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IndianOil buys 50% stakes in Beximco LPG

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IndianOil buys 50% stakes in Beximco LPG

TBS Report
30 June, 2020, 07:10 pm
Last modified: 01 July, 2020, 12:08 am

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), commonly known as IndianOil, will acquire 50 percent stakes in Bangladesh's Beximco LPG at an undisclosed figure.

RR Holdings Ltd, a UAE-based firm that owns Beximco LPG of Bangladesh and IOC Middle East, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation, signed an agreement on Tuesday to form a joint venture company in a virtual meeting.

RR Holdings and IOC Middle East will own equal shares in the joint venture company that will begin functioning by acquiring Beximco's existing LPG assets.

Both sides believe that the joint venture company will be able to lead Bangladesh's LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) market by diversifying products and markets, and also export this cooking gas to land-locked northeast India.

Shayan F Rahman, chairman of RR Holdings Ltd, said he was proud to join forces with India's largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products IndianOil, combining Beximco's downstream value chain and customer insights with IOC's unparalleled strength and expertise across the entire hydrocarbon sector.

"Together, we believe our combined strengths will enable us to become the largest downstream oil and gas company in Bangladesh," Shayan told The Business Standard.

He declined to comment on the financial value of the Beximco LPG's share sale to IOC.

Sanjiv Singh, chairman of IndianOil, said the company started its business in Bangladesh with marketing lubricants in 1999.

"Today, we are joining hands with a formidable partner in Bangladesh," said Sanjiv.

He said the LPG market in Bangladesh has seen a five-fold growth in the past five years and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12-13 percent. The joint venture company will draw strength from the core competencies of IndianOil and the local expertise of Beximco, he said.

"As per the business plan, the company will begin functioning by acquiring Beximco's existing LPG assets. We intend to set up a large LPG terminal at a deep-water port in Bangladesh, which will facilitate receipt of LPG in Very Large Gas Carriers, leading to reduction in cost of imports," he said.

Reduction in cost of import will help make LPG available at an affordable price to the people of Bangladesh, said the IOC chairman.

Dharmendra Pradhan, minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and minister of Steel in India, presided over the deal signing ceremony.

He said the agreement is a major milestone in the annals of India-Bangladesh cooperation when a group company of IndianOil, based in Dubai, is joining hands with one of the most promising LPG companies in Bangladesh through its holding company in UAE for LPG business in Bangladesh.

Salman Fazlur Rahman, private industry and investment adviser to the prime minister of Bangladesh, said the joint venture company should serve as a testament to the remarkable investment potential of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"At a time when the entire world is grappling with the severe economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, this investment also reflects the resilient and enduring friendship between Bangladesh and India," he commented.

Nasrul Hamid, state minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, said as Bangladesh's middle class is rising with higher purchasing power, the LPG sector has seen an exponential boom over the years and is set to grow further in the coming years.

As such, a partnership and investment of this scale between two experienced and major players has every potential to be a true game changer in the industry, he noted.

Bangladesh is already saturated in the LPG market with around 20 companies in operation. Industry players said top five companies hold around 85 percent market shares and the remaining ones are struggling to get their market shares.

https://tbsnews.net/companies/beximco-teams-ioc-boost-lpg-business-100096
 
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@DalalErMaNodi where do you get this collection of great memes?

Indian Oil buying a stake in Beximco LPG is not that bad. If Indian Oil can bring in cost-effective distribution and logistics practices to Bangladesh, which is a nascent LPG market, I don't see too many things bad in it.

But they have to be kept under tight regulatory control regime lest they cut too many corners in safety during logistics and distribution operations.
 
@DalalErMaNodi where do you get this collection of great memes?

Indian Oil buying a stake in Beximco LPG is not that bad. If Indian Oil can bring in cost-effective distribution and logistics practices to Bangladesh, which is a nascent LPG market, I don't see too many things bad in it.

But they have to be kept under tight regulatory control regime lest they cut too many corners in safety during logistics and distribution operations.
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The problem is Salman F has undue influence over the government. This might create a new avenue for an Indian company to gain leverage in a strategic sector.
 
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The problem is Salman F has undue influence over the government. This might create a new avenue for an Indian company to gain leverage in a strategic sector.

Well yes you have a point.

But one cannot end up suspecting that every Indian company that wants to invest in Bangladesh is up to no good. I know past record of Indian companies is not great, but being prejudicial toward only Indian companies does not look good from a global trade liberalization standpoint.

There are bad Indian companies here in Bangladesh who only re-package goods and re-export from Bangladesh to take advantage of our GSP facilities. Those have largely been exposed.

Then there are chamar companies like Asian Paints who are taking advantage of our corrupt regulators to pollute our environment - Sun Pharma (formerly Ranbaxy) is another one who re-packages for export. The govt. servants who regulate this, continue to be on the take and look the other way.

I am sure people in Bangladesh (especially in the energy sector) remember the Indian blockade of fuel to Nepal which brought that country to a standstill. So there is some risk.

But Indian Oil is a very large state-owned enterprise in India. Their operations, ethics and corporate standards are largely above board.

Indian Oil won't be supplying the LPG, it'll come through terminals controlled by companies like Summit Energy. The LPG is supplied by Kuwaiti companies I believe. Indian Oil will only be controlling the distribution of said LPG.

There are many other companies competing in Bangladesh LPG sector, Beximco is by no means a heavyweight. If there are shady dealings by Indian Oil, then they will be reported up front and very quickly.

Bangladesh' LPG market is controlled mainly by Omera and Bashundhara who have very large conversion and bottling plants.

LPG-2.png


LPG industry growth in Bangladesh is on the upswing. We need more investments by many competitors until there is consolidation in the market which makes the product (LPG) cheaper than piped gas. Currently LPG is way more expensive that piped Natural gas.

The primary impetus of Indian Oil forming a JV with Beximco is also to supply their NE region with LPG gas and compete in some other niche sectors such as Lube oil.

This was the press report,

"joint venture also intends to diversify into other downstream oil and gas businesses such as lube blending plant, LNG, petrochemicals, LPG export to northeast India through pipeline between two nations and renewable energy."

Further detail (though dated) is here,

https://www.lightcastlebd.com/insights/2016/08/04/market-insight-lpg-industry-in-bangladesh
 
Indian Oil won't be supplying the LPG, it'll come through terminals controlled by companies like Summit Energy. The LPG is supplied by Kuwaiti companies I believe. Indian Oil will only be controlling the distribution of said LPG.
I don't think IOC will be controlling LPG distribution. They bought stakes and formed a JV with a ME company. That will be controlled by Beximco.
 
Well yes you have a point.

But one cannot end up suspecting that every Indian company that wants to invest in Bangladesh is up to no good. I know past record of Indian companies is not great, but being prejudicial toward only Indian companies does not look good from a global trade liberalization standpoint.

There are bad Indian companies here in Bangladesh who only re-package goods and re-export from Bangladesh to take advantage of our GSP facilities. Those have largely been exposed.

Then there are chamar companies like Asian Paints who are taking advantage of our corrupt regulators to pollute our environment - Sun Pharma (formerly Ranbaxy) is another one who re-packages for export. The govt. servants who regulate this, continue to be on the take and look the other way.

I am sure people in Bangladesh (especially in the energy sector) remember the Indian blockade of fuel to Nepal which brought that country to a standstill. So there is some risk.

But Indian Oil is a very large state-owned enterprise in India. Their operations, ethics and corporate standards are largely above board.

Indian Oil won't be supplying the LPG, it'll come through terminals controlled by companies like Summit Energy. The LPG is supplied by Kuwaiti companies I believe. Indian Oil will only be controlling the distribution of said LPG.

There are many other companies competing in Bangladesh LPG sector, Beximco is by no means a heavyweight. If there are shady dealings by Indian Oil, then they will be reported up front and very quickly.

Bangladesh' LPG market is controlled mainly by Omera and Bashundhara who have very large conversion and bottling plants.

LPG-2.png


LPG industry growth in Bangladesh is on the upswing. We need more investments by many competitors until there is consolidation in the market which makes the product (LPG) cheaper than piped gas. Currently LPG is way more expensive that piped Natural gas.

The primary impetus of Indian Oil forming a JV with Beximco is also to supply their NE region with LPG gas and compete in some other niche sectors such as Lube oil.

This was the press report,

"joint venture also intends to diversify into other downstream oil and gas businesses such as lube blending plant, LNG, petrochemicals, LPG export to northeast India through pipeline between two nations and renewable energy."

Further detail (though dated) is here,

https://www.lightcastlebd.com/insights/2016/08/04/market-insight-lpg-industry-in-bangladesh

I agree in that the risk of Indian Oil monopolising the distribution of LPG is unlikely. However, I just do not like Salman representing both the govt and the company. I would not want Indian Oil to leverage his govt position to conduct anti-competitive practices (e.g.- monopolising bottled LPG supplies to govt entities). This would not happen overnight and the risk is low. I just want the LPG market to remain free.
 

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