### **Company Overview** Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI), established in **1954** as a tripartite joint venture, is a leading **materials science engineering solutions provider** and a core member of the **125-year-old Murugappa Group**. Over the decades, CUMI has evolved into a fully integrated *"Mines to Market"* enterprise, covering mining, power generation, fusion, manufacturing, and global distribution across six continents. CUMI operates in **7 countries**, with **20+ manufacturing facilities** and serves customers in **over 60 geographies**, supported by a robust global distribution network. The company is a market leader in abrasives in India and Russia, a top global producer of **metallized ceramic cylinders**, and among the largest producers of **silicon carbide** and **electrominerals**. Employing over **10,600 people**, including a highly skilled R&D team of 103 professionals (26 PhDs), CUMI holds **over 150 patents** and **400+ technical papers**, underpinning its reputation as a technology-driven industrial solutions provider. --- ### **Core Business Segments** CUMI’s operations are structured around **three core businesses**, supported by a growing portfolio of **advanced materials and strategic acquisitions**: #### **1. Abrasives** - **CUMI's oldest and foundational business**, producing bonded and coated abrasives, super abrasives, and allied products using high-hardness materials like **aluminum oxide, zirconia, and silicon carbide**. - Serves key industries: **automotive, aerospace, construction, metalworking, railways, and agro-processing**. - Manufacturing hubs in **India (Tiruvottiyur, Hosur, Sriperumbudur), Germany (RHODIUS, AWUKO), and Russia (VAW)**. - **Revenue (FY24): ₹11,954 million (CUMI India)**, with global contributions totaling ₹12,541 million. - Key subsidiaries: - **RHODIUS Abrasives GmbH (Germany)** – A market leader in high-performance cutting and grinding discs, known for thin-wheel and proprietary technologies; contributes to European expansion. - **CUMI AWUKO Abrasives GmbH (Germany)** – Specializes in wide belts for wood, leather, and MDF industries; supports CUMI’s European coated abrasives footprint. - **Sterling Abrasives (India)** – India’s largest supplier of Rice Whitening Stones and bonded abrasives for agriculture and automotive sectors. - **CUMI America Inc.** – Provides customized abrasives and wear ceramics solutions in North America; generated $19 million in FY25. **Strategic Focus**: - Strengthen domestic leadership through updated go-to-market strategies, digital tools, and frontline sales capability. - Expand thin-wheel capacity using synergies from **RHODIUS and DRONCO** acquisitions. - Target doubling domestic abrasives market share (INR 10,000+ crore market) over the next **5–6 years**. - Drive innovation in high-speed, eco-friendly, and precision grinding solutions (e.g., creep feed wheels for aerospace turbines). --- #### **2. Electrominerals** - A globally significant business operating in **India, South Africa, and Russia**, producing **fused aluminas, silicon carbide, zirconia, and micro grits** used across abrasives, refractories, and electronics. - **Owns bauxite mines, sand quarries, and hydel/solar power plants** (12 MW hydel, 1.8 MW solar) to ensure feedstock security and energy cost competitiveness. - **Revenue (FY24): ₹8,155 million (CUMI India)**. - **Global presence**: Owns **Volzhsky Abrasive Works (Russia, 97.44% stake)**, **Foskor Zirconia (South Africa, 51%)**, and **VAW (Russia) with 90,000 TPA SiC capacity**. **Strategic Shift**: - Transitioning from volume-based to **value-led specialty materials provider**, focusing on treated grains: - Heat-treated, silane-treated, sol-gel, blue-heated, and zirconia-coated variants. - Expansion into **high-purity specialty materials**: - **Monocrystalline Alumina, Stabilized Zirconia, Zirconia Mullite, Thermal Spray Powders, Graphene, and 5N-purity High-Purity Silicon Carbide**. - **Foskor Zirconia collaboration** enables product expansion in **semiconductors, aviation, and clean energy**. **R&D**: - DSIR-approved research center in Kochi. - Focus on **nanopowders, fusion processes, and sustainable alternatives** such as **synthetic Brown Fused Alumina (BFA)**, which reduces CO₂ by **90%**. --- #### **3. Ceramics (Industrial Ceramics & Super Refractories)** CUMI’s ceramics business is divided into two verticals: 1. **Industrial Ceramics** – Advanced engineered ceramics for wear, electrical insulation, and ballistic protection. 2. **Super Refractories** – High-temperature, corrosion-resistant materials and composites. **Revenue (FY24)**: - Standalone: ₹8,813 million - Consolidated: ₹10,767 million - Includes contributions from **CUMI Australia, SCP, MMTCL, CAPL, and CIRIA**. --- ### **Industrial Ceramics** - Operates in **India, USA, Australia, and Russia**, with subsidiaries in **North America, Middle East, and China**. - Produces over **30 proprietary ceramic formulations** using **alumina, zirconia, silicon carbide, and ZTA (Zirconia-Toughened Alumina)**. - **Product Groups**: - **Wear Protection Materials** – Tile lining, rubber-backed ceramics, composite wear components. - **Precision Engineered Ceramics** – SOFCs, hydrogen electrolysers, semiconductor equipment, e-mobility systems. - **Metallized Ceramics** – Alumina cylinders for vacuum interrupters (serving ABB, Siemens, Schneider). **Key Developments (2024–2025)**: - Launched **1.5 mm SOE cells** with CSIR-CGCRI; 0.5 kW stack validated. - Commissioned new **tunnel kiln** and **screw presses** for high-alumina refractories. - **Dedicated facility** being built for **semiconductor-grade ceramics and hydrogen applications**. - Expanded **metallization capacity** with a **continuous metallization furnace**, capable of **1.9 million units/year**, making CUMI a **global second-largest producer**. **Growth Drivers**: - Semiconductor equipment (wafer handlers, substrates) - Aerospace & defense (body/vehicle armor using boron carbide, RBSiC) - Electric vehicles (fuses, battery fire protection, e-fuse tubes) - High-speed rails (ceramic inserts in bullet trains) --- ### **Super Refractories & Composites** - Offers **thermal protection, corrosion protection (Prodorite), and composites** using high-purity materials (up to **1850°C resistance**). - Key industries: **Iron & Steel, Glass, Cement, Petrochemicals, Thermal Power, Chemical Processing (CPI)**. **Capabilities**: - **Fired refractories**: Dense/insulating bricks, complex shapes, pre-cast components. - **Monolithics**: Gunning materials, self-flow castables, precast shapes for rotary kilns. - **Prodorite**: Acid/alkali-resistant tiles, poly concrete tanks (used globally in copper/zinc extraction), epoxy/PU coatings. - **Composites**: Glass- and carbon-fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) via **vacuum infusion, pultrusion, filament winding** – used in **wind turbine nacelles, drone components, defense structures**. **Recent Projects**: - Supplied forehearth superstructure to a **European glass manufacturer**. - Executed large-scale refractory projects in the **Middle East and USA**. - Developed **FRP rebars** (ASTM D 7957 certified) for bridges, dams, and coastal infrastructure. **Certifications**: - **EN9100:2018** for aerospace-grade composites. - **IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, Ecovadis Silver/Bronze**. --- ### **Advanced Materials & Sustainability Initiatives** #### **Graphene (Grafino®)** - In-house graphene manufacturing facility in **Kakkanad** operational. - Commercialized across **seven application platforms**: - **Grafino® Car Care** – Enhances water repellence and scratch resistance. - **Grafino® Crete** – Improves strength and corrosion resistance in concrete. - **Grafino® Adlatx** – Enhances latex strength in waterproofing. - **Grafino® RG** – Biocompatible packaging masterbatch. - Partnerships with **IITs, NAL, ISRO, SAC, and 15+ academic institutions** for nano-tech R&D. #### **High-Purity Silicon Carbide (SiC)** - Critical for **III-V semiconductor wafers and power electronics**. - Successfully developed **4N–5N purity SiC powders**. - **Trial supplies underway** in Asia-Pacific and Europe; commercialization expected FY25–26. - **Ultra-high-purity SiC powder facility** operational, targeting **single-crystal SiC** growth. #### **Phase Change Materials (PCMs) via PLUSS** - Acquired **PLUSS Advanced Technologies (2021)** – pioneers in PCM and specialty polymers. - **Revenue (FY25): ₹806 million**. - Products: **Celsure®** (pharma cold-chain), **savE®** (building TES), **Aagun Spatial** (off-grid heating). - Launched **reusable VIP pallets with PCMs** for temperature control; secured **USD 2 million ARV from European pharma client**. #### **Environmental & Digital Initiatives** - **Graphene and synthetic BFA reduce CO₂ emissions by 90%**. - **Solar-powered EV charging station** launched at Hosur. - **Industry 4.0 adoption**: IoT-enabled monitoring, ceramic 3D printing, remote wear monitoring. - **Remote monitoring system (Version-2)** in testing for predictive maintenance in wear solutions. --- ### **Global Expansion & Acquisitions (2021–2024)** CUMI has pursued a **glocal growth strategy**, acquiring key global players: 1. **PLUSS Advanced Technologies (India)** – Energy storage and polymers. 2. **AWUKO Abrasives (Germany)** – Leather, wood, and metal coated abrasives. 3. **RHODIUS Abrasives (Germany)** – High-speed cutting and grinding discs. 4. **SCP Inc (USA)** – Nitride Bonded Silicon Carbide (NBSiC) for power, steel, and mining. 5. **DRONCO (Germany)** – Assets, technology, and brand in advanced ceramics. These acquisitions have: - Enhanced **technology leadership**. - Expanded **geographic reach** in **Europe, North America, and South America**. - Enabled **raw material synergies** and **joint product development**. - Made SCP a strategic hub for **NBSiC applications in the Americas**. **Recent Acquisition (Oct 2024)**: - Complete acquisition of **Silicon Carbide Products LLC (SCP), USA**, for **USD 6.87 million**. - SCP reported **USD 4.2 million (2023)** with strong profitability. - Strengthened CUMI’s **thermal and wear solutions portfolio** in power and petrochemicals.