YEAR                                                               
 EVENTS
 1923 - The Company was incorporated on 7th September at Mumbai.  The
        Company manufactures safety matches and allied products,
 salt,
        packaging machines and coated metal & recoating.  The Company
        has its own matches factories, a paper mill, a chlorate
 factory,
        a glue factory & salt works.
 
 1948 - 66,000 Bonus Equity shares issued in the prop. 3:7.
 
 1953 - 55,000 Bonus equity shares issued in the prop. 1:4.
 
 1963 - The Govt. of Chennai leased to the Company land at Vedarniam
 and
        the salt project was started on a pilot basis.
 
 1966 - 1,37,500 Bonus Equity shares issued in the prop. 1:2.
 
 1970 - 82,500 Bonus Equity shares issued in the prop. 1:5.
 
 1974 - 1,20,000 shares issued to shareholders of Assam Match Co. Ltd.
 on
        its amalgamation with the company in prop. of a share to 4
 share
        held in Assam Match.
 
 1975 - The name of the Company was changed from the Western India
 Match
        Co. Ltd. to its present one effective from 3rd December.
 
 1977 - Shares sub-divided in Dec. 1976.  1,20,000 shares allotted at
 par
        to ICICI on conversion of loan on 9th March.  80,000 shares
        allotted on 20th April, at a premium of Rs 3.20 per share as
        follows: 10,000 shares to General Insurance Corporation of
 India;
        25,000 shares to New India Assurance Co.; 25,000 to Oriental
 Fire
        & General Insurance Co.; 10,000 shares to Bank of India and
        10,000 shares to Union Bank of India.  20,50,000 shares issued
 at
        a prem. of Rs 3.25 per share.  Of these, 90,000 shares were
        reserved and allotted (60,000 shares to employees of the
 Company
        and 30,000 shares to promoters directors, etc.)  The balance
 of
        19,60,000 shares offered to the Indian public.
 
 1978 - The Sun-Sip, Ltd., became a subsidiary of the company.
 
 1979 - The Company installed plant and machinery for the manufacture
 of
        cardboard matchboxes at Chennai and Bareilly factories.
 
      - The Swedish Match Company agreed in principle to supply the
        technology for the recovery of industrial gases from the
 existing
        chlorate plant.
 
      - The Company undertook to set up a small plant for the
 manufacture
        of bromine at Vedaraniam.
 
 1980 - The Company had set up Engineering division for the design,
        development and supply of packaging, match and other types of
        machinery and other services.
 
      - The Company was also appointed as agents for internationally
        reputed manufacturers of packaging machinery and system.
 
 1981 - The Company introduced the latest available technology for
 the
        manufacture of chlorates with assistance of A1 by Klorate,
        Sweden.
 
 1982 - The Engineering Division broadened the product base and
 increased
        the level of activity.  Registration from DGTD was received
 for
        packaging machinery.
 
 1983 - The Engineering Division successfully developed and delivered
        `Expresso' packaging, machines for AR Packaging Systems Ltd.,
 in
        which the Company had investment.
 
      - A licence was received for the manufacture of coated metal
        anodes.
 
 1987 - A new product `Home Lites' (extra long extra strong
 karborised
        safety matches) was introduced by the safety match division.
 
      - A new product containing 300 sticks a piece was also
 introduced
        under the brand name `Kitchen Boxes'.
 
      - The Company signed a protocol with Minerals and Metals
 Trading
        Corporation of India for promoting counter trade exports.
 
      - The Company entered into a long-term agreement with Indian
 Space
        Research Organisation (ISRO) for supplying chemicals to be
 used
        in space rockets.
 
 1989 - In Feb. 42,25,000 No. of equity shares offered at par to the
        shareholders on rights in prop. 1:2.  2,11,250 No. of equity
        shares offered at par to employees (including working 
        directors/workers (only 1,64,700 shares taken up).  The
        unsubscribed portion of the employee's quota allowed to
 lapse.
        6,31,597 additional shares allotted to the shareholders to
 retain
        ovesubscription.  1,07,530 shares allotted at par to Swedish
        Match AB proportionately to maintain their shareholding at
 39.5%.
 
 1990 - 663 shares relating to earlier issue allotted.
 
 1991 - On 31st March, the company entered into foreign collaboration
        with Swedish Match of Switzerland.
 
      - The Company proposed to sell, transfer, lease or give on hire
        substantial part of the Port Blair facilities including land,
        building, plant and machinery.
 
      - Till 31st March, Swedish Match AB, the foreign collaborator
 of
        the Company, held 53,63,636 No. of equity shares out of the
 total
        135,79,490 No. of equity shares issued by the Company,
        representing a shareholding of 39.5%.
 
 1992 - The Company launched environmental friendly safety match
 using
        renewable resources.  Also, a long lighting match was
 developed
        by the L & D unit.
 
      - In the foods unit, an agreement was signed with high value
        horticulture plc. of U.K. to develop and propogate high yield
        fruit varieties for industrial use.
 
      - In the engineering division, a backward integration programme
 was
        undertaken to make dozing and mixing machines.
 
      - In January-February, the Company offered 135,79,490 No. of
 equity
        shares of Rs 10 each for cash at par on rights basis in the
        proportion 1:1 (all were taken up).  Additional 20,36,923
 shares
        were allotted to retain oversubscription.  Another 6,79,000
 No.
        of equity shares were offered to employees on an equitable
 basis
        (only 6,72,300 shares were taken up).
 
 1993 - A new product `Chief' launched in the market.
 
      - As at 31st March, the Company held all 50,000-10.5%
 preference
        shares of Rs 1000 each and 9,500 No. of equity shares of Rs
 1000
        each out of 15,833 No. of equity shares of Rs 100 each issued
 by
        Sun-Sip, Ltd.
 
      - Wimco Exports Ltd. (formerly Singh Enterprises (Exports,
 Ltd.),
        Cleanfoods Corporation Ltd., Wimco International Pte. Ltd.
 Wimco
        Seedlings Ltd., Wimco Grenbelts Ltd. and Pavan Popular Ltd.
 are
        the subsidiaries of the Company.
 
      - The Company proposed a joint venture under the name Wimco
        Seedlings Ltd. along with Swedish Match AB, and Hilleshog AB
 for
        the development and production of seeds and seedlings for
 agro
        and farm forestry activities.
 
      - Assam Match Co. Ltd., was amalgamated with the Company with
        effect from close of business on 31st December.
 
 1996 - The company had to suspend operations in Dhubri unit in
 Assam,
        following orders of Supreme Court banning felling of trees,
        procurement and transportation of wood in Assam.  Food
 business
        also suffered due to international market condition and
        competition.
 
 1997 - The board of the company has cleared a preferential issue of
        2.7 crores equity shares of Rs.10 each chiefly to the
 promoters
        at a premium of not less than Rs.11 per share.
 
      - The company has already diversified into food processing,
        chemicals and agro-forestry but is also chalking out plans
 for
        consolidating its safety matches business.
 
      - The Company is proposing to set up a project for the
 manufacture
        of medium density fibre board in Uttar Pradesh with a total
        capacity of one lakh square metres in phases.
 
      - The company is also setting up a paper board plant with a
        capacity of 50 tpd.
 
 1998 - UK-based -million flavours giant Borthwicks Plc has
 entered
        into a joint venture agreement with Wimco Ltd to make
 flavours
        for Indian markets.
 
      - Wimco signed a memorandum of understanding with the UK
 company
        in February, which envisages transfer of technology from the
        British multinational to the new company.
 
      - The country's largest manufacturer of matches, Wimco Ltd is
        being taken over by the Swedish Match Company.
 
      - The four companies; Harovan Investments Pte Ltd., Seed
 Trading
        Pte Ltd, Plash Foods Pvt.  Ltd, and AVP Trading Pvt Ltd, will
        be offered 31.95 lakh shares of Wimco Ltd, or 10.69 per cent
 of
        the paid-up capital at Rs 35 per share.
 
      - In a communication to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the
        company said it has signed a memorandum to this effect.
 
 1999 - Wimco has proposed to issue 2.21 crore equity shares on a
        preferential basis at Rs 20 per share inclusive of a premium
 of
        Rs 10, increasing the Swedish company's stake to 52.11 per
 cent
        from 38.61 per cent.
 
      - The main reason for the loss of the company is the shutting
 down
        of its Dheburi unit in Assam due to since April 1997 and
        competition from the unorganised sector.
 
 2000 - Wimco is the largest matches manufacturer in the world and
 has
              popular brands like Ship and Homelite.
 
            - The company has been facing problems with the shift in
 the
               market from matches to kitchen and cigarette lighters a
 point
               which is acknowledged by the company its annual
 report.
 
            - The Jatiyas of Wimco are foraying into the LPG business
 through a
              memorandum of understanding with a Fortune 5000 US-based
 company
              Dynegy.
 
           - The Company's production at its Chennai factory had come
 to a halt following
              a strike by the workers of the Unit.
 
 2002
 
 -Workers of safety match making unit go on strike at Chennai unit.
 
 -Board approves for the scheme of amalgamation of Wimco Greenbelts
 Ltd and Gladhill Trading Ltd with Wimco seedlings Ltd.
 
 -Divests its entire equity stake comprising of 50000 shares of the
 face value of Singapore  each in the wholly owned subsidiary namely
 Wimco International ltd.
 
 2003
 
 -Declares lock out at its manufacturing unit at  Chennai.
 
 -High court approves for the scheme of amalgamation of the 3
 companies.
 
 -Securities Appellate Tribunal dismisses an appeal by Swedish Match
 against an open offer ordered by SEBI.
 
 -Test launches the mosquito repellent product in the form of mosquito
 coil for distribution under the brand name Homelites.
 
 -Members at AGM approve for :
 Voluntary delisting of shares from Delhi , UP and Calcutta stock
 exchanges.
 Utilization of Rs.226.6 million in the shares premium for setting off
 the accumulated losses.
 Commencement of new business specified on MoA of the company.
 
 -Offers VRS for employees at Kolkota Factory.
 
 The Company has offered a Voluntary Retirement Scheme to its
 employees at Ambarnath factory in Maharashtra. Further the company
 has informed that Delhi Stock Exchange has approved delisting of its
 shares effective from December 10, 2003.