Your Directors have pleasure in presenting their 60th Annual Report and the Audited Accounts of the Company for the year ended31st March 2025.
For the
Year ended
31.03.2025
31.03.2024
' in lakhs
Separate
Total Revenue
1,44,009
1,33,355
Operating Profit : Profit before Interest, Depreciation and Tax (PBIDT)
16,543
13,856
Less : Interest
1,679
2,450
Profit before Depreciation and Tax (PBDT)
14,864
11,406
Less : Depreciation
3,322
3,451
Add : Exceptional items
-
Net Profit/ Loss before Tax (PBT)
11,542
7,955
Less: Provision for Taxation - Current
2,774
1,843
Deferred
54
152
Current Tax adjustment of Earlier year
(122)
Net Profit / Loss after Tax (PAT)
8,836
5,960
Other Comprehensive Income for the year (Net of Tax)
(438)
2,010
Total Comprehensive Income for the year (TCI)
8,398
7,970
Movement of Retained earnings
Opening balance of Retained earning
60,128
56,199
Add: Profit for the year
Less: Dividend paid during the year
(651)
(868)
Less: Transfer to General Reserve
(1,250)
(1,200)
Add : Transfer from FVTOCI Reserve
(47)
(3)
Add: Obligation of Financial guarantee pursuant to IND AS, reversed
40
Closing balance of Retained earnings
67,016
The paid up capital of the of the Company is ' 8,68,09,060 /- consisting of 8,68,09,060 shares of '1/- each. There has been no changein the Capital Structure of the Company during the year under review. The Company does not have any scheme for issue of sweat equityto the employees or Directors of the Company.
The details of Employees Stock Option Schemes (ESOS) are provided in this Report.
The details of the Secured Redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures issued during the period under rev'ew are given below:
(a)
Name of the Series
Not Applicable
(b)
Date of Issue of the Securities
07-02-2025
(c)
Date of Allotment of the Securities
(d)
Number of Securities
10,000
(e)
Type of Issue
Private Placement
(f)
Details of the debt restructuring pursuant to which the securities are issued
(g)
Issue Price - per Instrument
'1.00 lakh
(h)
Coupon Rate
7.60%
(i)
Maturity Date
07-02-2028
(j)
Amount Raised
'100.00 Crores
There have been no changes in the nature of business and operations of the company during the financial year under review.
Your Directors have pleasure in recommending a dividend of ' 1.00 per share (PY ' 0.75 per share) on the equity capital of the Company.This would entail an outflow of ' 868.09 lakhs with a payout ratio of Company’s consolidated post tax profit. As per the DividendDistribution Policy of the Company, the Company should strive to distribute at least 10% of Consolidated Post-Tax Profits as dividend.
The payment of dividend is in accordance with the “Dividend Distribution Policy” of the company. The Policy is available on the websiteof the Company under the weblink - http://www.ramcoindltd.com/policies.html
The Dividend Distribution Policy forms part of this report.
After appropriations, a sum of ' 670.16 crores has been kept as retained earnings of the company and a sum of '12.50 crores has beentransferred to General Reserve. As on 31.03.2025, the General reserve stands at ' 538.23 Crores.
An amount of ' 26.53 crores (C.Y Provision for Taxation of ' 27.74 crores adjusted against P.Y Current Tax of ' 1.22 crores) (P.Y ' 18.43crores) towards Current Tax, '0.54 crores (P.Y ' 1.52 crores) towards Deferred tax has been provided for the year under review.
Macro-Economic ReviewGlobal Economy
The global economy is projected to grow by 3.3% in 2024, maintaining a steady performance amid a complex macroeconomicenvironment. However, growth is expected to moderate to 2.8% in 2025 due to heightened trade tensions, protectionist measures, andpolicy uncertainties.
While global headline inflation is on a declining trajectory, services inflation remains persistent, complicating efforts to normalizemonetary policy across economies. These headwinds, combined with weak global trade and investment flows, are expected to weighon the medium-term global growth outlook.
Advanced economies are forecast to grow at 1.6% in 2024, with a slight improvement to 1.8% in 2025. This modest recovery isunderpinned by resilient labour markets and improving consumer sentiment, despite elevated interest rates.
Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) are expected to grow by 4.0% in both 2024 and 2025. Although this growth isrelatively stronger than in advanced economies, it falls short of the pre-pandemic average and may be insufficient to make significantgains in poverty reduction and development
Amid these global challenges, India remains the fastest-growing major economy. According to the National Statistical Office (NSO),India’s real GDP grew by an impressive 9.2% in FY 2023-24, the highest in the past 12 years. This exceptional performance was drivenby strong momentum in key sectors such as construction, finance, and professional services. In FY 2024-25, the Indian economy isprojected to grow at 6.5%, indicating a normalization in growth rates but still outperforming global peers.
Several factors are supporting India’s growth trajectory. Construction activity is expected to expand by 8.6%, bolstered by government-led infrastructure projects. The financial and real estate sectors are forecast to grow by 7.2%, while trade, transport, and hospitalityservices may see 6.4% growth, reflecting continued recovery in consumer-facing industries. Private consumption is projected to growby 7.6%, up from 5.6% the previous year, indicating healthy domestic demand. Government consumption is estimated to rise by 4.1%,and private investment is forecast to increase by 6.4%, highlighting robust business sentiment and investment activity.
Inflation in India is expected to remain within the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) target range, supported by declining food prices andtimely government interventions such as export bans and supply-side adjustments. Financial conditions remain accommodative, andIndia’s macroeconomic stability is underpinned by a strong banking sector and prudent fiscal management. According to multilateralagencies such as the World Bank and the IMF, India continues to demonstrate resilience and is well-positioned to lead global growth,provided structural reforms, investment facilitation, and digital innovation continue at the current pace.
(Source - World Bank / IMF Report / Reuters )
PRODUCTION
SALES
TURNOVER
PRODUCT
Qty. in M.T.
'in Lakhs
31.03.25
31.03.24
Fibre Cement Sheets / Boards
8,13,398
8,17,449
8,10,132
8,09,428
1,09,770
1,11,407
During the year under review, the Sales quantity of FC Sheets showed a de-growth of 1% compared to previous year and theIndustry reportedly had a de-growth of 2% for the year.
Specific Markets in East, West & South registered a strong growth. New geographical markets for sales are being explored amidstiff competition.
Competition is seen emerging from “Single plant Regional Operators” and “ Franchise based operations”. Overall building materialsegment faced a pricing pressure and lower demand.
Distribution width and depth was the source of market drive last year and will continue to remain for the year as well. Taluk leveldealer appointment has augmented our distribution. Sales Realisation was down by 1%, where we constantly adjusted the marketselling price basis demand which was muted.
There was restricted demand noticed in specific segments of industries viz. Tiles, Ceramics & Poultry for roofing requirements.Depreciation of Rupee also affected the raw material’s cost. Price of substitutes was on downward trend facilitating usage.
Consistent and Judicious usage of raw materials and supplier negotiations helped to partially mitigate the impact. Seeding ofColour Sheets in existing distribution network is expected to help build new segment. Newer taluk market penetration contributedhigher double digit salience.
Promotional efforts are v'gorously taken to explore new potential areas with more customized products. Greencor, Non-Asbestosroofing sheets have been well accepted in the market and sales has been in encouraging state.
Export volumes degrew by 7% during 2024-25 (largely due to sharp increase in ocean freights & manpower issues).
Registered an overall volume growth of 10% in Non-Asbestos Category during the FY 2024-25.
1. Retail Growth: Retail saw a notable 23% growth, driven by channel expansion in unrepresented and underrepresented areas.
2. Challenges in Project Business: The project business remained flat, largely due to external factors like the ParliamentElections during Q1 and the construction ban in Delhi NCR during H2 by NGT due to poor Air Quality Index. While this impactedthe overall growth, the growth in the retail segment helped to offset the slowdown.
3. Niche Marketing Vertical Growth: The strategy of converting alternative board products like Plywood, MDF, and WPC throughNiche Marketing vertical is paying off. The contribution from this vertical increased to 15% (from 12% in FY 2023-24) on overallvolumes, with a robust 29% growth year-over-year.
4. HILUX LITE Launch: The successful launch of HILUX LITE (Light Weight Calcium Silicate Tile) appears to be a promising move.
5. HILUX Premium (GI channel & frames): The launch of HILUX Premium accessories has been a promising development.
6. BTL Activities and Customer Engagement: Organized extensive BTL (Below the Line) activities, including participationin Expos, Seminars, Conferences organised by IIA and IIID, Participation in application specific events to connect with keycustomer segments, from architects and interior designers to government departments and contractors. This should help instrengthening the brand presence and fostering deeper customer relationships.
Ramco SmartBuild - Technical Excellence in Green Dry Construction
Ramco SmartBuild Tech Services plays a pivotal role in supporting all marketing channels of the company by providing robusttechnical support and creating awareness about sustainable, green dry construction practices.
The core objective is to drive revenue through a strategic blend of project engagement, technology promotion, design consultancy,and technical training. Actively contribute to the growth and adoption of RIL’s product portfolio, including Hilux, Hicem, Hiden,Hilux Lite, and other allied solutions, by delivering end-to-end technical support across a diverse range of construction projects.
Ramco SmartBuild offers comprehensive consultancy services in design, structural planning, surface finishes, and board-basedapplications-ensuring optimal outcomes for every dry construction initiative. Expert team works closely with architects,contractors, and developers to deliver technically sound, cost-effective, and time-efficient solutions.
Also support Company’s international expansion by offering design and consultancy services tailored to meet the uniquerequirements of overseas markets, enhancing the global reach of the dry construction technologies.
In ongoing pursuit of innovation, Ramco SmartBuild continually explores emerging technologies to deliver faster, smarter, andhigher-quality construction methodologies-cementing the position as a trusted partner in modern construction.
B. WIND MILLS:
During the Financial Year 2024-25, the Wind energy was low with decrease of 9% compared to last year, from the existing 15 Wind Mills.
Position regarding Wind Mills was as follows: -
Total Capacity Installed : 16.73 MW
Total Units generated : 253 Lakh Units (P.Y: 278 Lakh Units)
Income earned : '1682 Lakhs (P.Y: '1817 Lakhs)
(by generation/sale of power)
C. COTTON YARN DIVISION - SRI RAMCO SPINNERS :
Production and Sales :
During the year 2024-25, the Unit had produced 24.22 Lakh Kgs. of Cotton Yarn as compared to 26.65 Lakh Kgs. produced duringthe previous year.
The Unit had sold Yarn at 36.65 Lakh Kgs. (including traded yarn) during the year under review as against 28.08 Lakh Kgs. duringthe year 2023-24.
The cotton production in India during the cotton season 2023-24 was 327 Lakh bales (170 Kgs), compared to 319 Lakh bales,representing a 3% increase.
At the beginning of the cotton season 2024-25, the Cotton Association of India (CAI) estimated the cotton crop for the new seasonto be 302 Lakh bales (compared to the previous year’s 327 Lakh bales). However, the actual cotton arrivals in the market reached291 Lakh bales. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) covered 100 Lakhs bales during 2024-25 and further increased the MSP priceper quintal of medium staple cotton and long staple cotton by 8% and 7% respectively. Despite some price correction in cotton,the fall in yarn prices was much sharper, leading to a wider disparity that affected the margins of yarn spinners across India.
International Cotton prices were traded in the range of 78.18 US cents per LB to 99.74 US cents per LB compared to domesticcotton prices which traded in the range of 76.80 US cents per LB to 93.32 US cents per LB.
The company strategically shifted its focus to more value-added counts, and imported more high-quality cotton when prices wereat reasonable levels. This strategy helped the company procure diversified varieties of cotton from across the globe and offercompetitive prices for its yarn. In February 2024, the Government of India exempted Customs duty on the import of Extra LongStaple Cotton exceeding 32 mm, enhancing the competitiveness of Indian exporters for premium products.
Expecting the Cotton Prices will come down and increase in yarn prices, your Directors are hopeful in achieving good resultsduring the year 2025-26.
The Company is taking various steps to expand its market presence both in domestic and international markets and hope toachieve higher volume of sales in value added yarns in the forthcoming years and hope to achieve better performance during theyear 2025-26.
D. OVERSEAS OPERATIONS OF SUBSIDIARIES - SRI RAMCO LANKA (PRIVATE) LIMITED AND SRI RAMCO ROOFINGS LANKA (PRIVATE)LIMITED, SRI LANKA:
At a Consolidated level of both the Companies, the Net Sales were SLR 1,06,320 lakhs (INR 30,195 lakhs) as against SLR 87,106lakhs (INR 22,752 lakhs) during the corresponding previous year.
In accordance with Rule 5 of Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014, a statement containing the salient features of the FinancialStatements of the subsidiaries is attached in Form AOC-1 as Annexure -1 to the Board’s Report.
There is no proposal to transfer any amount to the General Reserves and any amount to be retained in the statement of Profitand Loss.
The Company has no material subsidiaries.
The Company has 5 Associate Companies viz. The Ramco Cements Limited, Rajapalayam Mills Limited, Ramco Systems Limited, RamcoIndustrial and Technology Services Limited, Madurai Trans Carrier Limited.
As per provisions of Section 129(3) of the Companies Act, 2013 and Regulation 34 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements)Regulations, 2015 [SEBI (LODR)], Companies are required to prepare Consolidated Financial Statements of its subsidiaries and Associatesto be laid before the Annual General Meeting of the Company. Accordingly, the Consolidated Financial Statements incorporating theaccounts of Subsidiary Companies and Associate Companies along with Auditors’ Report thereon, forms part of this Annual Report.
As per Section 136(1) of the Companies Act,2013 the financial statements including consolidated financial statements are available atthe Company’s website at the following link at http://www.ramcoindltd.com/financial_performance.html
Separate audited accounts in respect of the subsidiary companies are also made available at the Company’s website. The Companyshall provide a copy of separate audited financial statements in respect of its subsidiary companies to any shareholder of the Companywho asks for it.
The consolidated net profit after tax of the Company amounted to '93.65 crores for the year ended 31st March, 2025 as compared to'72.97 crores of the prev'ous year.
The Consolidated Total Comprehensive Income for the year under rev'ew is '173.69 crores as against '177.48 crores of the prev'ous year.Key Financial Ratios
Pursuant to Schedule V (B) of SEBI (LODR). the Key Financial Ratios for the year 2024-25 are given below:
Sl
No
Particulars
2024-25
2023-24
Formula adopted
Variation
Reasons where the varianceis over 25%
1
Debtors TurnoverRatio (days)
23
19
365 days/(Revenue from saleof Products / Average TradeReceivables)
21%
2
Inventory TurnoverRatio (days)
146
158
365 days/(Revenue fromsale of Products / AverageInventories)
-8%
3
Interest CoverageRatio
9.85
5.64
EBITDA/ (Interest InterestCapitalised)
75%
Due to increase in OperatingCash Profit and decrease inFinance Cost
4
Debt ServiceCoverage Ratio
5.62
2.24
(EBITDA-Current Tax)/(Principal repayment TotalInterest)
154%
5
Current Ratio
1.81
1.62
Total Current Assets/TotalCurrent Liabilities
12%
6
Debt-Equity Ratio
0.20
0.21
Long Term Debt / Total Equity
-5%
7
Operating ProfitMargin
8%
6%
Operating Profit Before Tax /Net Income from Operation
33%
Increase in Operational margin
8
Net Profit Margin
4%
Net Profit after Tax / TotalIncome
50%
9
Return onNetworth
9%
(Total Comprehensive Income Interest) / Average Net worth
10
Total Debt / EBITDA
1.55
1.74
-11%
11
Return on CapitalEmployed
7%
Total Comprehensive Income Interest / (Average of Equityplus Total Debt)
12
Price EarningsRatio
22.48
29.27
Market price per share as at31st March / Earning per share
-23%
a. EBITDA denotes Operating Profit Before Tax Interest Depreciation & Amortisation
Pursuant to rule 8(5) (iii) of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014, it is reported that Justice Shri.P P S Janarthana Raja (Retd.) (DIN06702871), aged 73 years, has been appointed as an Independent Director for a period of 5 years from 1.10.2024 by members at the59th AGM held on 16.08.2024 and Smt.Soundara Kumar (DIN 01974515) has been appointed as an Independent Director with effect from23.03.2025 for a period of five years by members, through Postal ballot. Further, Shri V.Santhanaraman (DIN 00212334) and Smt.JusticeChitra Venkataraman (Retd.) (DIN 07044099) Independent Directors had been retired on 30.09.2024 and 23.03.2025 respectively, dueto completion of two consecutive terms of five years each in office in accordance with the special resolutions passed by the membersat the AGM held on 08.08.2019. The Board has recorded its appreciation for the contributions made by them to the Company duringtheir tenure.
In accordance with the Section 159 and other applicable statutory provisions of the Companies Act, 2013, Regulation 17(1A) of SEBI(LODR) and the Company’s Articles of Association Shri N K Shrikantan Raja (DIN: 00350693) aged 76 years, retires at the ensuing AnnualGeneral Meeting and being eligible, has offered himself and seeks for his re-appointment, which was recommended by Nomination andRemuneration Committee and Special resolution has also been included as he attained the age of 75 years as per Regulation 17(1A) ofSEBI (LODR), in the Notice convening the 60th Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 13.08.2025, for the approval of members.
The disclosures for re-appointment of Director as required under Secretarial Standard - 2 are available in the Notice convening the AGM.
The Independent Directors hold office for a fixed term of 5 years and are not liable to retire by rotation.
The Company has received necessary declarations from all the Independent Directors of the Company under Section 149(7) of theCompanies Act, 2013 that they meet the criteria of independence as laid down under Section 149(6) of the Companies Act, 2013.Independent Directors have complied with the Code for Independent Directors prescribed in Schedule IV to the Act.
In the opinion of the Board of Directors, the Independent Directors have relevant proficiency, integrity, expertise and experience.
Pursuant to rule 8(5) (iii) of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014, it is reported that there have been no changes in the Directors andKey Managerial Personnel other than above, during the year under review and after the end of the year and upto the date of the report.
The Company had formulated a code of conduct for the Directors and Senior Management Personnel and the same has been compliedwith.
The Audit Committee has four members, out of which three are Independent Directors. Pursuant to Section 177(8) of the CompaniesAct, 2013 it is reported that there has not been an occasion, where the Board had not accepted any recommendation of the AuditCommittee.
The Company has a policy relating to appointment and remuneration of Directors, Key Managerial Personnel and Other Employees dulyapproved by the Board of Directors, based upon the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, in accordancewith Section 178(3) of the Companies Act, 2013.
As per provision to Section 178(4) of the Companies Act, 2013, the salient features of the Nomination and Remuneration Policy shouldbe disclosed in the Board’s Report. Accordingly, the following disclosures are given :
Salient Features of the Nomination and Remuneration Policy :
The objective of the Policy is to ensure that -
(a) the level and composition of remuneration is reasonable and sufficient to attract, retain and motivate directors of the qualityrequired to run the company successfully;
(b) relationship of remuneration to performance is clear and meets appropriate performance benchmarks;
(c) remuneration to directors, key managerial personnel and senior management involves a balance between fixed and incentive payreflecting short and long-term performance objectives appropriate to the working of the Company and its goals.
The Nomination and Remuneration Committee and this Policy are in compliance with the Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI (LODR).
The web address of the Policy is - http://www. https://www.ramcoindltd.com/file/Investors/Policies/Nomination_and_Remuneration_Policy.pdf
As required under Regulation 25(7) of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, the Company has programmes for Familiarisation for the IndependentDirectors about the nature of the Industry, Business model, roles, rights and responsibilities of Independent Directors and otherrelevant information. As required under Regulation 46(2)(i) of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, the details of the Familiarisation Programme forIndependent Directors are available at the Company’s website, at the following link at https://www.ramcoindltd.com/file/Investors/Board_of_Directors/2023-2024/DIRECTORS%20FAMILIARISATION%20PROGRAMME%202023-24.pdf
The details of the familiarization programme are explained in the Corporate Governance Report also.
The details of remuneration received by the Managing Director, during the year under review are available in the Corporate Governancereport.
Pursuant to Section 134(3)(p) of the Companies Act, 2013, and Regulation 25(4) of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, Independent Directors haveevaluated the quality, quantity and timeliness of the flow of information between the Management and the Board, Performance of theBoard as a whole and its Members and other required matters.
Pursuant to Schedule II, Part D of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, the Nomination and Remuneration Committee has laid down evaluationcriteria for performance evaluation of Independent Directors, which will be based on attendance, expertise and contribution broughtin by the Independent Director at the Board and Committee Meetings, which shall be taken into account at the time of reappointmentof Independent Director.
Pursuant to Regulation 17(10) of SEBI (LODR), the Board of Directors have evaluated the performance of Independent Directors andobserved the same to be satisfactory and their deliberations beneficial in Board / Committee meetings.
Pursuant to Regulation 4(2)(f)(ii)(9) of SEBI (LODR), the Board of Directors have reviewed and observed that the evaluation frameworkof the Board of Directors was adequate and effective.
The Board’s observations on the evaluations for the year under review were similar to their observations for the previous year. Nospecific actions have been warranted based on current year observations.
The Company would continue to familiarise its Directors on the industry, technological and statutory developments, which have abearing on the Company and the industry, so that Directors would be effective in discharging their expected duties.
During the year, four Board meetings were held. The details of number and dates of Meetings of the Board and Committees held duringthe financial year including the number of meetings attended by each Director are given in the Corporate Governance Report. Thedetails of the Committees constituted by the Board are available in the Corporate Governance Report. Subsequent to the retirementsof Shri V. Santhanaraman and Smt. Justice Chitra Venketaraman (Retd.) and appointments of Justice Shri P.P.S. Janarthana Raja (Retd.)and Smt. Soundara Kumar, there have been changes in the composition of the Board committees. The revised composition of thecommittees are available in the Corporate Governance Report.
There has not been an occasion, where the Board had not accepted any recommendation of any Committee of the Board.SECRETARIAL STANDARDS
The Directors have devised proper systems to ensure compliance with the provisions of all applicable Secretarial Standards and thatsuch systems are adequate and operating effectively. The Company is in compliance with all the applicable Secretarial Standards.
The Company had no fixed deposits. The Company has decided not to accept fresh deposits from 01.04.2014 and to avail the optionprovided under Section 74 of the Companies Act, 2013 and repaid all the existing deposits together with the accrued interest thereonby complying with the formalities required in this regard.
Pursuant to Rule 8 (5) (vii) of Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 it is reported that no significant and material orders have been passedby the Regulators or Courts or Tribunals impacting the going concern status and Company’s operations in future.
Further, no application against the Company has been filed or is pending under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016, nor has theCompany done any one time settlement with any Bank or Financial Institutions during the year under review, hence the provisions ofdetails of difference in valuation arising between such one time settlement and the loan taken from the Banks does not arise.
In accordance with Section 134(5)(e) of the Companies Act, 2013, the Company has Internal Financial Controls Policy by means ofPolicies and Procedures commensurate with the size and nature of its operations and pertaining to financial reporting. In accordancewith Rule 8(5)(viii) of Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014, it is hereby confirmed that the Internal Financial Controls are adequate withreference to the financial statements.
Pursuant to Section 186(4) of the Companies Act, 2013 the details of Loans, Guarantees and Investments along with the purposes areprovided under Notes No.9,10,40,41 of Notes to the separate Financial Statements.
As per the provisions of Section 139 of the Companies Act,2013, M/s.Ramakrishna Raja and Co., Chartered Accountants, (FRN:005333S)and M/s. SRSV & Associates, Chartered Accountants, (FRN:015041S), who have been appointed as the Statutory Auditors of the company
at the 52nd Annual General Meeting, were re-appointed at the 57th Annual General Meeting of the Company for another and second termof 5 years. No change is proposed in the Auditors for the Company.
In accordance with Regulation 33(1)(d) of SEBI (LODR) Regulations 2015, the auditors have submitted the necessary certificates issuedby Peer Review Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
The report of the Statutory Auditors for the year ended 31st March, 2025 does not contain any qualification, reservation or adverseremark or disclaimer. No fraud has been reported by the Company’s Auditors.
As per Rule 3 of Companies (Cost Records and Audit) Rules, 2014 the company is required to maintain cost records and accordingly suchrecords and accounts are made and maintained.
The Board of Directors at their meeting held on 23.05.2025, as recommended by Audit Committee, had approved the appointmentof M/s N.Sivashankaran & Co, Cost Accountants as the Cost Auditors of the Company to audit the Company’s Cost Records relating tomanufacture of Fibre Cement Products (FCP & CSB) and Cotton Yarn for the year 2025-26 at a remuneration of '3,00,000/- (RupeesThree lakhs only) exclusive of GST and out of pocket expenses.
The remuneration of the cost auditor is required to be ratified by the members in accordance with the provisions of Section 148(3)of the Companies Act, 2013 and Rule 14 of Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014. Accordingly, the matter relating to theirremuneration had been included in the Notice convening the 60th Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on 13th August, 2025,for ratification by the Members.
The Cost Audit Report for the financial year 2023-24 due to be filed with Ministry of Corporate Affairs by 02.09.2024 had been filed on19.08.2024. The Cost Audit Report for the financial year 2024-25 due to be submitted by the Cost Auditor within 180 days from theclosure of the financial year will be filed with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs within 30 days of such submission.
M/s.Sriram Krishnamurthy & Co., (Formerly known as M/s S. Krishnamurthy & Co.,) Company Secretaries and Secretarial Auditor forthe year 2024-25 in pursuance of the provisions of Section 204 (1) of the Companies Act, 2013, submitted the Secretarial Audit Reportfor the year ended 31st March, 2025 which is attached as Annexure - 2. The report does not contain any qualification, reservation oradverse remark or disclaimer.
As per Pursuant to Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, the Board of Directorshad at its meeting held on 23.05.2025, approved the appointment of M/s. RSGK & Associates, Practicing Company Secretaries asSecretarial Auditors of the Company, subject to approval of the Members. The Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of theAudit Committee considered and recommended the appointment M/s RSGK Associates, Practising Company Secretaries as SecretarialAuditors of the Company for Audit period of 5 (five) consecutive years commencing from FY 2025-26 till FY 2029-2030, subject toapproval of the Members of the Company at the ensuing Annual General Meeting (AGM).
There are no changes in the Statutory, Cost and Secretarial Auditors of the Company during the year under review and upto the dateof this report except mentioned above.
In accordance with Clause 22 of Secretarial Standard on Report of the Board of Directors (SS 4), a copy of the Annual Return in FormMGT -7 for the year ended 31st March 2024 has been placed on the website of the Company and the web link of such Annual Return ishttps://www.ramcoindltd.com/annual_returns.html
The Company has complied with the requirements regarding Corporate Governance as stipulated in SEBI (LODR) Regulations, 2015.As required under Schedule V (C) of SEBI (LODR), a report on Corporate Governance being followed by the Company is attached asAnnexure - 3.
No complaints had been received pertaining to sexual harassment, during the year under review. The relevant statutory disclosurepertaining to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, are available at PointNo: 10(l) of Corporate Governance Report.
As required under Schedule V (E) of SEBI (LODR), a Certificate from the Statutory Auditors of the Company confirming the complianceof conditions of Corporate Governance is attached as Annexure - 4.
As required under Regulation 34(3) read with Schedule V Para C (10)(i) of SEBI (LODR), Certificate from the Secretarial Auditor thatnone of the Company’s Directors have been debarred or disqualified from being appointed or continuing as directors of Companies, isenclosed as Annexure - 5.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
In terms of Section 135 and Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013, the Board of Directors have constituted a Corporate SocialResponsibility (CSR) Committee and adopted a CSR Policy which is based on the philosophy that “As the Organisation grows, the Societyand Community around it also grows.”
The Company has undertaken various projects in the areas of education, health, rural development, water and sanitation, promotionand development of traditional arts, protection of national heritage, livelihood enhancement projects etc., largely in accordance withSchedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013.
The CSR obligation pursuant to Section 135(5) of the Companies Act, 2013, for the year 2024-25 is '205.98 lakhs (after adjustingprevious year 2023-24 excess of '4.34 lakhs from '210.32 lacs which is 2% of average net profit of past 3 years for the year 2024-25).As against this, the Company has spent ' 246.78 lakhs on CSR. CSR Committee recommended to carry forward and set off the excessamount spent to the tune of '40.80 lakhs to the financial year 2025-26. Also the Company had spent a sum of '19.14 lakhs on othersocial causes which do not qualify under the classifications listed out in Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013. The Annual Report onCSR activities as prescribed under Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 is attached as Annexure - 6.
VIGIL MECHANISM/ WHISTLE BLOWER POLICY
In accordance with Section 177(9) and (10) of the Companies Act, 2013 and Regulation 22 of SEBI (LODR), the Company has establisheda Vigil mechanism and has a Whistle Blower Policy. The Policy provides the mechanism for the receipt, retention and treatment ofcomplaints and to protect the confidentiality and anonymity of the stakeholders. The complaints can be made in writing to be droppedinto the Whistle Blower Drop Boxes or through E-Mail to dedicated mail IDs. The Corporate Ombudsman shall have the sole access tothese. The Policy provides to the complainant access to the Chairman of the Audit Committee. The web link for the Vigil Mechanism isdisclosed in the Corporate Governance Report.
RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY
Pursuant to Section 134 (3) (n) of the Companies Act, 2013 and Regulation 17(9) of SEBI (LODR), the Company has developed andimplemented the Risk Management Policy. The policy envisages identification of risk and procedures for assessment and strategiesto mitigate/minimisation of risk thereof. The Risk Management Policy of the Company is available at the Company’s website, at thefollowing weblink: https://www.ramcoindltd.com/file/RISK_MANAGEMENT_POLICY_RIL.pdf
RISK MANAGEMENT
The Company’s risk management system is designed to identify the potential risks that can impact the business and device a frameworkfor its mitigation along with periodical reviews to reflect changes in market conditions and the company’s activities. The Company’s Boardof Directors has the overall responsibility of the establishment and oversight of risk management framework. The Audit Committee andRisk management committee periodically review the execution of risk management plan and advice the management wherever necessary.
Key Risks
Mitigation measures
Currency Fluctuation Risks
The Company has exposure to USD and otherforeign currency denominated transactionsfor import of Raw material, Stores & Sparesand Capital goods, besides exports of finishedgoods and borrowings in foreign currency. Anyunfavourable movement in currency prices canimpact profitability.
The Company has Forex hedging policies to hedge Foreign currency loans, importtransactions by booking forward contracts based on the prevailing foreign exchangemarket conditions, after taking into consideration the anticipated foreignexchange inflows/outflows, timing of cash flows, tenure of the forward contract.The company, in its textile Division, avails Packing credit in foreign Currency onreceipt of export orders and hence the incidence of currency fluctuations areminimised.
Information Technology Risk
The Company’s operations are completelydependent on IT systems, which requirescareful management of the information that isin our possession to ensure data privacy. Thecyberattack threat of unauthorised access andmisuse of sensitive information or disruptionto operations continue to increase across theworld. Such an attack would affect the businessoperations in a number of ways, includingdisruption to sales, production and cash flows,ultimately impacting our results.
Organization’s Critical Data is stored in an Information Rights ManagementSystem. Data is encrypted as per policy, to protect security and privacy. Endpointdevice security is enabled in the entire organization to block all unauthorizeddata transfers. Strong virus, malware, grey-ware, spyware, Trojans, spam,ransomware protection systems with Botnet Protection, Application Control andWeb Application Firewall have been deployed. Hardware like, routers, firewalls,servers, secure remote access, endpoints are kept OEM up-to-date. All obsoletehardware, software, protocols and operating system are not in use. Strong ITpolicies are in place to protect business data and data privacy. All externalcommunication media have ACL (Access Control List). Integrated Data ProtectionManager deployed for backup purpose. Mission critical applications and data arereplicated from the data centre to Disaster Recovery Site for business continuity.
Interest rate Risk
Interest rate risk arises from long-termborrowings with variable rates, which exposedthe company to cash flow interest rate risk. TheCompany’s fixed rate borrowing are carried atamortized cost and therefore are not subjectto interest rate risk as defined in Ind AS 107since neither the carrying amount nor thefuture cash flows will fluctuate because of thechange in market interest rates. The Companyis exposed to the evolution of interest ratesand credit markets for its future refinancing,which may result in a lower or higher cost offinancing, which is mainly addressed throughthe management of the fixed/ floating ratio offinancial liabilities.
The Company constantly monitors credit markets to strategize a well-balancedmaturity profile in order to reduce both the risk of refinancing and largefluctuations of its financing cost. The Company believes that it can source fundsfor both short term and long term at a competitive rate considering its strongfundamentals on its financial position.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity Risks are those risk that the Companywill not be able to settle or meet its obligationson time or at reasonable price
Monitoring and optimizing working capital is achieved through tightenedcontrol measures in collection of receivables, negotiation of credit periodswith suppliers, maintain adequate inventory based on business requirementsand thereby maintaining a level of cash and cash equivalents deemed adequateto finance the company’s operations. The Company maintains flexibility infunding by keeping both committed and uncommitted credit lines available withbankers. The Company has laid well defined policies and procedures facilitatedby robust information system for timely and qualitative decision making by themanagement including its day-to-day operations
Geo-Political Risk - (Russia -Ukraine war risk)
The company’s geo-political risk arises from itssourcing the raw material from Russia on whomUS, UK, EU and other countries have imposedpartial sanctions.
The company is able to import of raw material from Russia and the company’sbanks are making payments to Russian origin goods on submission of declarationand after making necessary checks with respect to restrictions on sanctions.However, to mitigate the risk, the company reviewing constantly its share ofits purchases from non-Russian countries and also considers making payment tonon-Russian countries and in currencies other than USD.
To mitigate the risk, the company maintains adequate stock levels so that thereis no disruption in production.
Credit Risk
Credit Risk is the risk of financial loss to theCompany if the customer or counterpartyto the financial instruments fails to meet itscontractual obligations and arises principallyfrom the Company’s receivables. TreasuryOperations and other operations that are in thenature of lease. The Company’s exposure tocredit risk is influenced mainly by the individualcharacteristic of each customer. The Companyextends credit to its customers in the normalcourse of business by considering the factorssuch as financial reliability of customers. TheCompany evaluates the concentration of the riskwith respect to trade receivables as low, as itcustomers are located in several jurisdictionsand operate in largely independent markets.
The Company maintains adequate security deposits / Bank Guarantees frommany of its customers based on market condition. Advance payments areobtained for the value of the material from the Project / one time / newentrants. The exposures with the Government are generally unsecured but theyare considered as good. However, unsecured credits are extended based on thecreditworthiness of the customers on case to case basis. Trade receivables arewritten off when there is no reasonable expectation of recovery, such as a debtordeclaring bankruptcy or failing to engage in a repayment plan with the Companyand where there is probability of default, the Company creates provision basedon Expected Credit Loss for trade receivables under simplified approach.
Marketing Risk
Fibre Cement Industry is a highly competitiveindustry, largely due to dependants in fibreimports. More manufacturing capacity havesprung up.
Fibre Cement Industries is seasonal in natureand logistic sensitive.
Quality Product with pricing, Benchmarking, Substitutes and In-House Brandingwill help get an edge over competition.
Human Resource Risk
Loss of key employees due to resignationor retirement, overstaffing / understaffing,higher attrition rate, inadequate training foremployees, employee wellness, and disturbancesin industrial relations are identified as the keyrisk factors in human resource
Human Resource risk is mitigated by forecasting annual manpower to hire rightpeople at right time. Various retention methodologies are followed like employeefriendly benefits like extending loan schemes, transfer option to preferredlocation in genuine cases, Group Medical Insurance and Group Personal AccidentInsurance Scheme and buffer scheme. Training programmes are conductedto employees based on functional roles. Periodic Wellness sessions on healthrelated topics are being conducted with expert doctors from reputed hospitals.Maintaining cordial relationship with Unions, local leaders and carrying out CSRprojects relevant to the local needs have ensured that there were no loss ofman-days due to such disturbances.
Prior approval / omnibus approval is obtained from the Audit Committee for all Related Party transactions and the transactions are alsoperiodically placed before the Audit Committee for its approval. The details of contracts entered into by the Company during the yearas per Form AOC 2 is enclosed as Annexure - 7.
No transaction with the related party is material in nature except transaction with Raja Charity Trust which was approved byShareholders at 56th Annual General Meeting held on 19.08.2021, in accordance with Company’s “Related Party Transaction Policy” andRegulation 23 of SEBI (LODR).
In accordance with Ind AS-24, the details of transactions with the related parties are set out in the Disclosures forming part of FinancialStatements.
As required under Regulation 46 (2) (g) of SEBI (LODR), the Related Party Transaction Policy is disclosed in the Company’s Website andits weblink is -https://www.ramcoindltd.com/file/Investors/Policies/RELATED_PARTY_TRANSACTION_POLICY_RIL_29012020.pdf
As required under Regulation 46(2)(h) of SEBI (LODR), the Company’s Material Subsidiary Policy is disclosed in the Company’s websiteand its weblink is - https://www.ramcoindltd.com/file/MATERIAL_SUBSIDIARY_POLICY_2015.pdf
There have been no other material changes affecting the financial position of the company between the end of the financial year andtill the date of this report.
Pursuant to Section 134(3) (m) of the Companies Act,2013 and Rule 8(3) of Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 the information relatingto Conservation of Energy, Technology Absorption and Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo is attached as Annexure -8.
The disclosures with respect to remuneration as required under Section 197 of the Companies Act, 2013, read with Rule 5(1) of theCompanies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014 is attached as Annexure -9.
The statement containing names of the top ten employees in terms of remuneration drawn and the particulars of employees as requiredunder Section 197(12) of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 5(1), (2) & (3) of Companies (Appointment and Remuneration ofManagerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, is provided in a separate Annexure forming part of this report.
However, the annual report is being sent to the Members, excluding the aforesaid Annexure. In terms of Section 136 of the CompaniesAct,2013 the said Annexure is open for inspection. Any member interested in obtaining a copy of the same may write to the CompanySecretary.
EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION SCHEME ( ESOS)
At the Annual General Meeting held on 19.08.2021 the Members had approved the following Employee Stock Option Schemes :
Name of theScheme
Total Noof Options
Exercise
Price
Vesting Period
Maximum Term
Source
Variation interms
ESOS 2021-Plan A
5,00,000
'1/- pershare
One year fromthe date of grant
On or before 31st December of theImmediately succeeding financialyear in which the vesting was done
Primary
Nil
ESOS 2021-Plan B
'30/- pershare
The relevant disclosure in terms of Rule 12 of Companies (Share Capital and Debentures) Rules, 2014 and Secretarial Standard on Reportof the Board of Directors are given below :
Details of Movement of Employee Stock Options during the year:
Sl.No
ESOS 2021 PLAN A
ESOS 2021 PLAN B
Number of options granted during the year
32,500
Number of options vested during the year
Number of options exercised during the year
Number of shares arising as a result of exercise of options
Number of options lapsed during the year
Exercise Price
'1/-
'30/-
Variation of terms of options
Money realized by exercise of options (INR), if scheme is implementeddirectly by the Company
Total Number of options in force (available for grant, but not yet granted)
3,34,000
4,87,500
Employee-wise details of options granted to
(i) Key Managerial Personnel
(ii) Any other employee who receives a grant in any one yearof option amounting to 5% or more of option granted duringthat year
Shri K.M. Muthu Padmanaban
6,000
Shri N. Pothiraju
2,500
Shri K. Muthukumar
Shri M. Manivannan
Shri B. Subramanian
Shri Prakash Joshi
2,000
Shri R. Durai Shankar
Shri S. Pazhaniyappan
Shri J. Rajesh
4,000
Shri N. Srinivasan
Shri P.K. Azhaka Raja
Shri A. Sivagurunathan
(iii) Identified employees who were granted option, during anyone year, equal to or exceeding 1% of the issued capital(excluding outstanding warrants and conversions) of thecompany at the time of grant
The purpose of these plans are to facilitate Eligible Persons (Employees with Long Service and Contributed to the growth of theCompany) through ownership of shares of the Company to participate and gain from the Company’s performance, thereby acting as asuitable reward. Participation in the ownership of the Company, through share based compensation schemes will be a just reward forthe employees for their continuous hard work, dedication and support, which has led the Company to be what it is today.
The Plan is intended to :
* Create a sense of ownership within the organisation;
* Encourage Employees to continue contributing to the success and growth of the organisation;
* Retain and motivate Employees;
* Encourage eligible persons to align their performance with Company Objectives;
* Reward Eligible persons to align their performance with Company objectives;
* Align interest of Eligible Persons with those of the organisation.
The Schemes are in compliance with the SEBI Regulations. During the year under review, no material changes have been made in theschemes.
A Certificate from the Company’s Secretarial Auditors, with respect to implementation of the above Employee Stock Option Schemes inaccordance with SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021 and the resolution passed by the Membersof the Company, has been received and same is attached as Annexure -10.
The details as required under part F of Schedule I read with Regulation 14 of SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity)Regulations, 2021 are disclosed on the company’s website and the weblink is given below :https://www.ramcoindltd.com/esos.htmlINDUSTRIAL RELATIONS a PERSONNEL
Industrial relations continue to be cordial and harmonious at all the Units. Employees at all levels are extending their fullest co¬operation for the various cost reduction measures of the Company. There is a special thrust on Human Resources Development with aview to promoting creative and group effort.
CREDIT RATING
The ratings for the Company’s borrowing are available in Corporate Governance Report.
BUSINESS RESPONSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORT ( BRSR)
The details of key initiatives with respect to Stakeholder relationship, customer relationship, environment, sustainability, health andsafety are available in the BRSR for the year 2024-25 which forms part of this report.
SHARES
The Company’s shares are listed in BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited and the Annual Listing Fees have beenpaid for the F.Y. 2025-26 respectively.
INVESTOR EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND (IEPF)
Dividend amount remaining unclaimed/unpaid for a period of over 7 years was transferred to IEPF as detailed below :
Dividend Details
Amount Transferred
Date of Transfer to IEPF
2016-17
' 1,93,939/-
30.08.2024
Shares corresponding to the dividend for the financial year 2016-17 were transferred to IEPF, as detailed below :
No. of Shares
9,602
28th & 29th October 2024
Year wise amount of unpaid /unclaimed dividend lying in the unpaid account and corresponding shares, which are liable to be transferredto IEPF and due dates for such transfer, are tabled below:
Year
Type of Dividend
Date ofDeclarationof Dividend
Last Datefor ClaimingUnpaidDividend
Due Date forTransferto IEP Fund
No. of Sharesof' 1/- each
Amount of unclaimed / unpaidDiv'dend as on 31-03-2025In '
2017-18
Dividend
03-08-2018
02-08-2025
01-09-2025
2,76,676
1,38,338.00
2018-19
08-08-2019
07-08-2026
06-09-2026
2,23,737
1,11,868.50
2019-20
Interim Div'dend
03-03-2020
02-03-2027
01-04-2027
3,51,567
1,75,783.50
2020-21
12-03-2021
11-03-2028
10-04-2028
2,54,458
2,31,535.00
2021-22
10-08-2022
09-08-2029
08-09-2029
4,72,015
3,98,534.00
2022-23
10-08-2023
09-08-2030
08-09-2030
2,42,827
2,12,860.00
16-08-2024
15-08-2031
14-09-2031
9,48,957
5,91,001.75
Pursuant to Section 134(5) of the Companies Act, 2013 the Directors confirm that
(a) they had followed the applicable accounting standards along with proper explanation relating to material departures, if any, inthe preparation of the annual accounts for the year ended 31st March, 2025;
(b) they had selected such accounting policies and applied them consistently and made judgements and estimates that are reasonableand prudent so as to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company as on 31st March, 2025 and of the profit ofCompany for the year ended on that date;
(c) they had taken proper and sufficient care for the maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisionsof this Act for safeguarding the assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting fraud and other irregularities;
(d) they had prepared the annual accounts on a going concern basis;
(e) they had laid down internal financial controls to be followed by the Company and that such financial controls are adequate andwere operating effectively; and
(f) they had dev'sed proper systems to ensure compliance with the prov'sions of all applicable laws and that such systems wereadequate and operating effectively.
During the year, the company strategically advanced its pursuit of a cost-efficient and technically optimized manufacturing mixencompassing calcium silicate boards, fibre cement boards, non-asbestos roofing sheets and light weight calcium silicate tiles. OurResearch and Development Laboratory has been accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories(NABL) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation - Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA) underscoring itscompliance with national and global recognized standards.
The Directors are grateful to the various Departments and agencies of the Central and State Governments for their help andco-operation. They are thankful to the Financial Institutions and Banks for their continued help, assistance and guidance. The Directorswish to place on record their appreciation of employees at all levels for their commitment and their contribution.
On behalf of the Board of DirectorsFor RAMCO INDUSTRIES LIMITED
Place: ChennaiP.R. VENKETRAMA RAJADate : 23.05.2025 Chairman