Tata International, the global trading and distribution arm of diversified Tata Group, will expand its footprint in Africa by entering Angola and Ethiopia, taking its presence to 14 nations in the continent.
“We are already present in 12 nations such as South Africa, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda, among others. Our presence is more in the eastern region as it is politically more stable. In 2016, we will be entering Angola in the West, and Ethiopia in the East of the continent.
“We will have agri trading, both imports and exports, to begin with, in these markets,” Ajay Mehra, Executive Director at Tata Africa Holdings (Tanzania), and Head of Non-Auto Distribution at Tata International, said.
Set up way back in 1962, Tata International’s (TIL) key business verticals are sale of leather and leather products, trading in metals and minerals, distribution of auto and allied products, agri-trading (both imports and exports), trading and distribution of industrial chemicals, distribution of drugs and medical devices, and IT services, along with group company TCS.
TIL also sells footwear and apparel brands, trailer manufacturing, and manufacturing precision metals and plastic parts for the engineering, wireless control and automobile sectors through international alliances.
TIL reported a $2.2 billion turnover in 2014-15, up from $1.7 billion in 2013-14, and expects a growth of around 15 per cent this fiscal year, Mehra said, and attributed the lower growth in turnover to the steep fall in the prices of metals in the year. When asked about the revenue contribution of Africa to TIL’s total income, he said that in 2014-15, it stood at around $400 million, led by the auto business.
Published 03 January 2016, 18:22 IST