say that we are working to ensure that our phenol capacity comes online in line with the commissioning of the propylene supply that comes from PDH, in their propane dehydrogenation investment.

Maulik Mehta: I'll just say that we are working to ensure that our phenol capacity happens in line with the commissioning of the propylene supply that comes from PDH in their propane dehydrogenation investment. That is being engineered to be aligned with the feedstock supply. The polycarbonate asset is, in that sense, disengaged, and it is coming in line with a very different goalpost, where our technology supplier as well as the equipment supplier will also be our anchor customer. We are working to see how we can commission this quickly so that we are up and running at the same time as their inventory stockpiles. There, we have to work fast. We don't have the luxury of working in line with the propylene pipeline being established.

Speaker #4: So that is, you know, being engineered to be aligned with the feedstock supply. The polycarbonate asset is, in that sense, disengaged, and it is coming in line with a very different goalpost, where our technology supplier, as well as the equipment supplier, will also be our anchor customer.

Speaker #4: So, we are working to see how we can commission this quickly so that, you know, we are up and running at the same time as their inventory stockpile. So, there, I mean, we have to work fast.

Speaker #4: We don't have the luxury of working in line with, you know, the propylene pipeline being established. However, we don't want to, you know, let go of any market share when it comes to phenol, so we will try to see how we can optimize. But strategically and financially, we've kept both of these projects going concurrently.

Maulik Mehta: However, we don't want to let go of any market share when it comes to phenol, we will try to see how we can optimize. Strategically and financially, we've kept both of these projects going concurrently. I would anticipate that we would target H2 for our polycarbonate commissioning, and we would target BPA, which would be commissioned maybe a couple of months after that. We've just made the announcement, the investments that we have already accounted for assume generous storage facilities that allow us to delink as required strategically.

Speaker #4: I would anticipate that we would target H2 for our polycarbonate commissioning, and we would target BPA, which would be commissioned maybe a couple of months after that. We've just made the announcement, but the investments that we have already accounted for assume generous, you know, storage facilities that allow us to de-link as required strategically.

Speaker #5: So, when you say H2, it's H2 at 5/28, right? The next financial year.

Archit Joshi: When you say H2, it's H2 FY28, right? The next financial year.

Speaker #4: 28 29.

Sanjay Upadhyay: 28, 29.

Speaker #5: Yeah.

Maulik Mehta: Yeah.

Speaker #4: 29.

Sanjay Upadhyay: 29.

Speaker #5: So FI 28 29.

Maulik Mehta: FY28, 29.

Speaker #4: Got it.

Archit Joshi: Got it. Just one final one on the industry. I think we have seen, given the volatility and multiple shocks in terms of capacities being pulled out of the system, I am sure that the market is also shaken up. Anything that you are hearing on phenol capacities being withdrawn in the system? While I understand that the spreads will be too volatile, but if I have to take a directional sense of any supply-demand mismatch that we foresee, given the fluidity in the situation, would you have any thoughts to share on that? The margins that we have reported, I am sure we have done phenomenally well from a spreads perspective, and they are maybe a tad lower than the dream run that we had during COVID. I was just trying to gauge where this could settle in the interim. That would be my last one. Thank you.

Speaker #5: I have just one final one on the industry. I mean we have seen given the volatility and multiple shocks in terms of capacities being pulled out of the system I'm sure that the market is also shaken up.

Speaker #5: Any anything that we are hearing on phenol capacities in withdrawn in the system while I understand that the spreads will be too volatile but if I have to take a directional sense of any supply demand mismatch that we foresee given the fluidity in the situation would you have any thoughts to share on that because the margins that we have reported I'm sure we have done phenomenally well from a spreads perspective and there are maybe a tad lower than than the than the green run that we had during COVID so I was just trying to gauge where this could settle in the interim.

Speaker #5: That would be my last one. Thank you.

Speaker #4: See, no new capacities are coming up. New capacities have come up in the last couple of years in China, but that is now all done and China is largely self-sufficient, so no new capacities are there today. If you see, the demand is more or less balanced and we are having enough market in India. In fact, whatever you are saying, there is a lot of demand in India, but supplies are actually limited, so we have a great opportunity today.

Sanjay Upadhyay: No new capacities are coming up. New capacities have come up in last couple of years in China, but that is now all done, and China is largely self-sufficient, so no new capacities. Today, if you see the demand is more or less balanced and we are having enough market in India. In fact, whatever you are saying, there is a lot of demand in India, which is supplies are actually limited. We have a great opportunity today. To answer your question, there is no worry as such. There is no oversupply in the market, and demands are almost balanced, but actually, there is a short supply today, if I can tell you.

Speaker #4: So, to answer your question, there is no worry as such. There is no oversupply in the market and demands are almost balanced, so actually there is a short supply today, if I can tell you.

Speaker #5: Arshit, I'll just add a little bit of color to what Mr. Bhatia said. Deepak Phenolics does not really have a significant participation in the global phenol market because our focus remains predominantly on India and domestic customers.

Maulik Mehta: Archit, I'll just add a little bit of color to what Mr. Upadhyay said. Deepak Phenolics does not really have a significant participation in the global Phenol market because our focus remains predominantly India and the domestic customers. Through Q1, you would've noticed that for a large part of the quarter, I think the entirety of the quarter, the government had actually removed the import duty on Phenol. This was a period of time where imports, as they came in duty-free. We're happy to note that the government has re-imposed this import duty on Phenol moving forward because they also believe that by and large, the demand improvement and the ability for Deepak and other Indian producers like HOC is enough to be able to supply that requirement.

Speaker #5: We were also you know through Q1 you would have noticed that for a large part of the quarter I think the entirety of the quarter the government had actually removed the import duty on phenol this was also so this was a period of time where imports as with as they came came in duty free and we're happy to note that the government has reimposed this import duty on phenol moving forward because they also believe that by and large the the demand improvement and the ability for Deepak and other Indian you know producers like HOC is enough to be able to supply that requirement.

Speaker #5: Just for the sake of understanding a bit more, while the quarter would have presented us with opportunities on the short supply, as Bhatia, as he mentioned, but over a period of time, when let's say the dust settles, I'm sure that there will be an import parity-wise pricing in the commodities that we manufacture.

Archit Joshi: Just for the sake of understanding a bit more, while the quarter would have presented us with opportunities on the short supply, as Upadhyay mentioned. Over a period of time when, let's say, the dust settles, I'm sure that there'll be an import parity-wise pricing in the commodities that we manufacture. For that, a global supply-demand mismatch or equilibrium or an oversupply or undersupply situation will be the guiding force towards that. If that is my correct understanding, and that's why the question that I asked previously, if you have seen any capacities getting pulled out or any new additions towards which I think Upadhyay mentioned gave his thoughts. Anything that you can add to that, sir?

Speaker #5: So for that a global supply demand mismatch or equilibrium or an oversupply or undersupply situation will be the guiding force towards that if that is my correct understanding and that's why the question that I asked previously if you have seen any capacities you know getting pulled out or any new additions towards which I think Bhatiaji mentioned gave his thoughts.

Speaker #5: Is there anything else that you can add to that?

Speaker #4: Yeah, you're right. And what Mr. Bhatia has also mentioned is, you know, as we see the world, I just want to highlight that, look, you know, the price of phenol or acetone anywhere else in the world does not necessarily mean that that is the price at which it lands.

Maulik Mehta: Yeah. You're right. What Mr. Upadhyay has also mentioned is, as we see the world, I just want to highlight that the price of Phenol or Acetone anywhere else in the world does not necessarily mean that that is the price at which it lands in India. You will have seen escalating freight rates, insurance rates, depreciating currency, as well as the kind of customer profile and the application profile of Phenol consumers in India. This is essentially not what you would see as a customer mix anywhere else in the world, where largely Phenol goes into the production of polycarbonates all over the world. In India, it is a much, much more diversified end application, which includes small, medium scale, as well as large companies in chemicals, in specialty chemicals, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, construction, and laminates.

Speaker #4: In India, you will have seen escalating freight rates, insurance rates, depreciating currency, as well as the kind of customer profile and the application profile of phenol consumers in India.

Speaker #4: This is essentially not what you would see as a customer, unlike anywhere else in the world, where largely phenol goes into the production of polycarbonates all over the world.

Speaker #4: In India it is a much much more diversified end application which includes small medium scale as well as large companies in chemicals in specialty chemicals agrochemicals pharmaceuticals construction and laminates so this kind of customer profile actually lends itself very well to a domestic supplier who can ensure that their books their inventory levels their focuses on a just in type our goal is to make sure that they have absolute peace of mind with regards to you know the supply of these chemicals and again I feel like the tagline of commodity chemicals keeps getting attached one way or the other I'll just rephrase that to say that any chemical eventually over a period of time can become a commodity can become a specialty it is essentially linked to the kind of control you have over the marketplace about whether your product is preferred compared to somebody else's product you are able to place it there at a high value to yourself and to your customer and since we don't really participate so much in the international market we find that India offers us a unique advantage and we offer in turn our customers a unique advantage this is also what Mr. Mehta alluded to yesterday in the AGM that a world scale investment in something creates world scale investment opportunities for downstream consumers we've seen this happen and we've seen this happen not just in phenol consumption but in many many other products so the world whatever is happening there India continues to remain a salient destination for downstream investment.

Maulik Mehta: This kind of customer profile actually lends itself very well to a domestic supplier who can ensure that their books, their inventory levels, their focus is on a just-in-time. Our goal is to make sure that they have absolute peace of mind with regards to the supply of these chemicals. Again, I feel like the tagline of commodity chemicals keeps getting attached one way or the other. I'll just rephrase that to say that any chemical eventually over a period of time can become a commodity, can become a specialty. It is essentially linked to the kind of control you have over the marketplace about whether your product is preferred compared to somebody else's product. You are able to place it there at a high value to yourself and to your customer.

Maulik Mehta: Since we don't really participate so much in the international market, we find that India offers us a unique advantage, and we offer in turn our customers a unique advantage. This is also what Mr. Mehta alluded to yesterday in the AGM, that a world-scale investment in something creates world-scale investment opportunities for downstream consumers. We've seen this happen, and we've seen this happen not just in phenol consumption, but in many, many other products. The world, whatever is happening there, India continues to remain a salient destination for downstream investment.

Speaker #5: Thanks a lot, Malik Deep. That was very elaborate, and I wish you all the best for the coming quarters. Thank you.

Archit Joshi: Thanks a lot, Maulik. That's very elaborate and wishing you all the best for the coming quarters. Thank you.

Speaker #4: Thank you Arshit.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you, Archit.

Speaker #1: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Sajal Kapoor from Antifragile Thinking. Please go ahead.

Operator: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Sajal Kapoor from Antifragile Thinking. Please go ahead.

Sajal Kapoor: Yeah, thanks for the opportunity. Hi, Maulik. My understanding is that Deepak's R&D philosophy has historically been to take chemistry you understand, engineer it better, scale it safely, manufacture it competitively as far as possible, and then progressively move downstream, whether it's Advanced Intermediates or otherwise. I have two related questions. First is, you say the R&D pipeline is robust. After years of sustained R&D investments, why has that not translated into structurally higher gross margins? Where exactly is the bottleneck?

Maulik Mehta: Okay. Thanks, Sajal. First of all, big fan. Also I want to share. The R&D that we've been working on. The chemistry platforms that we seek to exploit to their fullest, whether it is in atom efficiency or whether it is in process optimization or new molecules. What has happened over the last few years is the chemistries that we are in, whether it is nitration, diazotization, oxidation, reduction, a lot of competition has been there world over. Generally, what you will see is that when competition intensity increases, before consolidation of high-cost assets, you will see a lot of push towards trying to eke out and red ocean the environment.

Maulik Mehta: There is a period of time where just because someone comes in with a better understanding, new molecules that use the same chemistry platforms, they are faced with this red ocean because you have existing players trying to be kind of the last man standing. Now, eventually, over a period of time, that becomes more and more challenging to sustain, because many of these companies are using profits borrowed from other parts of their platforms to maintain their market share. This is obviously not something which is sustainable, but you would expect any company to try its best to let go of market share last. For Deepak, that also means that over the last couple of years, we have faced the brunt of this as we come in with new molecules in the same space.

Maulik Mehta: Over a period of time, we believe that the degree of red ocean here is improving. We're finding that there is a slackness in terms of the competitive intensity. China, which had actually allowed rampant capacity expansion of these chemistries, which are inherently dangerous, not only in their process, but in their effluent treatment and their intermediate storages. New laws have come into place which prohibit casual investment of new capacities. More consolidated focus on ensuring not just process, but effluent treatment as well. These are things that Deepak was looking at from a long time ago, but the value was being eroded because if you have a competitor landscape that may not look at this with as much attention to detail. Today, we, I think, are evolving towards an environment where the world recognizes that these are chemistries when performed at scale.

Maulik Mehta: They need to have concurrent effluent, concurrent byproduct management, concurrent process management, and done responsibly. As we've been able to integrate, we should be able to see that these new molecules that are coming out are coming out with margin profiles which are better than they were in the past, simply because of the competition intensity. The number of new molecules that we've released, along with the expansion of our existing molecules, we've also been able to introduce our products into new applications which have better margins by making changes to their purity profiles. We've entered new applications which we were not in, say, for example, a year ago.

Maulik Mehta: The margin profiles for many of these products will continue to evolve, today we are seeing that the chemistries that we are in with the addition of things like photochemical reactions as well as fluorination, gives us by far the broadest basket of chemistry platforms in the country. I'm kind of answering your question and kind of giving you a clarity about where our R&D efforts have been. They've been focused on small volume, large volume, process optimization. Finally, a lot of the products that we have recently introduced go through a customer validation cycle as well. These can typically range from a couple of months to up to even about 12 months. If you recall, when we got into optical brighteners, at that time, we had customer validation cycles which spanned more than 24 months when we were selling to detergent majors.

Maulik Mehta: Even though our product quality was good, the customer was not willing to pick it up until the entire validation was done. Today, we are the largest by a margin player outside of China, and this is a result of having gone through this entire validation cycle, engaging with customers, and building that kind of relationship and trust. These will happen. They're already in the process of happening, and you will see the results of these over the next few years.

Sajal Kapoor: That's very helpful, Maulik. Just to follow on, I read annual reports, and as far as I could see before Savli, the new R&D center, recently commissioned, we had close to 100 R&D professionals, and in that pool of 100, we had give or take about 20 PhDs. Now, 20 PhDs is a more attractive number for me, not just the 100 R&D professionals. The question really is, now that we have the new R&D center up and running, where do we expect the human capital on the R&D side to go, especially on the PhD side?

Maulik Mehta: Sajal, interesting question, but I have an interesting answer to that. With the way that we are introducing flow chemistry into our R&D in industrial scale setup, suddenly we are finding that just a pure play organic chemist may appreciate, and in some cases may not appreciate the kinetics and the flow dynamics that are there in these new kinds of technologies. Similarly, even a chemical engineer may not fully be able to appreciate the chemistry involved there. What we're actually now focusing on is a hybrid between organic chemists, physical chemists, as well as chemical engineers addressing the problems together. Many cases, when we're introducing flow chemistry at a lab and then at an industrial scale, we're focusing on what we call CFTs, cross-functional teams.

Maulik Mehta: We've suddenly realized that the answer to the optimization question and the new product introduction question does not rest only within one educational discipline.

Sajal Kapoor: Yes. You mentioned flow chemistry, Maulik, I'm not a chemist, but I've visited several large industrial scale flow chemistry setups in India, primarily in Hyderabad and Vizag. What I've seen is that this is more of an engineering challenge rather than a chemistry challenge, because as you mentioned, the word kinetics there. I think the challenge becomes significant even if you are doing a two-step or introducing a single-step flow chemistry in the mix of things. Is that a fair assessment on your side as well?

Maulik Mehta: There is an engineering angle that comes in to what would traditionally be a chemistry domain.

Sajal Kapoor: Yes. If you can maybe give us a number or two. I mean, in how many-

Operator: Sorry to interrupt. Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Sajal Kapoor, could you please rejoin the queue for any follow-up questions?

Sajal Kapoor: Sure. Okay, no problem. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you.

Operator: The next question is from the line of Vidhi Shah from C.R. Kothari & Sons. Please go ahead.

Vidhi Shah: Hello there. Also, how much CapEx is pending, which will be spent this year?

Maulik Mehta: Please be a bit louder, Vidhi.

Vidhi Shah: Hello, am I audible?

Maulik Mehta: Yes, you are audible now.

Vidhi Shah: Yes, sir. Out of INR 11,500 crore CapEx, how much is pending now? What will be the peak debt for the same?

Maulik Mehta: Pending now.

Sanjay Upadhyay: 10,000.

Maulik Mehta: We have spent around INR 1,200 crore. I mentioned yesterday also. Further this year, we'll spend around another INR 1,000 crore. Okay. INR 1,000, INR 1,500 crore this year further. So total spend will be around in the range of INR 3,200 crore. Yeah, could you hear me?

Operator: Miss Vidhi, does that answer your question? Miss Vidhi? We've lost Miss Vidhi's line. We will be moving on to the next participant. The next question is from-

Maulik Mehta: The investment that is going to be spent this year is largely on site development activities, construction, and as we are getting the assets from outside of India, setting them up and putting them up. The long lead items are what the CapEx spend that Mr. Upadhyay indicated is towards.

Operator: All right. The next question is from the line of Rohit Nagraj from 361 Capital. Please go ahead.

Operator: All right. The next question is from the line of Rohit Nagraj from 360 ONE Capital. Please go ahead.

The next question is from the line of Rohit Maharash from 361 Capital. Please go ahead.

Rohit Nagraj: Thanks for the opportunity, and congrats on strong set of numbers. First question is, you mentioned in your opening remarks that the team did a remarkable job in terms of sourcing the key raw materials during last quarter. How has been the situation during the current ongoing quarter, and are we placed to get all the materials competitively for the quarter? Thank you.

Water and are we placed to, you know, get all the materials comparatively for the quarter? Thank you.

Maulik Mehta: Thanks, Rohit. First of all, I'll just highlight, we always procure raw materials competitively. The question is competitive to what? For example, in April, we were able to procure raw materials at a price which is substantially higher than what we would have procured in Q4. Largely, we were able to engage with suppliers to say, "Look, if you're able to supply this raw material to us, we will see that you get the margin that you would have gotten anyways by making something else." That allowed us to operate our assets to an optimal utilization. Moving forward, as the availability of raw materials has also substantially improved, we continue to be able to ensure that our feedstock is procured at a price which I think is more competitive than anybody else in the country.

Thanks, Rohit. Uh, first of all, I'll just highlight: we always procure raw materials competitively. The question is—competitive to what?

So in, for example, in, uh, April,

We, uh, you know, we were able to procure raw materials at a price which is substantially higher than what we would have procured in Q4.

Largely, we were able to engage with suppliers to say, look.

If you're able to supply this raw material to us, you will see that you get the margin that you would have gotten anywhere by making something else.

But that allowed us to operate our assets at an optimal utilization.

And moving forward, as the availability of raw materials has also substantially improved.

We continue to be able to ensure that our feedstock is procured.

At a price which I think is more competitive than anybody else in the country.

Maulik Mehta: As and when the propylene comes in from the PDH site, at that time it will be even more competitive. All in all, whether it is ammonia, whether it is toluene, whether it is benzene, propylene, or hydrogen, I think it would be a reasonable assumption to make that we would be absolutely competitive compared to anybody else in the country, and perhaps competitive enough compared to anybody else on a global basis as well.

And, as and when the TO comes in from the PDH site, at that time, it will be even more competitive.

So, all in all, whether it is, uh, ammonia, whether it is toluene, whether it is benzene or propane or hydrogen, I think, uh, it would be a reasonable assumption to make that, at that time, we would be absolutely competitive compared to anybody else in the country, and perhaps, uh, competitive enough compared to anybody else on a global basis as well.

Rohit Nagraj: Perfect, sir. That's helpful. The second question is in terms of the ongoing CapEx. As Mr. Pardar mentioned that we will be doing about INR 3,500 crores of CapEx during this year. For the rest of the CapEx, what is the kind of funding arrangement that we are looking at? Just one more, if I can squeeze in. In terms of the exports market, how are we looking at the exports market over the last couple of months, given that there have been multiple disruptions which are happening in terms of supply chains. What is your understanding and view on the same? Thank you.

Perfect sir. Uh, that's helpful. Uh, the second question is in terms of the ongoing jpegs. So as uh, so far, there mentioned that we have done about 3. I mean, we'll be doing about 3 and a half thousand crores of capex during this year, uh, for the rest of the kex. What is the kind of funding Arrangement that we are looking at? Uh, and just 1 more, if I can squeeze Inn, in terms of the exports Market, how are we looking for the exports Market over the last couple of months? Given that there have been multiple disruptions, which are happening in terms of Supply chains. So, what is your understanding when we are on the same? Thank you.

Sanjay Upadhyay: On CapEx front, let me answer. We have already spent around INR 1,200 crores. Further, this year it will be around INR 1,500 to INR 1,600 crores. As I mentioned yesterday in AGM, we have already tied up with the banks for debt funding. We were required to put in around 25% of the equity, which we have already done. The next tranche comes from the bank. Funding is not a worry. Around INR 3,000 investment we would have done till now on the projects. Last year and this year combined up till now. Right. Plus further, whatever we are going to spend in 2027, 2028 will be another INR 3,000 crores. That is the plan for the CapEx for this year and next year. As regards, what was your next question? Export?

Thank you so much. Let me answer. We have already spent around ₹1,200 crore,

Uh, further this year, it will be around 1500 to 1600 crores. Now, this as I mentioned yesterday in AGM, there we have already tied up with the banks for debt funding.

We were required to put in around 25% of the equity, which we have already done. So the next tranche comes from the bank, so funding is not a worry. So, around ₹3,000 crore investment we would have done.

Till now, on the projects last year and this year, combined up till now.

Right. Plus

...plus further, whatever we are going to spend in 2027 will be another ₹3,000 crores. So, that is the plan for the capex for this year. And next year,

Rohit Nagraj: Yes, sir. In the exports market, how are we looking at the demand in the last couple of months, given that there have been supply chain disruptions and availability of vessels, availability of containers. Just your perspective on the same.

As regards. The what do you? What was your next question, export?

Maulik Mehta: I will take this question. Rohit, there is disruption, there is an escalation in freight rates, insurance rates, et cetera. The way that we have approached this problem is with a degree of agility. Obviously, this kind of buttresses our domestic sales realization. When we are exporting, I will give you one simple example. When we make Sodium Nitrite and we export Sodium Nitrite, it is considered as Hazard Class 5. One of our key customers happened to be in the Middle East, where anyways there was already a war premium in that sense and escalating freight rates. What we did is we engaged with the customer. We changed the composition of our product very simply by just adding water to it and supplying it to the customer, and that completely changed the Hazard Class of the cargo.

Uh, yes, sir. In the exports market, how are we looking at the demand in the last couple of months, given that there have been supply chain disruptions and availability of vessels, availability of containers? So, just your perspective on the same.

I'll take this question. So, Rohit, there is disruption, there is an escalation in freight rates, insurance rates, etc.

Uh, the way that we have approached this problem is with a degree of agility, obviously.

Uh, you know, this kind of buttresses our domestic sales realization.

But, when we're exporting, I'll give you one simple example. When we make sodium nitrite and we export sodium nitrite...

It is considered as class 5.

And, uh, one of our key customers happened to be in the Middle East, where—anyways, there was already, you know, a war premium in that sense and, uh, escalating freight rates.

So, what we did is we engaged with the customer, and we changed the composition of our product, very simply.

By just adding water to it and supplying it to the customer.

And that completely changed the, uh, class of the cargo.

Maulik Mehta: This allowed us to give the customer the volumes that they required, which they also appreciated. Nobody else in the world would have considered doing it exactly how Deepak did. The answer to how we are approaching it is we are recognizing that there are higher freight rates. In some cases, we are constantly engaging with customers to see whether there is a value in moving from a CIF model to an FOB model. In some cases, we are saying, Okay, we will work to see how we can give you larger parcels so that there is a consolidation in the freight rate. Moving from ISO containers to bulk in many cases. These are constant engagements that we are having with our customers.

And, uh, this allowed us to give the customer the volumes that they required.

You get exactly how deep up did.

So the answer, uh, to how we are approaching it is recognizing that there are higher freight rates in some cases. We are constantly engaging with customers to see whether there is a value in moving from a CIF model to an FOB model. In some cases, we are saying, okay, we will work to see how we can give you larger, uh, parcels.

Maulik Mehta: In a few examples, like for example, when we're talking about the US market, we may end up having an opportunity to club larger volumes rather than smaller volumes which would go in more expensive per kilo freight. This will give them the benefit of having that inventory without worrying about changing lead times. It'll give us the opportunity of running our assets at a more optimized capacity utilization, and it also improves our ability to serve markets which otherwise would have a much longer lead time to address.

So, there is a consolidation in the freight rate, moving from ISOs to bulk in many cases. These are constant engagements that we are having with our customers.

In a few examples—for example, when we are talking about the US market,

We may end up having, uh, an opportunity to club larger volumes.

rather than, you know, smaller volumes, which should go in more expensive per kilo frames,

So this will give them the benefit of having that inventory without worrying about changing lead times. It'll give us the opportunity of running our assets with more optimized capacity utilization.

It also improves our ability to serve markets, which otherwise would have a much longer lead time too.

Address.

Rohit Nagraj: Sure. This is helpful, and all the best. We expect to hear you on the full-load capacity utilization in the near term. Thank you.

Maulik Mehta: Thanks, Rohit.

Yeah, so there is also—and all the best. We expect to hear from you on the 4 lakh 10 thousand capacity utilization. Then we’ll come. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Rohit Sinha from Sunidhi Securities. Please go ahead.

Thank you.

Rohit Sinha: Yeah. Thank you for taking my question, sir. One question is on the export side. In the AI division, what would be the export domestic mix for us? And if you could help us how this is spread across the geography wise.

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Rohit Essay from Sunday Securities. Please go ahead.

Yeah. Uh thank you for taking my question, sir. Uh, 1 question is on the export side, uh, in the AI division, uh, what would be the export of domestic mix for us? And uh, you could help us how this is spread across the geography wise.

Maulik Mehta: Generally, it is about, in AI, it would be anywhere between 40% to 50%. Look, Rohit, I would not treat this as a gospel for two reasons. One being that we're talking about value. Volume is different, value is different. The second thing is that quarter on quarter this changes. What is important is that, Deepak, the AI business, it has a roughly 50/50 mix. The Phenolics business has a mix which is almost entirely domestic. On a consolidated basis, you would see something which is close to about an 80% domestic and 20% export. This is hiding one crucial point, which is that as we're looking forward, a lot of our export customers are also working with us, with other Indian companies to see how they can have our product consumed in India.

so generally, it is about

Uh, in AI, it will be anywhere between 40 to 50%. But look, uh, Rohit, I would not, uh, treat this as gospel for two reasons. One,

Being that, you know, we're talking about value, right? Volume is different; value is different.

And, uh, the second thing is that quarter-on-quarter is changes.

What is important is that Deepak, uh, the AI business, it has roughly a 50/50 mix.

The phenolics business has a mix which is almost entirely domestic. So, on a consolidated basis,

You would see something which is close to about 10–80%.

Uh, domestic and 20% exports.

This is hiding one crucial point, which is that as we're looking forward, a lot of our export customers are also working with...

Maulik Mehta: We negotiate with the key innovator who may be sitting in Japan or in Europe or wherever. There is an agreement to see how to supply to diversified geographies, including in India. It is done in engagement with the export customer. They're also seeing that these kind of free trades are better addressed by having multiple partnerships across a value chain with a large part of that value chain also being geographically co-inhabiting each other.

with other Indian companies to see how they can have our product consumed in India. So, we negotiate…

With the key innovator, who may be sitting in Japan, or in Europe, or wherever.

And there is an agreement to see how to supply to diversify geographies, including in India.

So, it is done in engagement with the export customers.

But they are also seeing that these kinds of free traits are better addressed by having multiple partnerships across the value chain.

with a large part of that value chain also being geographically co-inhabiting each other,

Rohit Sinha: Okay, got it. Secondly, sir, on the initial remark, as you mentioned that, inventory management has been disciplined in this quarter. Just wanted to know whether we had some additional inventory benefits in this quarter or it was largely in line with what we were having. Hello?

Okay, okay.

Okay. All right. And uh, second is on the, in your initial Market. As you mentioned that, uh, yeah, Inventory management has been disciplined in this quarter. So just to, uh, wanted to know whether we had, uh, some, uh, additional inventory benefits. So in this quarter or it was largely in line with what we were having

Hello.

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, the line for the management has been disconnected. Please hold while we try to reconnect. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. We have the management line back with us. Please continue with your questions.

Ladies and gentlemen, the line for the management has been disconnected. Please hold while we try to reconnect.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. We have the management line back with us. Please continue with your questions.

Rohit Sinha: Yeah. Sir, as I was asking that in your initial remarks, you have mentioned about the inventory management discipline which we have maintained in Q1. Just wanted to understand whether we had some incremental benefit out of inventory or it was largely in line with what we were having.

Yeah. Uh, sir as uh, uh, it was asking it, uh, new initial remarks, you have mentioned about the, uh, Inventory management uh uh discipline which we have maintained in q1. So uh just wanted to understand that whether we had some uh incremental benefit out of inventory or it was largely in line with what we were having

Maulik Mehta: Actually, I wish there was a place that we were able to benefit from inventory. Unfortunately, there was not. We did work hard to see how we were able to secure key raw materials for continuous operations.

Actually, I don't think there was, uh, any place where we were able to. I wish there was a place where we were able to benefit from, uh, inventory.

unfortunately, there was not

Uh, we did work hard to see how we were able to secure key raw materials for continuous operations.

Rohit Sinha: Okay.

Maulik Mehta: We remain well-placed for all our raw material supplies in this quarter and the next. The teams have done a remarkably good job given the kind of volatility in being able to see competitive raw material rates. We're seeing an uptick in terms of volume demand across all of our verticals in all of our businesses. We're happy to be able to ensure that our feedstock is not the rate limiting factor.

Okay. Okay. And then we remain well placed for all our raw material supplies.

And I, and this quarter, and the next now. So,

The teams have done a remarkably good job, given the kind of volatility in being able to be competitive with raw material rates.

And we're seeing an uptick in terms of

Volume demand across all of our verticals in all of our businesses. So, we're happy to be able to ensure that our feedstock is not the rate-limiting factor.

Rohit Sinha: Okay. That's it from my side, sir. Thank you and best of luck.

Okay. Okay. Okay.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you, Rohit.

That's it from my side, sir. Thank you, and best of luck.

Operator: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Sajal Kapoor, a follow-up question from Antifragile Thinking. Please go ahead.

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Sajel Kapoor, a follow-up question from Anti-Fragile Thinking. Please go ahead.

Sajal Kapoor: Yeah. Thank you for taking my question again. Maulik, just a quick clarification on that flow chemistry and fluorination examples. Can you give us one or two examples where these chemistries, i.e. fluorination or flow, has moved from R&D to commercial scale? And what economic advantage it is creating today or maybe next year or the year after? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you for taking my question again and Molly just a quick clarification on that. Uh, flow chemistry and flow relation examples. I mean, can you give us 1 or 2 examples? Where, you know, these chemistries, I echo ination or or flow has moved from R&D to commercial scale, and what economic Advantage, um, it is

Maulik Mehta: Okay, Sajal. These are two separate things. There's fluorination, which is separate. There is flow chemistry, which is separate. The flow chemistry platform that we are exploiting is within our familiar neighborhood of NOx chemistry, I would call it. Minor changes, for example, if you change the ratio of NOx gases. It allows you to do nitration. You change the ratio, it allows you to do diazotization. The flow chemistry platforms are, in that case, multi-stage. You have the nitration and then the downstream separation and all that. You also have the other option of doing the diazotization and then the decomposition or hydrolysis. Here we're able to optimize and make world-scale capacities with very small footprints, significant atom efficiency. I'll give you one example.

Creating today, or maybe next year or the year after. Thank you.

Okay, SEL, so these are two separate things. There's fluorination, which is separate, and there is flow chemistry, which is also separate.

So the flow chemistry platform that we are exploiting is within our familiar neighborhood of, uh,

Uh, no, chemistry, I would call it.

So, you know, minor changes—for example, if you change the ratio of, uh,

No gas gases, it allows you to do nitration, you change the ratio. It allows you to do diazotization.

So the, uh, the flow chemistry platforms are, in that case, multi-stage.

so, you have the

Uh, you know, you have the nitration, and then the downstream, uh,

Separation and all that. And you also have the other option of doing the detonation and then the decomposition or hydrolysis.

So here, we're able to optimize and, uh,

Maulik Mehta: One product that we're making currently in a batch or in a semi-batch, it takes us about 16 to 18 hours from feedstock to finished product. This gets completed in roughly between 45 to 51, 52 seconds. It gives you a very nice example of not just how rapid the reaction is, but how much that actually changes the amount of "hazardous intermediate," which is in the system at one time. It also gives you an example of how quickly we're able to serve multiple large volume or low volume products at the same time with rapid changeover campaigns from one to the other. We're also reducing the kind of vectors that we're having in the plant. The assets are highly engineered, exotic MOC, and very efficient.

You know, make world scale, uh, capacity with very very small Footprints significant atom efficiency and I'll give you 1 example, 1 product that we're making currently, you know, batch or in a semi batch. Uh, it takes us about 18, uh, 16 to 18 hours from feed stock to uh, finished product.

This gets completed in roughly between 45 to 51 or 52 seconds.

So it gives you a very nice example of not just how rapid the reaction is, but how much that actually changes the amount of, quote unquote, hazardous intermediate which is in the system at one time.

Let me also give you an example of how quickly we're able to serve multiple clients.

Uh, you know, large volume or low volume.

…uh, products at the same time with rapid change over a campaign from one to the other…

So, we are also reducing the kind of, uh,

that we are having in the plant.

Maulik Mehta: They allow us to exploit the chemistry rather than going broad on batch reactors where you can perform 20 different kinds of chemistry. We're focusing on a couple of chemistries where you can make 20 different kinds of products. This is what you will see coming into play in the next financial year, not this financial year. Right now we've been focused on gaining market traction with our feed samples.

The assets are highly engineered, exotic, and very, very efficient.

They allow us to exploit the chemistry, rather than going broad on, you know, batch reactors, where you can perform 20 different kinds of chemistry. We're focusing on a couple of chemistries where you can make 20 different kinds of products.

This is what you will see coming into play, uh, in the next financial year—not the current financial year—but right now we've been focused on gaining, uh, market traction with our seed samples.

Sajal Kapoor: Amazing. That's all I wanted to double-check. Thank you so much, Maulik. All the very best.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you, Sachin.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you, Sajal.

Amazing. Amazing. That's all I wanted to double-check. Thank you. Thank you so much, Molly. All the very best.

Thank you, s.

Operator: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Tushar from Omega Portfolio Advisors. Please go ahead.

Thank you.

[Analyst] (Omega): Yeah, thank you for the opportunity. Most of the questions are answered. I wanted to know, in the polycarbonate compounds, where are we in terms of validation with customer for the sunrise sector? Like Covestro has many blends. Is there anything in pipeline for technical collaboration with other companies going forward? That was my first question, sir.

Tushar Raghatate: Yeah, thank you for the opportunity. Most of the questions are answered. I wanted to know, in the polycarbonate compounds, where are we in terms of validation with customer for the sunrise sector? Like Covestro has many blends. Is there anything in pipeline for technical collaboration with other companies going forward? That was my first question, sir.

The next question is from the line of Kashar from Omega Port for the advisor. Please go ahead.

Yeah, thank you for the opportunity to question. This wanted to know, uh, in the polycarbonate compounds. Uh, where are we? In terms of, uh, validation with customer for the sunrise sector and like, Koh has many Blends, uh, is there, uh, anything in pipeline for, you know, technical collaboration, uh, with other companies going forward. Uh, that would be my first question, sir.

Maulik Mehta: When we're talking about compounds, all of the compounds that we are referring to are, in fact, blends. It's a formulation, right? Polycarbonate resin forms the spinal cord, but the actual performance depends on the formulation and the blend. Sometimes it provides a physical property, sometimes it provides a chemical property. We are approved with what one would call sunrise sectors. Just to be clear, these are sunrise sectors in India. When you have electric mobility, whether you have electronics, these may not be sunrise in China or in Japan, but in the target market we're looking at working with. If I have to give you names of companies, I can give you names of companies like Mahindra, Panasonic, Goldmedal, Tata AutoComp. These are examples of names.

So, I mean, uh, when we're talking about compounds, all of the compounds that we are referring to are, in fact, blends.

So, you have—it's a formulation, right? So, polycarbonate resin forms the backbone, but the actual performance depends on the formulation and the blend. Sometimes it provides a physical property, sometimes it provides a chemical property.

uh, we are

approved with what 1 would call Sunrise sectors. But just to be clear, these are Sunrise sectors. In India, when you have Electric Mobility, whether you have, uh, electronics, these may not be sunrise in China or in Japan. But in the target market, we're looking at uh, working with. If I have to give you names of companies, I can give you the names of companies that okay like Mahindra Panasonic, uh, gold medallion

Maulik Mehta: Now, these names will drastically expand, as we give you more color into the kind of strategic collaborations we are having or we are working towards developing. I think we will be able to make announcements regarding this soon enough. Exactly what you were referring to, we are in engagement with strategic partners focusing more on supplying compounds to different end applications, whether it is medical or auto or whatever, in the South Asian market.

Data autocom. These are examples of names. Now, these names will...

Drastically expand, uh, as we give you more color into the kind of strategic collaborations we're having or we're working towards developing.

Uh, I think we will be able to make announcements regarding this soon enough.

But, exactly what you were referring to—we are in engagement with strategic partners, focusing more on supplying compounds.

To different end applications, whether it is medical, auto, or whatever, in the South Asian market.

[Analyst] (Omega): Okay. My question was majorly on the aerospace front, like for the fighter jet, the canopy, for the planes, various sheets of polycarbonate. On that front, sir, where are we?

Tushar Raghatate: Okay. My question was majorly on the aerospace front, like for the fighter jet, the canopy, for the planes, various sheets of polycarbonate. On that front, sir, where are we?

Maulik Mehta: Okay. Specifically on that application, I will decline to comment.

Majorly on the Aerospace front. Like for the part, you have the canopy for the, you know, the the the the planes, uh, various sheets of polycarbonate uh, on that front. So where are we? Like,

Okay, specifically on that application, I will decline to comment.

[Analyst] (Omega): Okay, fair enough.

Tushar Raghatate: Okay, fair enough.

Maulik Mehta: If you want to take my no comment as a comment, I leave it at that.

Okay, so if you want to take my 'no comment' as a comment, then I will leave it at that.

[Analyst] (Omega): It's up to you. Secondly, in terms of the big project of polycarbonate, considering the final price of the benzene, propylene, and polycarbonate, is my understanding correct that we are somewhere heading towards 60% gross margin kind of a business in polycarbonate going forward? My last question would be, what would be the peak debt post this commercialization of the mega project by FY29 or so?

Tushar Raghatate: It's up to you. Secondly, in terms of the big project of polycarbonate, considering the final price of the benzene, propylene, and polycarbonate, is my understanding correct that we are somewhere heading towards 60% gross margin kind of a business in polycarbonate going forward? My last question would be, what would be the peak debt post this commercialization of the mega project by FY29 or so?

They talk to you, uh, and that secondly, uh, in terms of the, the big project of polycarbonate, uh, considering the does the, the, the final price, uh, you know, the, the Wednesday in Pali and polycarbonate is my understanding correct that we are somewhere heading towards 60%. Gross margin, kind of a business in polycarbonate going forward. Uh and some of our last question would be, what would be the peak that, uh, you know, opposed this commercialization of the the mega project, uh, by Phi 29

Also.

Maulik Mehta: I would let Mr. Bhagay answer about the peak debt. Just to clarify, I will not comment on the integrated margin. Suffice to say that it has a formidable IRR. As we're looking at it, I believe we've been convincing enough to the banks, that should be confidence inspiring.

Okay, so I would let answer about the peak debt but just to clarify, I will not comment on the integrated margin suffice to say that. Uh it has uh it has a formidable uh, irr.

As we're looking at it, I believe—I think we've been convincing enough to the banks.

so, that should

Be confidence inspiring.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Today, at this INR 11,500 what we are having against debt, we are borrowing around INR 6,800 plus working capital, whatever is required in the business at the peak. That would be somewhere around INR 8,000 to 8,500 crores. Debt to equity ratio will be very comfortable. It will not cross even 1. That's what I can say as of now.

So, uh, today I think 11,500—what we are having is that we are borrowing around 6,800.

Plus working capital, whatever is required, okay, in the business at the peak.

20,000 500, uh, Cruise.

A debt-to-equity ratio will be very, very comfortable if you do not even cross 1.

So, that's what I can say. Now, as of now,

[Analyst] (Omega): Sir, just last question. For this Polycarbonate, do we see the working capital shift considering the frequency of offtake in the Polycarbonate segment for the specialized sector?

Tushar Raghatate: Sir, just last question. For this Polycarbonate, do we see the working capital shift considering the frequency of offtake in the Polycarbonate segment for the specialized sector?

Just last question. Pausing on polycarbonate—do we see the working capital shift, considering the frequent frequency of offtake in the polycarbonate segment for the specialized sector?

Sanjay Upadhyay: The working capital shift in the specialized sector, what it has to do with that?

Working capital shift in the price specializes about it; it has to do with that.

[Analyst] (Omega): No. Considering, like in terms of defense and all, do you see any shift in inventories or anything on the payables or anything on that front for this Polycarbonate thing coming into picture?

Tushar Raghatate: No. Considering, like in terms of defense and all, do you see any shift in inventories or anything on the payables or anything on that front for this Polycarbonate thing coming into picture?

Sanjay Upadhyay: No, not really. It will be normal. Since we are in chain, it won't be that much. It's a normal cycle, not that it will increase significantly.

No. And so considering the uh, the the uh, like in terms of defense and all do we see any any shift in inventories or uh, anything on on the payables or anything on that, front polycarbonate things coming into picture.

No, not really. It will be normal this year.

Change. It won't be that much. It's a normal cycle, not that—

Maulik Mehta: As of yet, we have not made the kind of announcements you're looking for with regards to our Polycarbonate compounding strategic tie-ups.

Uh, it will increase significantly.

See, as of yet, we have not made the kind of announcements you're looking for.

[Analyst] (Omega): Right.

Tushar Raghatate: Right.

Uh, you know, with regards to our polycarbonate compounding strategic tie-ups,

Maulik Mehta: Suffice to say that that will be a core anchor for our own Polycarbonate resin production. Similarly, also, I have already alluded that the technology supplier, equipment supplier will also be an anchor customer. Over and above that, India continues to be entirely import dependent. I would not want to comment on certain sectors which you have mentioned. These are conversations which are under strong NDAs as they should be.

Suffice to say that that will be a core anchor.

For, uh, our own polycarbonate resin production.

And similarly, as I have already alluded to, the technology supplier or equipment supplier will also be an anchor customer.

And over and above that, India continues to be entirely important. I would not want to comment on certain sectors which you have mentioned. These are conversations which are under strong NDAs, or they should be.

[Analyst] (Omega): Very well, sir. That answered my question. Thank you.

Tushar Raghatate: Very well, sir. That answered my question. Thank you.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you.

You know, so that answers the question. Thank you.

Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. The next question is from the line of Meet from JM Financial. Please go ahead.

Meet: Hi, sir. Thanks for taking my question. When we say that we have achieved integration across ammonia to nitration to amines value chain, wanted to understand what exactly are we doing on the amines front. Is it specific to products like MAHCL or MMDPA or also are we planning to do more products on the amines front?

[Analyst] (JM Financial): Hi, sir. Thanks for taking my question. When we say that we have achieved integration across ammonia to nitration to amines value chain, wanted to understand what exactly are we doing on the amines front. Is it specific to products like MAHCL or MMDPA or also are we planning to do more products on the amines front?

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Meet from JM Financial. Please go ahead.

Maulik Mehta: Okay. Thanks, Meet. First of all, ironically, the two products that you mentioned are not amine. One of them is what you would call an oxime. The other one has no amination at all, but I appreciate the question. See, amination is reduction. You're introducing hydrogen and replacing the oxygen that would be there in a nitro group. This is a critical feedstock for us when we're looking at doing diazotization. We will be the only company in the world, I believe, that will be doing diazotization with liquid, with solid, as well as with gas. As we enter the Schiemann platform diazotization, this means that the amine also reacts with fluorides and becomes a fluoro compound. This will be one example of a downstream integration of an amine.

Our Minds Value Chain wanted to understand: What exactly are we doing on the amounts front? Is it specific to products like M or MM PDA, or so? Are we planning to do more products on the amounts front?

Uh, okay, thanks, me. First of all.

Ironically, the, uh, the two products that you mentioned are not mine.

uh,

One of them is what you would call an oxygen.

Uh, and the other one has no ammunition at all, but I appreciate the question.

Uh, we are

We are looking at, uh, see, uh, amination is reductions here. You're introducing the hydrogen.

And replacing the oxygen that would be there in a nitro group.

This is a critical heat stop for us when we are looking at doing dization, and we will be the only company in the world, I believe, that will be doing this.

the advertising with liquid, with solid, as well as with gas.

And, as we enter, you know, the Shimon platform, the Advertiser...

This means that the mind.

also reacts with uh, uh,

Fluoride.

And, uh, you know, it becomes a fluoro compound.

Maulik Mehta: Another example of a downstream integration with an amine will be when we have multiple amines in the same ring. I won't go too much into that, but we are comfortable now with our ability to do high pressure reduction, noble metal catalysts, dissolving metal catalysts, other things like Raney nickel and all of those. We have a very broad base of different catalysts. All of these are indigenously developed catalysts. They have very good results. Even something as simple as MIBK is also a hydrogenation. Interestingly, when you look at IPA, MIBK, MIBC, they marry competencies that AI has with feedstocks that Phenolics provides. The opportunity for us to find a way to interlink competencies is tremendous. As we look forward, we are continuing to see how to expand this portfolio.

So this will be one example of a downstream integration of an amine.

Another example of a downstream integration with an amine would be when we have multiple amines in the same ring.

So, I won't go too much into that, but we are comfortable now with our ability to do high-pressure reduction.

Uh, noble metal catalysts, dissolving metal catalysts.

Uh, you know, other things like rhodium, nickel, and all of those. So we have a very broad base of different catalysts. All of these are indigenously developed catalysts.

They have very, very good results. Even something as simple as MIBK is also a hydrogenation. And interestingly, when you look at IPA, MIBK, MIBC, they marry competencies that AI has with fields that phenolics provides.

So, the opportunity for us to find a way to interlink competencies,

Maulik Mehta: The assets that are there in place are already in their commissioning phase. We are already quite well-placed with regards to our assets, which we're now going to be utilizing with higher margin accrual.

It is tremendous. And as we look forward, we continue to see how to expand the portfolio.

So, the assets that are there in place are already,

In the commissioning phase.

And we are already quite well placed with regard to our assets, which we are now going to be utilizing with higher margins.

uh, across approved.

Meet: Understood, sir. Thank you so much for that elaborate answer. Second question is on volumes of Phenol in Q1. You did mention that we have achieved close to 1 lakh ton volume. I think that would be on a run rate basis in May or June, right? Because we had taken a plant shutdown in April and there were issues in propylene availability during April, particularly. How should one understand the overall volumes in Q1?

[Analyst] (JM Financial): Understood, sir. Thank you so much for that elaborate answer. Second question is on volumes of Phenol in Q1. You did mention that we have achieved close to 1 lakh ton volume. I think that would be on a run rate basis in May or June, right? Because we had taken a plant shutdown in April and there were issues in propylene availability during April, particularly. How should one understand the overall volumes in Q1?

Um, understood, sir. Thank you so much for that elaborate answer.

Second question, um, is on volumes of phenol in Q1. You did mention that we have achieved close to 1 lakh on the volume. So, um, I think that would be on a run rate basis in May or June, right? Because we are taking a plant shutdown in April and there were issues in propane availability during April, particularly. So how should one understand the overall volumes in Q1?

Maulik Mehta: Meet, when I said 1 lakh ton, what I meant was on a run rate basis. You're right on that. April was spotty because we had a maintenance shutdown also. We preponed that shutdown to kind of get it aligned with an improving availability position with propylene. There were parts of the quarter where our run rate was based intermediates that we had stockpiled, and part of it was on the basis of bought-out propylene and benzene.

Uh, so when I said the 1 lakh time, what I meant was...

Uh, on our 100 basis, you're right on that. Uh, April was 40 because we had a maintenance shutdown. Also, we preponed that shutdown to make it, uh,

You know, to kind of get it aligned with an improved availability position with propane.

So there were parts of the quarter where, uh, our run rate was based on the intermediate that we have stockpiled.

And part of it was on the basis of, uh, brought out properly and benzene.

Meet: Understood, sir. Just one last question was on, if I understand correctly, there is to be a ratio of around 1.6 between pricing of MIBK and Acetone for it to be viable for a commercial production and be profitable. Is that understanding correct? If that is true, are we seeing that ratio currently or it is still under pressure?

[Analyst] (JM Financial): Understood, sir. Just one last question was on, if I understand correctly, there is to be a ratio of around 1.6 between pricing of MIBK and Acetone for it to be viable for a commercial production and be profitable. Is that understanding correct? If that is true, are we seeing that ratio currently or it is still under pressure?

Understood sir.

Uh, just want to ask—a question was on, uh, so if I understand correctly, there has to be a ratio of, um, around 1.6 between pricing of MIBK and acetone.

Maulik Mehta: I can't really comment on this 1.6. I don't know where this comes from. Would be happy to engage on this in a little bit more detail because this is the first time I'm hearing about this number of 1.6. There is Acetone, there are a couple of other raw materials, for example, hydrogen. Now, this is a process which is essentially a condensation followed by a reduction. We have over and above that implemented dividing wall columns, which allow us literally the most aggressive degree of efficiency of any producer in the world. It would be hard for me to align at this moment with you on this number of 1.6.

For it to be, um, viable for commercial production and profitable, uh, is that understanding correct? And if that is so, uh, if that is true, are we seeing that ratio currently, or, uh, is it still under pressure?

Uh, I—I can't, I can't really comment on this, uh, 1.6. I don't know where this comes from.

I would be happy to engage on this in a little bit more detail because

This is the first time I'm hearing about, uh, this number of 1.6.

There is, uh, acetone. There are a couple of other raw materials, for example, hydrogen.

Now, this is a process which is essentially a condensation followed by a reduction. Uh, we have, over and above that, implemented divided-wall columns, which allow us the...

Literally, the most aggressive degree of efficiency of any producer in the world.

So, it would be hard for me to, uh,

you know, align

At this moment, with you on this number of 1.6.

Meet: Okay, sir. Just one last question. Sir, if you can call out the Acetophenone capacity that we are putting up.

[Analyst] (JM Financial): Okay, sir. Just one last question. Sir, if you can call out the Acetophenone capacity that we are putting up.

Uh, okay, sir. Um, just one last question. So if you can call out the AC capacity that we are putting up?

Maulik Mehta: Meet, I think we should be able to give you that answer. I would love to give you that answer before the next conference call if that opportunity arises. Otherwise, the next conference call. We're going to commission it this month, hopefully you will be able to get it from enough market sources in just a few weeks from now.

uh,

We— I think we should be able to give you that answer.

I would love to give you that answer beforehand. The next conference call is when that opportunity arises; otherwise, the next conference call, you're going to commission it this month.

so,

Meet: Sure, sir. Thank you. That's all from my side, best of luck for coming quarters.

[Analyst] (JM Financial): Sure, sir. Thank you. That's all from my side, best of luck for coming quarters.

Hopefully, you will be able to get it from enough market sources in just a few weeks from now.

Maulik Mehta: Thank you, Meet.

Sure, sure, sir. Thank you. That's all from my side, and best of luck for the coming quarters.

Thank you.

Operator: Thank you very much. That was the last question for today. I now hand the conference over to the management for closing remarks. Over to you.

Thank you very much. That was the last question for today. I now hand the conference over to the management for closing remarks. Over to you.

Sanjay Upadhyay: Thank you so much for joining this call. In case you have further clarifications or any questions, you can ask Mr. Gopal Thakur or Mr. Som Nanda. Thank you once again.

Thank you so much for joining this call. In case you further clarification or any questions.

You can ask me for Google.

Thank you, once again.

Operator: On behalf of Deepak Nitrite, this concludes this conference. Thank you for joining, and you may now disconnect your lines.

On behalf of Deepak nitrite.

This concludes the conference. Thank you for joining, and you may now disconnect your lines.

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