VST Industries Ltd.

YEAR                                                  EVENTS
 1930 - The company was incorporated at Hyderabad.  The Company
              manufactures and distributes cigarettes.  The products
 are sold
              under the trade names `Charminar Specials',
 `Shah-I-Deccan',
              `Qila', `High Court', `Vazir' and `Ambassador'.
 
 1951 - 1,25,000 bonus shares issued in the prop. 1:3.
 
 1952 - 5,00,000 bonus shares issued in the prop. 1:1.
 
 1954 - Capital converted from O.S. currency to I.G. Currency
              (difference of Rs 1.67 per share capitalised from
 reserves).
 
 1956 - 30,000 pref. shares issued for cash.
 
 1966 - 1,00,000 bonus equity shares issued in the prop. 1:1.
 
 1973 - 29,543 Pref. shares were redeemed at the close of business on
              31st March.
 
 1975 - In April, 17,70,000 shares issued to Indian nationals (prem.
 Rs
             6 per share): 1,71,940 shares as rights, 50,000 shares
 to
             employee and directors and 15,48,060 shares to the
 public.
 
 1977 - 22,62,000 bonus shares issued in the prop. 3:5.
 
 1979 - Hallmark Tobacco Company, Ltd., was promoted and converted
 into
             a subsidiary of the Company.  This subsidiary has
 manufacturing
             and selling agreements with the Company.
 
 1981 - Hallmark Investments, Ltd., Tobacco Leaf Investments Ltd.,
 Vaziar 
              Investments, Ltd., VST Investments Ltd., VST
 Distribution
             Storages & Leasing Co., Ltd., and Tobacco
 Diversification
              Investments, Ltd., became wholly owned subsidiaries of
 the
             company.  Hallmark Tobacco Company Ltd. is also a
 subsidiary of
             the Company.
 
 1983 - With the extension of the Central Excise's & Salt Act, 1994
 to
              the State of Sikkim the collaboration arrangements came
 to an
              end.
 
 1984 - With effect from 10th August, the name of the Company was
 changed
             from The Vazir Sultan Tobacco Co., Ltd. to VST Industries
 Ltd.
 
 1987 - With the introduction of a lower excise duty slab for
 cigarettes
              upon 60mm length in the non-filter segment, the Company
 launched 
              `Vijay Virginia' and `Vijay Gold Flake' to take full
 advantage of
              the lower tax.
 
 1988 - The Company embarked upon a major modernisation programme
              designed to improve its competitive ability in domestic
 and
              international markets.
 
 1989 - The Company received an import licence for two sophisticated
               high-speed precision Logo Max cigarette making groups
               manufactured in France.
 
             - The Company undertook to upgrade its existing
 laboratory facility
                into a well equipped R&D Centre.
 
             - The Company issued 3,25,000-14% secured redeemable
               non-convertible debentures of Rs 100 each on private
 placement to
               UTI, LIC and Army Group Insurance Fund.  These
 debentures are
               redeemable at premium of 5% in 5 equal annual
 instalments from
               the 6th September, 1994.
 
            - 36,19,200 bonus shares issued in the prop. 3:5.
 
 1990 - The Company launched Kingston Mini Kings Cigarettes in the
               United Arab Emirates.  To increase its exports further,
 the
               Company developed fire cured, light soil Burley and
 other
               non-traditional varieties of tobacco.
 
 1991 - A new brand by name Kingston Dual Filter was launched into
 the
             premium king-size cigarette segment, at Hyderabad, Mumbai
 and
             Pune and it was well received.
 
           - Loga machines was installed.  Loga machine No. 1 was
 commissioned
             in 1992.
 
           - 57,90,720 bonus shares issued in the prop. 3:5.
 
 1994 - During the year, the Company successfully marketed `Vijay
 Deluxe'
              and `Charminar Standard' non-filter cigarettes.  The
 Company also
              launched the modern Sasib 20's pack of cigarettes.
 
            - During the year, `VST Natural Products Ltd.' a new
 Company was
              incorporated in order to continue field trials for
 selected high
              value horticultural corporation.
 
 1995 - The programmable logic control on makers and packers were
               commissioned.
 
            - The Company agreed to collaborate with Rayong Industries
 Pvt.
               Ltd., Sikkim, for the manufacture of cigarettes in
 Sikkim.  The
              Company supplied the necessary technical expertise for
 setting up
              a cigarette making factory at Rangpo, Sikkim.
 
 1997 - The Company launched a extremenly distinctive and high
 quality
              cagarette called Charms blues line both in the premium
 king
              size segment and also in the regular size filter
 segment.
 
           - The company has launched a voluntary retirement scheme
 to
              reduce at least 10 per cent of its manpower.
 
      - VST is getting all the help from its parent company BAT
        Industries which is helping in its restructuring through its
        own tested methods.  The objective is to make VST most cost
        effective and efficient organisation in the industry.
 
      - BAT holds 31.6 per cent equity in VST while 24.51 per cent
        stake is held by institutions such as LIC and GIC.  The
 public
        holds the largest share in the company to the tune of 34.76
        per cent while the rest is with other corporate bodies
        and NRIs.
 
      - It has been decided to relaunch the Charminar brand which has
        been one of the most popular low-priced cigarettes in the
 Indian
        market.  Smokers often found Charminar cigarette product
        very dry and unsuitable to the palate, especially in areas
        where humidity was low.
 
      - FIs hold 32.47 per cent of the company's equity, the foreign
        investors, BAT, hold a 33.27 per cent stake and the remaining
        4.71 per cent is held by the domestic corporates.
 
      - VST has an installed capacity to manufacture 33,007 million
        sticks of cigarettes per annum.
 
      - VST runs neck to neck with Godfrey Phillips for the second
 spot
        accounting for approximately 15.5% of the domestic cigarette.
 
      - VST has popular brands like Charminar and Charminar Standard
 in
        its mini and micro segments.  In the filter segment, the
        company has brands like Charms, Charminar Special Filter and
        Gold Premium.
 
      - VST had set up the 100 per cent export-oriented unit (EOU)
        in technical collaboration with High Value Horticulture PLC
 of
        the United Kingdom and Asia Ventures International of Israel
        with a pickling line to handle production of bottled, canned
 and
        pickled vegetables and an oleoresin plant.
 
      - VST Natural Products, in the meantime, has entered into a
        strategic technology and marketing tie-up with Green Bay
 Foods,
        a division of the $2.8 billion United States-based food and
        pickle giant Dena Speciality Products Incorporated.
 
      - Having set up the modern VSTNPL, the company is entered into
        techno-marketing agreements with global players in the field.
 
 1998 - VST Ltd has shut down the primary manufacturing division
 (PMD)
        at its Azamabad factory following official flat regarding 
        environment pollution.  The Hyderabad district administration
        VST Ltd to shut down its Azamabad cigarette factory as it 
        is causing intense air pollution in the state capital.
 
      - VST commissioned its first primary manufacturing facility for
        tobacco processing in 1990.  It has since, continuously 
        modernised and upgraded its primary & secondary tobacco
        processing and cigarette manufacturing facilities to meet
        international standards.
 
      - VST has installed the best pollution control equipment in
        the factory premises.
 
 1999 - Additionally the company had launched `Blues Kings' a premium
        variant of its `Charms' brand in November 1997.  The new
        product however did not live up to the expectations of the
        company.
 
      - The company has appointed Rabo India Finance, a part of
        Rabo-bank International, to find a strategic partner for VST
        Natural Products, which is engaged in agri-product processing
        business.
 
 2000 - In a move to improve the profitability and reduce labour
 costs,
              tobacco major VST Industries Ltd. has introduced a
 voluntary
              retirement scheme for its 1,600 strong work force.
 
           - Fitch Ratings India has assigned a Ind D1+ rating to the
 Rs 10-crore
             commercial paper programme of the company.
 
 2001 -  British tobacco giant BAT Plc  to increase shareholding in
 VST Industries. 
  
 
 2003
 
 -Recovers the losses its had witnessed on the food and financial
 services business.
 
 -Andhra Pradesh Government calls upon British based BAT, ITC along
 with the stock broker Damani- controlled Bright Star Investments to
 divest its holdings in the company.
 
 -AP calls for bids for disinvestment of the company.
 
 -Russell Credit Ltd acquires 723499 shares which is 4.69% of VST
 Industries Ltd.
 
 -Bright Star Investments Ltd acquires 3,10,442 shares amounting to
 2.01% of the company.
 
 -Delisted from Madras Stock Exchanges
 
 2004
 
 -Vst Industries Ltd. has informed that the equity shares of the
 Company have been delisted from The Stock Exchange - Ahmedabad
 effective January 21, 2004.
 
 -Delists shares from Delhi Stock Exchange
 
 
 2006
 
 -The Comapny has recommend dividend @ Rs 12.50 for the year.
  
 2007
 
 -The Comapny has recommended a Dividend of 200% on the Ordinary Share
 Capital.
 
 2008
 
 -The Company has recommend dividend @ Rs 20/- for the year.
 
 2010
 
 - Mr. R. V. K. M. Suryarau, the existing Independent Non-Executive
 Director has been appointed as the Chairman of the Company.
 
 -The Company has recommend dividend for the year 2009-10 - Rs. 30/-.
 
 2011
 
 -The Company has recommend dividend for the year 2010-11 - Rs. 45.
 
 2012
 
 -The Company has recommended dividend for the year 2011-12 - Rs.
 65/-
 
 -Mr. N. Sai Sankar has been appointed as Managing Director of the
 Company.
 
 2013
 
 -The Company has recommended dividend for the year 2012-13 of  Rs.
 62.50/-
 
 2014
 
 - The Company has recommended dividend for the year 2013-14 - Rs.
 70/-