Rating Rationale
March 28, 2018 | Mumbai
Chembond Chemicals Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.19 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1 (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its ratings on the bank facilities of Chembond Chemicals Limited (Chembond; part of the Chembond group) at 'CRISIL A-/Stable/CRISIL A1'.

The ratings continue to reflect the group's strong financial risk profile because of healthy networth and gearing, and comfortable debt protection metrics; robust business risk profile backed by association with global majors; established customer base; widespread distribution network; and diverse product basket catering to various sectors. These strengths are partially offset by working capital-intensive operations and exposure to intense competition in the speciality chemicals industry.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL continues to combine the business and financial risk profiles of Chembond and its subsidiaries. This is because all these entities, together referred to as the Chembond group, are owned and managed by the same promoters and have significant inter-party transactions. For instance, Chembond consolidates all subsidiaries for reporting to stock exchanges and shareholders. Also, the company acts as a toll manufacturer for its subsidiaries while these, in turn, act as marketing, technical services, and distribution entities. Promoters manage the Chembond group as one business, although middle and lower management are separate and there is board representation from partners in joint venture (JV) companies.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong business risk profile: The group enjoys a leadership position in the Indian market in the water treatment chemicals segment. High brand visibility of primary products has enabled cross-selling of other category of chemicals such as industrial coatings and construction chemicals. The group also supplies industrial enzymes for applications in animal feed, textiles, and alcohol processing. Customer base is spread across the automobiles, steel, fertilisers, refineries, petrochemicals, power plants, and infrastructure segments.

* Healthy financial risk profile: Networth was healthy at Rs.224 Crore as on March 31, 2017 and debt protection metrics robust with expected interest coverage ratio of above 19 times and net cash accruals to total debt of above 1 times, for fiscal 2017. Furthermore, total outside liabilities to adjusted networth (TOL/ANW) is expected to remain healthy below 0.5 time as on March 31, 2018. Though operating margin has been in the 4.5-6% range, surplus liquid funds ensure reliance on incremental working capital debt is minimal. Any large investment outgo leading to weakening of financial risk profile will be a key monitorable.

Weaknesses
* Working-capital-intensive operations: Although average inventory improved to 30-35 days from previous levels of 45-60 days over the four years ended March 31, 2017, receivables level has remained moderate at 90 days over the past 5 years ending March 31, 2017. Though this is partially offset by sizeable credit from suppliers (payables of 70-100 days), working capital requirement will remain large over the medium term.

* Exposure to intense competition: Easy availability of raw materials encourages more players to venture into the chemical business, which limits bargaining power of players against customers and suppliers.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Chembond group will benefit over the medium term from healthy demand for water treatment chemicals and established relationship with key customers. The outlook may be revised to 'Positive' if cash accrual increases substantially due to higher-than-expected revenue or profitability. The outlook may be revised to 'Negative' if a considerable decline in operating margin or revenue, large, debt-funded capital expenditure, or investment in unrelated business adversely affects financial risk profile. 

About the Group

Set up in 1975 by Dr. Vinod Shah, Mr. Ashwin Nagarwadia, and Mr. Parviz Dastur, Chembond manufactures speciality chemicals and provides a range of products for diverse industrial applications. It offers metal-treatment chemicals, water-treatment chemicals, and industrial enzymes through its subsidiaries and JVs. Chembond also manufactures construction chemicals for the construction and infrastructure sectors, and high-performance coatings for structural protection from corrosion, for floors and walls in clean rooms, and for shop floors and building exteriors. The company diversified into equipment-based solutions for water treatment. Additionally, it trades in building construction chemicals.

In 2001, the Chembond group formed a JV with Ashland Inc, USA, and simultaneously acquired Drewtreat Chemicals Ltd for water-treatment chemicals. Pursuant to the sale of water-technologies business globally by Ashland Inc to Solenis, Solenis Netherlands BV took over the minority stake in the Indian JV, Chembond Ashland Water Technology Ltd; the JV was renamed Chembond Solenis Water Technologies Ltd effective August 21, 2014. On April 27, 2017, Chembond entered into an agreement to acquire the equity shares of Chembond Solenis Water Technologies Limited from Solenis Netherlands B.V., post which the said entity became a wholly owned subsidiary of Chembond.

In November 2017, Chembond acquired 100% stake in Phiroze Sethna Pvt. Ltd., a company into manufacturing of sealants and adhesives for the automotive industry. Phiroze Sethna also has a wholly owned subsidiary, Gramos Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd., which manufactures products used in paint shops in the automotive industry.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2017 2016
Revenue Rs crore 279.85 269.85
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 12.99 151.57
PAT Margin % 4.6 56.0
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net Worth Times 0.04 0.05
Interest coverage Times 19.32 110.60

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of Instrument Date of Allotment Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity Date Issue
Size
(Rs. Cr)
Rating Assigned  with Outlook
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 3 CRISIL A1
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 16 CRISIL A-/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  16  CRISIL A-/Stable    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  05-10-15  CRISIL A-/Stable  CRISIL A-/Stable 
                    02-06-15  CRISIL A-/Watch Developing   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  CRISIL A1    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  05-10-15  CRISIL A1  CRISIL A2+ 
                    02-06-15  CRISIL A2+/Watch Developing   
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Bank Guarantee 3 CRISIL A1 Bank Guarantee 3 CRISIL A1
Cash Credit 16 CRISIL A-/Stable Cash Credit 16 CRISIL A-/Stable
Total 19 -- Total 19 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Rating Criteria for Chemical Industry
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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