OrenCombs50836 at 16:24, 17 December 2025

2025-12-17T16:24:29Z

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{{Short description|Indian central public sector undertaking}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
| logo = Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. logo.jpg
| logo_size = 250px
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| logo_padding =
| image = Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Limited - Kolkata 7336.JPG
| image_size = 250px
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Entrance to BCPL's factory at [[Maniktala]], [[Kolkata]]
| trading_name =
| former_name = Bengal Chemical & Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. (BCPW)
| type = [[Public Sector Undertakings in India|Central Public Sector Undertaking]]
| traded_as =
| ISIN =
| industry = [[Chemical industry|Chemical]], [[Pharmaceutical industry|Pharmaceutical]]
| predecessor = Bengal Chemical Works (1892–1901)
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1901|04|12}} in [[Calcutta]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]] (now [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]])
| founder = [[Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray]]
| hq_location = 6 Ganesh Chandra Avenue
| hq_location_city = Kolkata, West Bengal
| hq_location_country = India
| num_locations =
| num_locations_year = 
| area_served = 
| key_people = P M Chandraiah ([[Managing director|MD]])
| products =
| brands =
| production =
| production_year = 
| services =
| revenue = {{increase}} {{INR| 100.5 [[crore]]}}<ref name="38th Annual Report 2018-2019">{{cite web|url=http://apps.bengalchemicals.co.in/uploads/anual-report/dummy-20191102-043223.pdf|title=38th Annual Report 2018-2019|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref>
| revenue_year = 2018-19
| operating_income =
| income_year = 
| profit = {{increase}} {{INR| 25.26 crore}}<ref name="38th Annual Report 2018-2019" />
| profit_year = 2018-19
| assets =
| assets_year = 
| equity =
| equity_year = 
| owner = [[Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers]], [[Government of India]]
| members =
| members_year = 
| num_employees = {{decrease}} 195<ref name="38th Annual Report 2018-2019" />
| num_employees_year = 2018-19
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| module = 
| website = {{URL|http://bengalchemicals.co.in/}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (BCPL)''', formerly '''Bengal Chemical & Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. (BCPW)''', is an Indian [[Public Sector Undertakings in India|central public sector undertaking]] under the [[ownership]] of [[Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers]], [[Government of India]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=BCPL Today|url=http://bengalchemicals.co.in/bcpl-today/|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.}}</ref> lt manufactures industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals like antibiotic injectables, tablets, and capsules; and household products.<ref>{{Cite news|agency=Press Trust of India|date=5 April 2018|title=Bengal Chemicals Net at Rs 8.91cr, eyes Rs 200cr sale in FY'20|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/bengal-chemicals-net-at-rs-8-91cr-eyes-rs-200cr-sale-in-fy20/articleshow/63628565.cms|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref>

Established in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]] in 1901 by [[Prafulla Chandra Ray]], it is India's first [[Government of India|government owned-pharmaceutical-manufacturer]]. While initially successful, it started making losses in the mid-1950s. The management of the company was taken over by the [[Government of India|Union government]] on 15 December 1977, and the company was [[Nationalization|nationalised]] on 15 December 1980.<ref name=":0" /> Following decades of losses, BCPL returned to profitability in [[Fiscal year|financial year]] 2016–17.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Financial Results 2018-19|url=http://apps.bengalchemicals.co.in/uploads/anual-report/Financial-Results-2018-19-20190617-185851.pdf|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Rakshit|first=Avishek|date=13 April 2017|title=Bengal Chemicals posts profit after 63 years|work=Business Standard|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/bengal-chemicals-posts-profit-after-63-years-117041201533_1.html|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref>

==History==

=== Beginnings ===
[[File:Old Products Of Bengal Chemical - Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray Life And Science Of A Legend Exhibition - BITM - Kolkata 2011-01-17 0183.JPG|thumb|left|Old products of Bengal Chemical]]

[[File:Bengal Chemical Pharmaceutical Works Print Ad 1943.png|thumb|right|Eau De Cologne advertisement, manufactured by Bengal Chemical Pharmaceutical Works, 1943]]

In 1892, [[Prafulla Chandra Ray]] rented house at 91 [[Upper Circular Road|Upper Circular Road, Kolkata]] and founded Bengal Chemical Works with a capital of {{INRConvert|700|year=1892}}.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=History of BCPL|url=http://bengalchemicals.co.in/our-founder-history/|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.}}</ref> Ray founded the company as an individual initiative with the intention with fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship among the Bengali youth, and provide an alternative to jobs from the colonial British government. The company presented its herbal products at the 1893 session of the Indian Medical Congress in Kolkata.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|last=Bhattacharya|first=Snigdhendu|date=13 April 2017|title=How India's oldest pharma company smelt success after 6 decades|work=Hindustan Times|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/india-s-oldest-pharma-company-makes-profit-after-six-decades/story-xOYRYfMI1DOtVFSuIYKIsK.html|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref>

The reputation of the company grew, and Ray added additional funds of {{INRConvert|2|l|year=1901}} to the company to increase the scale of production. The business was converted into a Limited Company, and on 12 April 1901 the company was renamed Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. (BCPW), retaining the same premises at 91 Upper Circular Road, [[Kolkata|Calcutta]].<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Das|first=Soumitra|date=7 December 2020|title=Chemistry of nationalism|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/chemistry-of-nationalism/cid/1255607|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref> In 1908, John Cumming wrote in the "Review of the Industrial Position and Prospects in Bengal" that the "enterprise shows signs of resourcefulness and business capacity, which should be an object lesson to capitalists of this province".<ref name=":5" />

From a beginning with one factory in Kolkata's [[Maniktala]] in 1905, three more factories were established – one in [[Panihati]] in 1920, one in [[Mumbai]] in 1938, and one in [[Kanpur]] in 1949, with its registered office at 6 Ganesh Chandra Avenue, Kolkata.<ref name=":3" />

=== Struggles and nationalisation ===
The company began to struggle after Roy died in 1944, and started making losses in the mid-1950s. The management of the company was taken over by the [[Government of India|Union government]] on 15 December 1977, followed by [[Nationalization|nationalisation]] on 15 December 1980. The new [[Public sector undertakings in India|public sector undertaking]] was named '''Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (BCPL)''', and was launched on 27 March 1981.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> As its losses continued, BCPL was referred to the [[Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction]] in 1992.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|last=Special Correspondent|date=1 May 2019|title=Bengal Chemicals FY19 profit jumps 150% to ₹25 crore|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/bengal-chemicals-fy19-profit-jumps-150-to-25-crore/article27005105.ece|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref>

=== Return to profitability ===
After incurring losses for decades, the company managed to return to profitability in the financial year 2016–17,<ref name=":2" /> and continued to report profits for 2 subsequent fiscals.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" />

=== Hydroxychloroquine production during COVID-19 pandemic ===
In view of the [[Indian Council of Medical Research]] recommending [[hydroxychloroquine]] for [[prophylaxis]] against [[COVID-19]], BCPL received clearance to start manufacturing the drug.<ref>{{Cite news|date=10 April 2020|title=Coronavirus crisis: India's oldest pharma PSU gets nod to make hydroxychloroquine|work=Business Today|url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/coronavirus-crisis-india-oldest-pharma-psu-gets-nod-to-make-hydroxychloroquine/story/400706.html|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Khanna|first=Rohit|date=11 April 2020|title=Drug green light for West Bengal Chemicals|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/drug-green-light-for-bengal-chemicals/articleshow/75088500.cms|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Singh|first=Shiv Sahay|date=10 April 2020|title=Bengal Chemicals gets COVID-19 drug boost|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bengal-chemicals-gets-covid-19-drug-boost/article31311894.ece|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref>

==Products==
* '''Division I''' '''(Industrial Chemicals)''' - [[alum]], [[bleaching powder]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Industrial Chemicals|url=http://bengalchemicals.co.in/products/industrial-chemicals/|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=38th Annual Report 2018-2019|url=http://apps.bengalchemicals.co.in/uploads/anual-report/dummy-20191102-043223.pdf|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.}}</ref>
* '''Division II (Pharmaceuticals)''' - generic drugs, such as [[analgesic]]s, [[antipyretic]]s, [[antimicrobial]]s (including [[antifungal]]s, [[antibiotic]]s and [[Tuberculosis management|anti-tubercular drugs]]) and [[antiseptic]]s; and branded drugs like Ray Cal ([[Calcium in biology|calcium]] with [[Vitamin D3|vitamin D<sub>3</sub>]] and [[Vitamin B12|vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]]) and Hospitol ([[chloroxylenol]])<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pharmaceuticals|url=http://bengalchemicals.co.in/products/pharmaceuticals/|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.}}</ref><ref name=":6" />
* '''Division III''' '''(Home Products)''' - [[toiletries]] and household [[disinfectant]]s<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home Products|url=http://bengalchemicals.co.in/products/home-products/|access-date=23 June 2020|website=Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.}}</ref><ref name=":6" />

==Privatization==

On the 9th of February 2021, the [[Government of India]] announced the privatization of [[Bengal Chemicals and Fertilizers]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/govt-has-decided-to-shut-2-pharma-psus-disinvest-other-3-govt-tells-ls-121020901689_1.html|title=Govt has decided to shut 2 pharma PSUs, disinvest other 3: Govt tells LS|newspaper=Business Standard India|date=9 February 2021|agency=Press Trust of India}}</ref>

== References ==
<references></references>

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://bengalchemicals.co.in/}}

{{Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (India)}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Government-owned companies of India]]
[[Category:Chemical companies of India]]
[[Category:Pharmaceutical companies of India]]
[[Category:Pharmaceutical companies established in 1901]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1901]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1981]]
[[Category:Government-owned chemical companies of India]]

Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals - Revision history

OrenCombs50836 at 16:24, 17 December 2025