MIRA INFORM REPORT

 

 

Report Date :

22.08.2012

 

IDENTIFICATION DETAILS

 

Name :

WATANMAL  BOOLCHAND  &  CO.  LTD. 

 

 

Formerly Known As :

Watanmal Boolchand Co. Ltd.

 

 

Registered Office :

10/F., Man Cheung Building, 15-17 Wyndham Street, Central

 

 

Country :

Hong Kong

 

 

Year of Establishment :

1908

 

 

Com. Reg. No.:

00494708-000

 

 

Legal Form :

Private Limited Company

 

 

Line of Business :

trading in fast moving consumer goods [FMCG]

 

 

No. of Employees :

28 employees

 

RATING & COMMENTS

 

MIRA’s Rating :

A

 

RATING

STATUS

PROPOSED CREDIT LINE

56-70

A

Financial & operational base are regarded healthy. General unfavourable factors will not cause fatal effect. Satisfactory capability for payment of interest and principal sums

Fairly Large

 

Status :

Good

Payment Behaviour :

No Complaints

Litigation :

Clear

 

 

NOTES:

Any query related to this report can be made on e-mail: infodept@mirainform.com while quoting report number, name and date.

 

ECGC Country Risk Classification List – March 31st, 2012

 

Country Name

Previous Rating

(31.12.2011)

Current Rating

(31.03.2012)

Hong Kong 

A2

A2

 

Risk Category

ECGC Classification

Insignificant

 

A1

Low

 

A2

Moderate

 

B1

High

 

B2

Very High

 

C1

Restricted

 

C2

Off-credit

 

D

 

 

Company name

 

WATANMAL  BOOLCHAND  &  CO.  LTD.

 

 

company ADDRESS

 

10/F., Man Cheung Building, 15-17 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong.

PHONE:            2524 9276 (4 lines)

FAX:                 2845 0540

E-MAIL:            info@watanmal.com

ranjit@watanmal.com

 

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Managing Director:        Mr. Nari Lalchand Sakraney

Contact Person:            Mr. Mr. David Tejnani

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Establishment:                          1908.

 

Incorporated on:            24th June, 1948.

 

Organization:                 Private Limited Company.

 

Capital:                         Nominal:           HK$50,000,000.00

Issued:             HK$50,000,000.00

 

Business Category:       Importer and Exporter, Buying Agent, Financier and Investment.

 

Group Annual Turnover:  US$600-650 million.

 

Employees:                  28.

 

Main Dealing Bankers:   The Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd., Hong Kong.

BNP Paribas, Hong Kong Branch.

 

Banking Relation:          Good.


Company ADDRESS

 

Registered Head Office:-

·         10/F., Man Cheung Building, 15-17 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong.

·         G.P.O. Box 644, Hong Kong.

 

Trading as:-

·         Fareast Industrial Supplies Corporation, Hong Kong. [BR. No:  00494708-003]

·         Saksons Enterprises Corporation, Hong Kong. [BR. No:  00494708-001]

 

Headquarters:-

Watanmal (India) Pvt. Ltd.

218, 1st Floor, T.T.K. Road, Alwarpet, Chennai 600 018, Tamil Nadu, India.

[Tel/Fax:           91-44-24679800-04

E-mail:  info@watanmal.com ]

 

Holding Company:-

Prime Target Development Inc., British Virgin Islands.

 

Associated Companies:-

Watanmal Group of Companies

·         Watanmal (America) Inc., USA.

·         Watanmal (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Singapore.

·         Watanmal (U.K.) Ltd., U.K.

·         WB Finlease & Industries Pvt. Ltd., India.

etc.

 

 

BUSINESS REGISTRATION NUMBER

 

00494708-000

 

 

COMPANY FILE NUMBER

 

0002617

 

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Managing Director:  Mr. Nari Lalchand Sakraney

Contact Person:      Mr. David Tejnani


CAPITAL

 

Nominal Share Capital:              HK$50,000,000.00 (Divided into 500,000 shares of HK$100.00 each)

Issued Share Capital:                 HK$50,000,000.00

 

 

SHAREHOLDERS

(As per registry dated 24-06-2012)

 

Name

 

No. of shares

Prime Target Development Inc.

Arias Fabrega & Fabrega Trust Co. BVI Ltd., 325 Waterfront Drive, Omar Hodge Building, 2/F., Wickhams Cay, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

 

500,000

======

 

 

DIRECTORS  

(As per registry dated 24-06-2012)

 

Name

(Nationality)

 

Address

Prakash Haney SAKRANEY

22 Point Loma Drive, Newport Beach, California 92625, USA.

 

Nari Lalchand SAKRANEY

12A, 6/F., Bellevue Court, 41 Stubbs Road, Hong Kong.

 

Gulab Madhavdas ASSOMAL [Alternate to Nari Lalchand SAKRANEY]

 

10A Elegant Apartments, Sobani Road, Cuffe Parada, Mumbai, India.

Keso Lalchand SAKRANEY

9 Mistry Court, 2/F., Dincha Vacha Road Opp. CCI, Mumbai 400020, India.

 

Ishan Anoop SAKRANEY [Alternate to Keso Lalchand SAKRANEY]

7 Surrey Road, #09-00 Casa Melwani, Singapore 307746.

 

 

SECRETARY

(As per registry dated 24-06-2012)

 

Name

Address

Co. No.

Marfan & Associates Ltd.

11/F., Fortis Bank Tower, 77-79 Gloucester Road, Hong Kong.

0094488

 

HISTORY

 

The subject was incorporated on 24th June, 1948 as a private limited liability company under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance to take over the business of Watanmal Boolchand, a sole proprietorship concern of Setah Lalchand Watanmal Sakraney established in 1908.

 

It was originally registered under the name of Watanmal Boolchand Co. Ltd., name changed to Watanmal Boolchand & Co. Ltd. on 20th May, 1972.

 

Apart from these, neither material change nor amendment has been ever traced and noted.

 

 

OPERATIONS

 

Activities:          Importer and Exporter, Buying Agent, Confirming House, Financier and Investment.

 

Lines:-

 

Importer:  Batteries; Candles; Tea; Tooth paste; Padlocks; Mosquito coil; Screws; Bleached woven fabrics of cotton; Damask; Unbleached, plain weave woven fabrics of cotton; Dyed woven fabrics of synthetic filament yarn; T-shirts; Baby’s overalls; Men’s and boys’ jogging suits of other textile materials; Socks; Parkas; Bags of polyethylene; Blankets; Women’s and girls’ briefs and man-made fibres; Brassieres.

 

Exporter:  Batteries; Candles; Tea; Tooth paste; Padlocks; Mosquito coil; Screws; Damask; Woven fabrics of cotton – bleached; Woven fabrics of cotton – unbleached plain weave; Dyed woven fabrics; T-shirts; Baby’s overalls; Men’s and boys’ jogging suits of other textile materials; Socks; Parkas; Table cloth; Bats of polyethylene; Men’s and boys’ woven jackets of synthetic fibres; Men’s and boys’ shorts of other textile materials; Blankets; Women’s and girls’ panties of cotton; Women’s and girls’ briefs of man-made fibres; Brassieres; Men’s and boys’ briefs of cotton; Caps.

 

Trade Marks:     WHITE ROSE”, “CADET”, “HIGHNOON”, “SAFARI”, “CENTRAL PARK” and “ADREEN” brands.

 

Employees:                  28.

 

Commodities Imported:-

Textiles – China (main) and Japan.

Chinese goods – China.

 

Markets:                        Africa, US, Europe, Austria, New Zealand, etc.

 

Group Annual Turnover:  US$600-650 million.

 

Terms/Sales:                 L/C or as per contracted.

 

Terms/Buying:               Various terms.

 


MEMBERSHIP

 

·         The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong. [Membership No. HKW0031]

·         The Indian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

 

 

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Nominal Share Capital: HK$50,000,000.00 (Divided into 500,000 shares of HK$100.00 each)

 

Issued Share Capital:     HK$50,000,000.00

 

Alternation of Capital:-

17-12-1948

paid up

HK$         178,000.00

07-05-1949

paid up

HK$           72,000.00

06-04-1954

paid up

HK$         250,000.00

01-11-1972

paid up

HK$       4,500,000.00

06-02-1978

paid up

HK$       5,000,000.00

30-07-2008

paid up

HK$     40,000,000.00

 

 

––––––––––––––––

Total:

paid up

HK$     50,000,000.00

==============

 

Increases of Nominal Capital:-

From

HK$     500,000.00

to

HK$  6,000,000.00

on

30-11-1965

From

HK$  6,000,000.00

to

HK$15,000,000.00

on

06-02-1978

From

HK$15,000,000.00

to

HK$50,000,000.00

on

02-06-2008

 

Profit or Loss:               Business is profitable.

 

Condition:                     Keeping in an active and good manner.

 

Facilities:                      Making active use of general banking facilities.

 

Payment:                      So far so good.

 

Commercial Morality:     Good.

 

Bankers:-

·         The Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd., Hong Kong.

·         BNP Paribas, Hong Kong Branch.

·         Calyon, Hong Kong Branch.

·         Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd., Hong Kong.

·         Bank of India, Hong Kong Branch.

·         Société Générale, Hong Kong Branch.

 


Banking:-

One source reports subject has maintained an active current account on their books since 14th July, 1959.  Credit facilities granted in US$ low seven figures have been utilized with satisfactory results.

 

Another source informs they maintain an active and well conducted current account opened in their books on 13th July, 1948 and on which they grant facilities without security.  They handle their import bills both under and not under documentary credits.  They negotiate their export bills both under and not under documentary credits.

 

Standing:  Very Good.

 

 

GENERAL

 

Watanmal Boolchand & Co. Ltd. was founded in 1908 by Mr. Lalchand Watanmal Boolchand who is an Indian.  The subject is an old established business of good reputation in Hong Kong.  It has been owned and operated by an Indian family in Hong Kong for about a hundred years.

The subject is also trading under the names of Fareast Industrial Supplies Corporation and Saksons Enterprises Corporation.

The subject formerly was just a branch company of India Watanmal Boolchand [Watanmal] which is considered to be the headquarters.  The Hong Kong branch and India Watanmal Boolchand started business simultaneously.  Overseas business outside India was set up and managed by Mr. Boolchand’s only son Rao Bahadur (an honour conferred by the British rulers Lalchand Watanmal) Lalchand Watanmal.  He set up branches in Hong Kong, Singapore, Guangzhou and Yokohama.  After World War II, Mr. Rao Bahadur Lalchand Watanmal’s three sons joined the thriving company and in 1948, the subject was incorporated in Hong Kong.  Since then, the subject’s business has been kept on expanding.

Today, the subject has been developed from a small company into an administrative office and training centre for its group companies which are in different countries of the world.  The subject currently has about  28 staff members in Hong Kong.

The subject has set up a “China Product Division” in Hong Kong which is engaged in exporting commodities from China, Pakistan, Thailand, etc. to African and South American countries.

Watanmal is chiefly trading in fast moving consumer goods [FMCG].  With a vision of being the market leader in the FMCG segment, Watanmal concentrates on Sales and Distribution Management, Brand Building, etc.  In the late 90’s, Watanmal forayed into the Branded Food Market segment, a business that the Group has got large benefits.  A very large share of the Watanmal’s revenue today, comes from this segment.

Now, Watanmal is trading in the following commodities: piecegoods - vegetable fibre (damask for table cloth), piecegoods - blended (damask for table cloth), suits and jackets - men’s, children’s wear, blouses, jeans, shirts, tailor made garments, trousers, slacks, tee and sweat shirts, underwear - men’s, underwear - women’s, underwear - children’s, footwear - pvc and plastic, footwear - rubber and textile, sandals - eva, matches, tea and teabag (china tea), biscuit, milk, dairy products - misc. (condensed milk, evaporate milk), sauce and seasoning (mayonnaise), oil - cooking (cooking oil, margarine, vegetable oil), sugar, sauce - tomato, cereal preparations (pasta), locks (locks), batteries, bed linen (bed sheet), pillow case / bed sheet - non-embroidered (bed sheet), rice, etc.

Watanmal is also a pioneer in FMCG marketing and distributing in West and Central Africa.  With a robust presence across 24 countries, the group ensures that every product carried is affordable to consumers.

Watanmal has launched a number of brands in various categories like Culinary Division, Breakfast division, Animal Proteins, Beverages & Confectionary, Spices and Seasoning and Branded Commodities like Rice and Oil.  Today the Group has reputed brands likeGino”, “Pomo”, “Jago”, “Palmo”, “Forte”, etc.

The subject is a founder of The Indian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong and the oldest Indian member of The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.  Principal shareholders and directors of the subject are the three sons of Mr. Lalchand Watanmal Sakraney while all of whom are permanent directors of the subject as well.

Now, Watanmal has opened offices in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, West Africa, the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, India, etc.

Watanmal has developed business ties with many manufacturers and buyers throughout the world.  However, the prime markets of the Group are African and South American countries.  Overall business is active and steady.

The annual turnover of Watanmal Group ranges from US$600 to 650 million.

The subject is fully supported by the Watanmal Group and the Indian family.  Contact person Mr. David Tejnani is an Indian.

On the whole, in view of the background and history of the subject, consider it good for normal business engagements.

REMARKS:

 

Property information of the company:-

Property Location

Owner

Date of Purchase

Purchased
Price

Flat D on 9/F., Garfield Mansion, 23‑25 Seymour Road, Hong Kong.

Watanmal Boolchand & Co. Ltd.

30-01-1981

HK$650,000

Flats A & B on 10/F., Man Cheung Building, 15-17 Wyndham Street, Hong Kong.

Watanmal Boolchand & Co. Ltd.

19-08-1984

HK$800,000

Flat 12 on 6/F. of Block A, Bellevue Court, 41 Stubbs Road, Hong Kong.

Watanmal Boolchand & Co. Ltd.

01-04-1964

HK$198,000

Block D on 6/F., 64 MacDonnell Road, Hong Kong.

Watanmal Boolchand & Co. Ltd.

09-08-1972

HK$172,000

 

(No mortgage registered against all the properties)


FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES

 

Currency

Unit

Indian Rupees

US Dollar

1

Rs.55.54

UK Pound

1

Rs.87.39

Euro

1

Rs.68.72

 

INFORMATION DETAILS

 

Report Prepared by :

MNL

 

RATING EXPLANATIONS

 

RATING

STATUS

 

 

PROPOSED CREDIT LINE

>86

Aaa

Possesses an extremely sound financial base with the strongest capability for timely payment of interest and principal sums

 

Unlimited

71-85

Aa

Possesses adequate working capital. No caution needed for credit transaction. It has above average (strong) capability for payment of interest and principal sums

 

Large

56-70

A

Financial & operational base are regarded healthy. General unfavourable factors will not cause fatal effect. Satisfactory capability for payment of interest and principal sums

 

Fairly Large

41-55

Ba

Overall operation is considered normal. Capable to meet normal commitments.

 

Satisfactory

26-40

B

Capability to overcome financial difficulties seems comparatively below average.

 

Small

11-25

Ca

Adverse factors are apparent. Repayment of interest and principal sums in default or expected to be in default upon maturity

 

Limited with full security

<10

C

Absolute credit risk exists. Caution needed to be exercised

 

 

Credit not recommended

----

NB

New Business

----

 

This score serves as a reference to assess SC’s credit risk and to set the amount of credit to be extended. It is calculated from a composite of weighted scores obtained from each of the major sections of this report. The assessed factors and their relative weights (as indicated through %) are as follows:

 

Financial condition (40%)            Ownership background (20%)                  Payment record (10%)

Credit history (10%)                   Market trend (10%)                                Operational size (10%)

PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL : This information is provided to you at your request, you having employed MIPL for such purpose. You will use the information as aid only in determining the propriety of giving credit and generally as an aid to your business and for no other purpose. You will hold the information in strict confidence, and shall not reveal it or make it known to the subject persons, firms or corporations or to any other. MIPL does not warrant the correctness of the information as you hold it free of any liability whatsoever. You will be liable to and indemnify MIPL for any loss, damage or expense, occasioned by your breach or non observance of any one, or more of these conditions

This report is issued at your request without any risk and responsibility on the part of MIRA INFORM PRIVATE LIMITED (MIPL) or its officials.