INP-WealthPk

Descon targets new market segments amid competitive landscape

January 09, 2025

Shams ul Nisa

Descon Oxychem Limited is strategically expanding into new segments and regional markets, strengthening its position as a leader in the hydrogen peroxide industry, reports WealthPK.

Amid a competitive environment, the company is focusing on growth and expanding its reach while ensuring sustainable value for its stakeholders. Descon Oxychem's quarterly report highlights its dedication to reinforcing its leadership in the domestic market while exploring new segments. The management has outlined a clear goal of becoming the region's lowest-cost producer through an extensive manufacturing excellence initiative.

This initiative aims to reduce production costs and improve overall operational efficiency. The company has made notable progress in increasing its production capacity, enabling it to target new customer segments, particularly in high-margin industries. This strategic shift addresses growing competition from imports and fluctuating demand, with the textile sector recently showing signs of recovery. Descon Oxychem was established in Pakistan in 2004. Initially, it operated as a private limited entity before becoming a public limited company in 2008.

The company specialises in hydrogen peroxide production, procurement and sales. It began trial production in 2008 and commercial operations in 2009. For the quarter ending September 30, 2024, Descon Oxychem reported total local sales of 9,771 metric tonnes and export sales of 779 metric tonnes of hydrogen peroxide and allied products, resulting in a sales value of approximately Rs1.51 billion. Despite facing challenges such as rising energy costs and inflationary pressures, the company managed to maintain a gross profit of Rs396.99 million.

However, net profit declined to Rs189.8 million from Rs198.8 over the same period of 2023, highlighting the need for ongoing strategic adjustments. The company's proactive approach to managing costs has allowed it to improve cash generated from operations while maintaining zero working capital utilisation. Descon Oxychem recognises the importance of financial discipline in addressing the challenges of rising raw material costs and sustained inflation.

Its commitment to sustainability is evident from its efforts to reduce raw material consumption per tonne through enhanced production methods and technology improvements. By emphasising efficiency and safety, the company is positioning itself as both a market leader and a responsible steward of the environment. The chemical manufacturing industry faces growing competition with rising imports putting pressure on local producers.

Despite these challenges, Descon Oxychem's management is confident in its ability to leverage increased production capacity and strategic positioning to navigate the competitive landscape. The company's strategy includes diversifying its product portfolio and expanding into new markets to reduce risks from local price shifts and demand fluctuations. By focusing on high-margin customer segments and enhancing product quality, Descon aims to strengthen its presence in both domestic and international markets.

Descon Oxychem is focused on growth through strategic initiatives, including strict control of fixed costs to sustain margins and expansion into regional markets with a diversified product portfolio. These efforts aim to achieve economies of scale and enhance profitability. The company remains committed to delivering value to stakeholders by targeting new segments and improving operational efficiency. As the market evolves, Descon's proactive strategies will be crucial in maintaining its leadership in the hydrogen peroxide industry.

Credit: INP-WealthPk