Tata Chem rebrands global subsidiaries

To reflect the growing recognition of the Tata name overseas, Tata Chemicals is rebranding five of its subsidiaries in the UK, the US and Kenya by clubbing them under the Tata Chemicals brand to create a common global identity. 

"This transition demonstrates Tata Chemicals' intention to build a strong and sustainable global Tata Chemicals Brand," Tata Chemicals managing director R Mukundan said in a statement on Friday. ''This signals an important milestone in the evolution of the Tata Chemicals brand where close to 40 per cent of the consolidated revenues come from outside India.''

After the rebranding effective today, General Chemicals Industrial Products Inc will be known as Tata Chemicals North America Inc, General Chemicals (Soda Ash) Partners as Tata Chemicals (Soda Ash) Partners and Brunner Mond (UK) Ltd as Tata Chemicals Europe Ltd. Kenya-based Magadi Soda Company Ltd will now be known as Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd, while Brunner Mond SA (Pty) Ltd will be known as Tata Chemicals South Africa Pty Ltd. 

 ''This move will result in conveying a united organisation for our customers instead of representing the business as four different companies. We will now be able to more effectively leverage our businesses as one of the largest and most geographically diverse producers of soda ash, sodium bi-carbonate and salt,'' Tata Chemicals' global chemicals business president DeLyle Bloomquist said. 

A statement issued by the company said following the operational integration across the subsidiaries, this move would open up opportunities for Tata Chemicals to be more customer-centric with a strong supply chain capability spanning four continents. 

Tata Chemicals Ltd is part of the $67.4-billion Tata Group, a pioneer and market leader in India's branded iodised salt segment.

Late last September, another Tata group firm, Tata Steel, changed the identity of its UK subsidiary Corus. 

Tata Steel bought Anglo Dutch steel maker Corus in April 2007, making it one of the largest steel makers in the world. The transition of the Corus brand name to Tata Steel Europe started more than three years later.