Your Directors are pleased to present the Company's 32" Annual Report together with the Audited Financial Statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2024.
FINANCIAL RESULTS
Brief Financial Highlights with comparison of previous financial year are as follows:
(Rupees in Lakhs)
Financial results for the financial year ended March 31,2024, are prepared in compliance with the Indian Accounting Standards (Ind- AS) prescribed under Section 133 of the Companies Act, 2013.
PERFORMANCE REVIEW
Your Company has reported annual revenue from operations for FY 2023-24 INR 50,360.79 Lakhs which is 35% increase from previous year revenue of INR 37,090.49 Lakhs. The EBITDA for the FY 2023-24 stood at INR 6,590.12 Lakhs reporting a growth of 98% as compared to EBITDA of INR 3,324.10 for the FY 2022-23. The Profit After Tax (PAT) for the FY 2023-24 stood at INR 4,686.02 Lakhs reporting a growth of 82% as compared to the PAT of INR 2,570.18 Lakhs for the FY 2022-23.
Our continuous focus is to improve productivity, reduction of non-value added cost and deliver the best quality transformers. Owing to the raw material cost, the price pressure is immense, and it is impacting the entire industry. In the challenging environment, with improved sourcing strategies and cost optimization our focus is to improve and sustain the margin in the coming years.
A detailed discussion on the industry structure, threats, opportunities, risks and business outlook is given separately in the Management's Discussion and Analysis section, which forms a part of this annual report.
DIRECTORS AND KEY MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL
The Board of the Company comprises of seven experienced directors from diverse areas, which enables the Board to provide effective leadership to the Company. Composition of the Board is in conformity with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
The Board of Directors of the Company as on date of this report is as follows:
The Key Managerial Personnel of the Company as on date of this report is as follows:
There were no changes in the Board of Directors and Key Managerial Personnel during the year.
NUMBER OF MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors met five (5) times during the financial year. The said meetings were held on May 19, 2023; August 11, 2023; November 09, 2023; December 14, 2023 and February 13, 2024.
The provisions of Companies Act, 2013 and Listing Regulations were adhered to while considering the time gap between two meetings. The necessary quorum was present for all the meetings.
BOARD COMMITTEES
Board Committees plays a vital role in improving the Board effectiveness in areas where more focus and discussions are required. Board has constituted three Committees in accordance with the provisions of Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 and its composition during the year are as follows:
Details in respect of each Committee during the year are provided in the Corporate Governance Report forming part of the Directors' Report.
DIRECTORS' RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT
To the best of our knowledge and belief and according to the information and explanations obtained by us, your Directors make the following statements in terms of Section 134(3) (c) and 134 (5) of the Act, that;
a) In the preparation of the annual financial statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2024, the applicable accounting standards had been followed along with proper explanation relating to material departures;
b) The Directors had selected such accounting policies and applied them consistently and made judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent so as to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company at the end of the financial year 2023-24 and of the statement of Profit of the Company for the year under review;
c) The Directors had taken proper and sufficient care for the maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 for safeguarding the assets of the Company and preventing and detecting fraud and other irregularities;
d) The Directors had prepared the accounts for the financial year ended March 31, 2024, on a 'going concern basis;
e) The Directors had laid down Internal Financial Controls to be followed by the Company and such Internal Financial Controls are adequate and were operating effectively;
f) The Directors had devised proper systems to ensure compliance with the provisions of all applicable laws and that such systems were adequate and operating effectively.
NOMINATION AND REMUNERATION POLICY
In terms of Section 178 of the Companies Act, 2013 and the SEBI (Listing Obligations & Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, Company's policy on nomination and remuneration of Directors, Key Managerial Personnel (KMP), Senior Management and other employees shall act as a guideline for determining, inter-alia, qualifications, positive attributes and independence of a Director, matters relating to the remuneration, appointment, removal and evaluation of performance of the Directors, Key Managerial Personnel, Senior Management and other employees.
As a policy, currently the independent directors are paid sitting fee of Rs. 40,000/- per meeting per person for attending the Board and Audit Committee Meetings and Rs. 5,000/- per meeting per person for attending Stakeholders Relationship Committee, Nomination & Remuneration Committee and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee meetings.
SUCCESSION PLANNING
The Company believes that sound succession plans for the senior leadership are very important for creating a robust future for the Company. The Nomination and Remuneration Committee in consultation with the Board of Directors work along with the Human Resource department of the Company for a structured leadership succession plan.
ACQUISITION OF RESIDUAL SHARES BY HOLDING COMPANY
Pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement (the "SPA") entered between Prolec GE Internacional, S.De. R.L. De C.V ("Prolec GE") and Shirdi Sai Electricals Limited ("SSEL") on December 20, 2019, the 529,593 equity shares of face value Rs. 10 each (the "Residual Shares") representing 4.99% of the paid- up equity share capital of the Company was acquired by M/s. Shirdi Sai Electricals Limited, Holding Company, on October 23, 2023, by way of off-market purchase as per terms of the SPA. Further, post to this acquisition SSEL holds 75 % of shares and Prolec does not hold any shares in the Company.
Subsequent to the aforesaid share transfer, the company has received a request from Prolec GE for Reclassification of their status from Promoter to Public. Basis the request, the company has made application to the Stock Exchanges, i.e., BSE Ltd and National Stock Exchange of India Limited under Regulation 31A of Listing Regulations for the said reclassification and its awaiting approval, as on date of this report.
PARTICULARS OF LOANS, GUARANTEES OR INVESTMENTS UNDER SECTION 186 OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2013
The Company has not provided any loans, guarantee or made any investments covered under section 186 of the Companies Act, 2013.
PARTICULARS OF CONTRACTS OR ARRANGEMENTS WITH RELATED PARTIES REFFERED TO IN SECTION 188(1) OF COMPANIES ACT, 2013
The particulars of contracts or arrangements with related parties referred to in Section 188(1), as prescribed in Form AOC - 2 of the rules prescribed under Chapter IX relating to Accounts of Companies under the Companies Act, 2013, is appended as Annexure "I".
STATUTORY AUDITORS
Pursuant to Section 139 of the Companies Act, 2013, M/s. ASA & Associates LLP, Chartered Accountants (Firm Registration No. 009571 N/N500006), have been appointed as Statutory Auditors for a period of five (5) years commencing from financial year 2020-21 and shall hold office till the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting to be held in the calendar year 2025.
SECRETARIAL AUDITORS & SECRETARIAL AUDIT REPORT
Pursuant to provisions of Section 204 of the Act read with Rule 9 of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014 and amendments thereto, your Company engaged the services of M/s. J B Bhave & Co., Company Secretaries, Pune to conduct the Secretarial Audit of the Company for the financial year ended March 31,2024. The Secretarial Audit Report in Form MR-3 is given in Annexure - II, forming part of this report.
COMMENTS ON AUDITORS' REPORT / SECRETARIAL AUDITORS REPORT
There are no qualifications, reservations or adverse remarks or disclaimers made by M./s. ASA & Associates LLP, Statutory Auditors, in their report and by M/s. J B Bhave & Co., Company Secretaries in their secretarial audit report.
COST AUDITORS
Pursuant to section 148 and rules made there under and based on the recommendation of the Audit Committee, your Board has approved the appointment of Mr. K Suryanarayanan, Cost Accountant (Registration No: 102347), as the Cost Auditor of the Company for the financial year 2024-2025, on a remuneration as mentioned in the Notice convening the 32nd Annual General Meeting for conducting the audit of the cost records maintained by the Company.
MAINTENANCE OF COST RECORDS
The Company has maintained the required cost records as prescribed under Section 148(1) of the Companies Act, 2013, read along with Companies (Cost Records and Audit) Rules, 2014.
DIVIDEND
Considering the accumulated losses and keeping in mind to source to finance the future business plans with internal funds, no dividend has been recommended by the Board of Directors of the Company for Financial Year 2023-24.
TRANSFER TO RESERVES
During the year under review, no amount was transferred to the General Reserves of the Company.
MATERIAL CHANGES AND COMMITMENTS
The production operations at the factory was temporarily suspended from April 29, 2024 to May 23, 2024, on account of the disturbances caused by the workers owing to the difference of opinion in computation of VDA (Variable Dearness Allowance). The dispute was resorted for Conciliation before Deputy Commissioner of Labour (DCL), Kancheepuram. The parties arrived into a settlement on May 23, 2024. Accordingly, the DCL documented the settlement arrived between the parties in writing.
The operations at the factory resumed effective May 24, 2024. As on date of this report, there are no material loss/ damage impacting financial position of the company. Apart from the suspension of operations, there were no material changes and commitments, affecting the financial position of the company which have occurred between the end of the financial year of the company to which the financial statements relate and the date of the report.
BOARD EVALUTION
The Board of Directors has carried out an annual evaluation of its own performance, its Committees and individual Directors pursuant to the requirements of the Act and the Listing Regulations. Further, the Independent Directors, at their exclusive meeting held on March 31, 2024, reviewed the performance of the Board, its Chairman and Non-Executive Directors and other items as stipulated under the Listing Regulations.
PARTICULARS OF EMPLOYEES AND RELATED DISCLOSURES
In terms of the provisions of Section 197(12) of the Act read with Rules 5(2) and 5(3) of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, a statement showing the names and other particulars of the employees drawing remuneration in excess of the limits set out in the said rules are provided in the Annual Report.
Disclosures pertaining to remuneration and other details as required under Section 197(12) of the Act read with Rule 5(1) of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, as amended, also form part of this Annual Report. However, having regard to the provisions of second proviso to Section 136(1) of the Act, the Annual Report excluding the aforesaid information, is being sent to all the members of the Company and others entitled thereto. The said information is open for inspection and any member interested in obtaining the same may write to the Company Secretary and will be furnished on request.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Your Company is committed to good corporate governance aligned with the best corporate practices. A separate Report on Corporate Governance is provided as a part of this Annual Report, besides the Management Discussion and Analysis.
SECRETARIAL STANDARDS
The Company has complied with applicable Secretarial Standards issued by the Institute of the Company Secretaries of India during the year.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)
The brief outline of the Corporate Social Responsibility ('CSR') policy of the Company and the initiatives undertaken by the Company on CSR activities during the year under review are set out in Annexure - III of this report in the format prescribed in the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 including any statutory modifications/amendments thereto for the time being in force. For other details regarding the CSR Committee, please refer to the Corporate Governance Report, which is a part of this report.
Apart from the regulatory requirements, the company's approach towards CSR is holistic and integrated with the core business strategy for addressing social and environmental impacts of business. The Company is committed to undertake the CSR activities to address the well-being of all stakeholders and not just the company's shareholders.
FIXED DEPOSITS / PUBLIC DEPOSITS
Your Company has not accepted any fixed deposits or Public Deposits covered under Chapter V of the Companies Act, 2013 and, as such, no amount of principal or interest was outstanding on the date of the Balance Sheet.
INTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTROLS
The Company has an adequate system of Internal Financial Controls in place with reference to the financial statements. Audit Committee periodically reviews the Internal Financial Control and Risk Assessment System of the Company. During the year, Internal Financial Controls were tested and no material weaknesses in the design or operating effectiveness were observed.
VIGIL MECHANISM / WHISTLE BLOWER POLICY
Your Company has a "Vigil Mechanism (Ombuds & Open Reporting Procedure)" to provide an avenue to stakeholders, including employees and directors, to report concerns related to any actual or potential violation of law or violation of the Company's Code of conduct. The mechanism provides for adequate safeguards against victimization of Director(s) and Employee(s) who avail the mechanism.
The Whistle Blower Policy is explained in corporate governance report and also placed on the notice board and the website of the Company at www.indo-tech.com
RISK MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
The Company has formulated a Risk Management policy to identify, assess, monitor and mitigate various risks to the Company. Identified risks and the mitigation plans are discussed at the meetings of the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors of the Company.
CONSERVATION OF ENERGY, TECHNOLOGY ABSORPTION, FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS AND OUTGO
The information as prescribed under Section 134 of the Companies Act, 2013, read with the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 is as follows:
A. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
Your Company has constantly been emphasizing on optimization of energy consumption in every possible area by implementing regular energy audits to monitor consumption through Energy Management Dashboard to enable precise monitoring and optimization of energy consumption across various Sub Power Panels. This data-driven approach resulted in targeted interventions and efficiency improvements such as:
a) Improvement of power factor by optimizing capacitor bank capacity in Test Lab resulting in 25% Increase in power efficiency.
b) Implementation of Centralized Air Compressor setup for improved energy efficiency.
c) Reduction of energy consumption per MVA by 30% by effective utilization of high energy consuming equipment like Vapour Phase Drying (VPD) through optimization of supporting accessories i.e. clamping plates, loading trolley etc.
B. TECHNOLOGY ABSORPTION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Your Company is committed to undertake continuous process improvements and projects that were designed to enhance environmental protection, ergonomics, safety across various operations and emphasis on digitalization during the year.
a) Environment Projects
Several environmental preservation and resource optimization measures such as reduction of water usage by 17% by using STP water for flushing in toilets and gardening, reduction of CO2 emissions from diesel generators by 24% with installation of diesel particulate filter, etc. were undertaken by the company.
b) Health & Safety Projects
The company implemented several measures to ensure safe workplace environment such as employing Laser Digital Distance Finder to prevent risk of fall hazard during manual measurements in elevated workspaces, practice of using O2 & RH analyzer while working in confined spaces (tanks and pits) to monitor safe oxygen levels, installation of metallic scrap bins instead of wooden bins, etc.
c) ERP Upgradation and Digitalization Projects
During the year, the company has initiated the process for implementing new ERP tool in order to cope with the business growth. As part of digitalization projects, the company establish a Tool Management System at Singlepoint Tool Room to eliminate time delay in searching for tools and to prevent loss of tools, enhancing ergonomics.
Further, several environmental conservation measures were also undertaken to reduce the paper consumption by deploying solutions such as;
i. Digitalization of shopfloor data monitoring and computing process to workout cycle time, plant productivity etc.
ii. Digital exchange of quality documents with vendors through a web-portal, eliminating paper consumption.
iii. Elimination of paper transactions by installation of digital kiosk for operators to manage their attendance and leave.
C. FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS AND OUTGO
The Company's exposure to foreign currency risk at the end of the reporting period mentioned in Note 29 to the financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2024.
ANNUAL RETURN
As per provisions of Section 92 (3) of the Act read with Rule 12 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014 as amended from time to time, the copy of the Annual Return in the Form MGT-7 is hosted on website of your Company at www.indo-tech.com
REPORTING OF FRAUDS
During the year under review, the Statutory Auditor, Cost Auditor and Secretarial Auditor have not reported any instances of frauds committed in the Company by its Officers or Employees to the Audit Committee and / or Board under section 143(12) of the Act.
SIGNIFICANT AND MATERIAL ORDERS PASSED BY THE REGULATORS OR COURTS OR TRIBUNALS IMPACTING THE GOING CONCERN STATUS OF THE COMPANY
During the Financial Year under review, no regulator or court has passed any significant and / or material orders impacting the going concern status of the Company and its future operations.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE (PREVENTION, PROHIBITION AND REDRESSAL) ACT, 2013
Your Company has in place an Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy in line with the requirements of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The Internal Complaints Committee ("ICC") has been set up to redress the complaints received regarding sexual harassment. All employees are covered under this policy.
During the financial year 2023-24, there were no cases reported under Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
PROCEEDING UNDER THE INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY CODE, 2016 ('IBC')
No application was made or any proceedings were pending against the company under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 during the year.
OTHER DISCLOSURES
Your Directors state that no disclosure or reporting is required in respect of the following items as there were no transactions / events on these items during the year under review:
a) Issue of equity shares with differential rights as to dividend, voting or otherwise.
b) Issue of Shares (including Sweat Equity Shares) to employees of the Company under any Scheme.
c) Voting rights which are not directly exercised by the employees in respect of shares for the subscription/ purchase of which loan was given by the Company (as there is no scheme pursuant to which such persons can beneficially hold shares as envisaged under section 67(3)
(c) of the Act).
d) There has been no change in the nature of business of your Company.
e) The Company has not made any one-time settlement for loans taken from the Banks or Financial Institutions.
f) There was no revision of financial statements and Board's Report.
SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
As at March 31, 2024, there is no subsidiary company.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Your Directors express their appreciation of the continued cooperation of Governments and Government agencies, bankers, customers, suppliers and also the valuable assistance and guidance received from Shirdi Sai Electricals Limited, Xignux, Prolec GE and all the shareholders. Your Directors also wish to thank all employees for their contribution, support and continued cooperation during the financial year and are deeply grateful to the shareholders of the Company for the confidence and faith.