Akij Food & Beverage Ltd.
History of Akij Food & Beverage Ltd. stretches back to later part of the forties. In its infancy, the Group started in humble way with jute trading which was known as the golden fiber of the country, earning highest amount of foreign exchange.In the second phase, the Group went into manufacturing handmade cigarettes popularly known as bides. This sector gave a real boost to the revenue earning of the Group as well as making a substantial contribution to government exchequer. With the passage of time, the Group undertook new ventures and presently there are 15 units of industries under its umbrella like cigarettes, handmade cigarettes, printing & packaging, textiles, hand board, pharmaceutical, leather processing and real-estate business are in operation, catering jobs for more that 32,000 people in various categories.
The Group has plans for setting up more projects. The projects are already in pipeline. Foreign investors have shown keen interest in joining with us for joint ventures. The matter is under our active consideration and will hopefully soon mature. This will also help the nation’s economy growth and will create job opportunities to various professionals.
Akij Food & Beverage Ltd. is also involved in socio-cultural activities. The Group has been operating a sizeable orphanage free of charge in district town. The Group has also acquired a modern mother & children hospital previously owned by Save the Children (UK). The hospital is being operated as a non-profitable concern by Ad-Din Welfare Trust.
Contact Us:
Akij, Chamber
73,Dilkusha,CommercialArea
Dhaka-1000,Bangladesh
Phone:(+880-2)9563008-9,7169017-8
Fax:(+880-2)9564519
e-mail:info@akij.net
Akij Jute Mills Ltd.
AKIJ JUTE MILLS LTD. a unit of Akij Food & Beverage Ltd. is a 100% export oriented Jute yarn Industry catering to the need to carpet manufacturers and other end users of jute yarn all over the world.
Apart from being a member of a leading industrial group of Bangladesh, the mill is run by a team of qualified and highly experienced professionals whose principle objective is customer satisfaction.
In respect of production the mill is one of the largest in Bangladesh producing about 20,000 Metric Tons of Jute yarn annually.
The mill is creating jobs to over 3,000 people most of them are destitute females of the locality.
Our Specialty:
- Hydrocarbon free/Vegetable oil treated Jute yarn on demand.
- We use the world’s finest hard district Jute in our batch.
- We maintain strict shipment schedule.
- We do not compromise when it comes to quality and we may most humbly claim that we are the cleanest Jute mill in the world.
Akij Match Factory Ltd.
Akij Match Factory Ltd. has been established in the year 1992 at a beautiful site near Muktarpur Ghat on the bank of river Sitalakshaya.
It is a fully automatic match factory which produces 100% Carburized high quality safety matches.
Dolphin is the brand name of the matches produced from this factory. Immediately after the introduction of the brand it became very popular among its consumer because of the high quality and intensive distribution in every nook and corner of the country.
Most of the raw material comes from various parts of Bangladesh by river. The river Shityalakhkha flows next to the factory and facilitates transportation greatly. Some of the wood used to make match sticks comes from Pakistan.
A cutter with a circular saw cuts the logs into 15” portions. The bark is taken off the portions and these are then put through the peeling machine which peel layers of wood off the log. These layers are chopped into the rough shape and size of match sticks. As these sticks are usually quite moist, they are dried. Carborization and treatment with other chemicals such as Boric acid occurs at this point. This is to ensure that the match sticks don’t break when ignited and that their quality is preserved even in highly humid conditions. The chemically treated sticks are polished in two stages to give them uniform proportions.
The quality is very strictly controlled. At every stage, non standard products (wood layers or sticks) are rejected. However, these are not wasted. The sticks, wood layers and any other scrap wood goes to be recycled in AKIJ Particle and Hardboard Mills.
Akij Food & Beverage Ltd.
Akij Food & Beverage Ltd. has been established at a beautiful site Krishnapura, Dhamrai of Dhaka. It has come with the best food & beverage in Bangladesh.
There are various types of drink. Mojo is the brand name of cola, Lemu is the brand name of Lemon and Speed is the brand name of energy drink. Immediately after the introduction of the brand it became very popular among its consumer because of the high quality and intensive distribution in every nook and corner of the country.
Checky Monkey is the brand name of banana chips produced from this factory. It also is becoming popular chips in Bangladesh.
Most of our Raw materials come from various foreign countries. The quality is very strictly controlled. At every stage, non standard products are rejected.
Akij Cement Company Ltd.
AKIJ Cement has established a foot hole in the cement market. Encouraged by consumer’s response and confidence AKIJ Cement is in the process of expanding its capacity by many folds. Once completed however, this factory will be quite incomparable.
From unloading the raw materials at the jetty to loading the finished product onto boats, all the stages are to be automated and computer controlled.
Two fix swing cranes will unload the clinker and gypsum and put them on a belt conveyer to be put into storage. These are then loaded into the ‘bins’ and measured by two belt scales before entry to the ball mill grinder. This allows the ratio of clinker and gypsum to be controlled. From there the ground cement goes to the vortex separators by the means of a bucket elevator and chain conveyer. The vortex separator separates coarse and fine cement by using high pressure. The fine cement is the finished product whereas the coarse cement needs to be ground again. The fine cement is stored in silos and intricately controlled conditions. This cement goes to the packing machine by a screw conveyer and from there to the jetty by a belt conveyer.
The factory is equipped with air filters in order to minimize pollution and recycle any cement that is suspended in the air. The entire production process is computer controlled and there are sensors to monitor various factors at regular intervals. The level of automation reduces dependence on staff and risk of human error. The software controlling the machines allows engineers to view progress on a computer stimulated model of the factory. It also reports problems and permits fine control of every stage.
The laboratory is not only involved in quality control but also on improving the cement to being the best brand available. As well as equipment to determine chemical properties of the product, there is apparatus to measure physical factors both before and after the cement has set.
Dhaka Tobacco Industries
Dhaka Tobacco Industries came to the fold of Akij Food & Beverage Ltd. in late seventies when Government has decided to disinvest and hand over the Factory to private sector from the nationalized sector.
The Factory is located at Morkun near Tongi and lot of investment into MEN & Machineries has turned the Factory in to a Modern cigarette producing unit. It employs about 1,200 people who work in a congenial atmosphere to deliver right quality to satisfy the million of Smokers’ taste and needs.
Currently, Dhaka Tobacco industries produces eight brands of cigarettes. These are Navy, Legend White, Five Star, Red & White, K2, Surma and Diamond. Approximately one billion cigarettes are produced per month by the company’s factory in Tongi, Gazipur.One hundred million of the Navy brand are exported quality and are sold in Dubai.
In storage, the tobacco is kept in air-conditioned and moisture controlled rooms where its perfection can be maintained for up to two years.
The bales of processed tobacco are sliced in uniform sizes and ground. This is stored in the blending silos in specific ratios. The tobacco (lamina) is moistened, cut and dried. Some of the excess stem produced in National Leaf is also used. It is fed into a conditioner using auto feed. Then, it is cooled and stored in silos to be processed further when necessary. A stem roller is used to flatten the stem so that it is ready to be cut first by the cutter and then by a millicutter. It is moistened using steam in low pressure and dried to attain the desired level of humidity. At this point the lamina and stem come together in the mixing cylinder where chemicals are added. There are different silos for each blend and the cut tobacco is stored in these. Four Rotary feeders are involved in transporting this to the secondary manufacturing department.
A Molin’s Plug making machine makes filters. The filter making machine is capable of making plugs of different length and dia. There are cigarette making machines of various brands and speeds. Recently, the company has invested in Molmac Mark 9 machines. They are equipped with a system to remove ferrous material and stems from the tobacco supplied to the machine. In addition, there is an automatic system of weight and density control to maintain uniformity.
Focke Hinge Lid Packers are used for packing cigarettes. Quality Test Module is used to test the circumference of cigarettes and filters using a laser mike head, the total ventilation with closed ventilation zone and the pressure drop in cigarettes is a completely encapsulated condition. The percentage of moisture, nicotine and sugar in various blends is found using the Infralab TM Gauge. A Tobacco Oven determines the total oven volatile content of tobacco and stems. There are a variety of other installations to measure both physical and chemical properties, with the most impressive being a latest smoking machine.
The machines run around the clock except on Friday when most of the maintenance work is done. The well disciplined environment and efficiency of this factory has caused man multinational companies to offer us deal to manufacture their product in order to supply the subcontinent.
Products of Dhaka Tobacco Industries:
- High Segment: a) CastleFullFlavor b)Castle Lights
Presently DTI enjoys more than 10% market share in this segment. - Medium Segment: a) Navy Presently DTI are contributing 48% market share in this segment.
- Lower Medium Segment: a) Sheikh b) Real Presently DTI are enjoying more than 80% market share in this segment.
- Low Segment: a) Five Star b) K-2 c) Surma & d) Read & White
DTI’s market share in this segment is about 50%.
Akij Textile Mills Ltd.
Akij Textile Mills Limited (ATML) is a sister concern of Akij Food & Beverage Ltd.. Since 1998 Akij Textile has been operating its business by supplying excellent quality Yarn primarily in the export market. The yarns produced by ATML are sold to the export oriented knit & woven garments industry. ATML’s production capacity is around 50 tons per day – 25 tons combed & carded from Ring Spinning, 20 tons from Schlafhorst Autoscore & 5 tons from BD Rotors. The mill can produce all yarn counts from Ne 6/1 to Ne 100/1. The counts mostly being produced are Ne 20/1 to Ne 40/1 combed & carded 100% cotton yarn from Ring Spinning, Ne 6/1 to Ne 26/1 from Schlafhorst Autoscore machine and Ne 7/1 to Ne 16/1 from BD Rotors. The blow rooms are equipped with Vision Shields – foreign fiber (contamination) detectors. From the process of bale breaking to the packaging of yarn, everything is done with automation & state -of – the -art- technology.
Quality is of utmost significance and is therefore very carefully controlled. Beside other routine equipment to measure various properties of the cotton, sliver and yarn, the lab is equipped with a H.V.1 spectrum. It is used to check the suitability of the cotton from each bale and according to the results; the bale would either be accepted or rejected. The software in the machine is able to select the bales which do not meet the set standards and compile a list of them automatically. The Ulster T4 is used to test sliver, roving and yarn. It measures thickness variation per kilometer. Frequent samples are taken and tested meticulously. The level of computerization of the machines on the factory floor also means that their performance can be monitored from the lab.
Akij Particle Board Mills Ltd
Akij Particle & Hard Board Mills Ltd. has come with the best particle board in Bangladesh. It started business in the year 2001 & already she has created a place in the market for improved quality.
The factory is situated at Torraghat in Manikgonj District on the bank of the river Kaliganga.
Akij Particle Board is a Timber substitute three-layer board made of wood chips. The objective is to produce and supply international standard Particle board to meet the demand of Architect, Interior Designers & Furniture Manufacturers in the country.
With the guidance of Honorable M.D. Sheikh Akij Uddin, Akij Particle & Hard Board Mills Ltd. will maintain quality and better service to satisfy her valued customers and users.
Due to the high levels of humidity in Bangladesh, wood is not a long lasting building material unless it is of the best quality and is excellently treated. However, good quality wood is very expensive and often acquired through the illegal eradication of forests which has led to many species becoming scarce. The rate at which objects made of wood need to be replaced is greater than the rate at which most trees grow. Particle boards are longer lasting, less expensive and greener alternative of wood. A lot of the scrap wood produced by various factories in the group is recycled to be particle boards.
The wood is put into the Kolckaner drum chipper to be made into small pieces and then into the Maier flakers. By this time, the wood is reduced to very small chips. A hammer-mill is used to crush these chips and then a pair of coupled driers dries them. A refiner is used to make the chips even finer and a screener separates the various sizes of chips. Coarse and fine chips are put into separate silos. These are separately weighed by two batch-weathers and put into the glue blender where they are mixed with glue, paraffin wax and hardener. Each is blended separately and the fine and coarse chips receive different amounts of the chemicals. These blended chips then go to the former and come out of its three outlets. The first and third one is for the fine chips and the second for coarse chips. As a result a three layered, reinforced particle board is produced with fine particles on the external layers and a layer of coarse chips inside. There is an online moisture meter in the forming machine. An automatic weighing scale is involved in the quality control of the boards which are 4feet x 12feet.The thickness currently in production are 19mm and 12 mm. From the forming machine, the boards go to the Diffenbachger auto press and then to edge trimming, sanding and master sanding. Some of the boards are also veneered with woods such as teak.
Akij Printing & Packaging Ltd.
APPL is one of the biggest printing & packages in Bangladesh. The most modern and sophisticated technology of APPL have ensured our high quality printing and packaging including the best quality wide format digital printing system in Bangladesh. Situated in Tongi and Navaran, two factories provide almost all the packaging required by the group. Besides this, they also provide packaging for other companies.
The paper needs to be slit and trimmed before printing. Goebel Optima 2000 are multiple slitters; they are able to work with paper, board and film.
There are various types of printing machines. The Heidelberg Speed master CD102 does four color offset printing. It is capable of printing 45,000 impressions per shift. There is a Gravure 7 color printing machine capable of printing 150 m per minute. Some of the ‘stations’ may be shut off to enable images of smaller numbers of color to be printed with this machine.
The printed media are then cut to the appropriate sizes by easily programmable machines. These then go through the folding and gluing process. There are wet and dry laminating machines for waterproof packaging. These factories are engaged in advertising and not only printing posters. A state of the art new printing machine is able to print front-lit, back-lit and other types of signs on a variety of media.
Akij Corporation Limited
A sister concern of Akij Food & Beverage Ltd., Akij Corporation Limited is the most organized distribution company in the country. Akij Food & Beverage Ltd. is country’s one of the leading business conglomerates. Initially Akij Corporation Limited was known as Amin Enterprise and started its operation in 1992. In June 1997 Amin Enterprise was renamed as Aminuddin Enterprise Limited and in 2001 Aminuddin Enterprise Limited was again renamed as Akij Corporation Limited. Akij Corporation Limited is responsible for the marketing and distribution of three industries of Akij Food & Beverage Ltd. namely Dhaka Tobacco Industries, Akij Match Factory Limited and Akij Zarda (chewing tobacco) Factory.
Akij Zarda (Chewing Tobacco) Factory Limited:
Akij Zarda Factory Ltd. is producing 4 different types of Zarda to full fill the needs of different consumers in diversified taste. Different types of Zarda produced by AZFL are as follows: 1) Special Patti (99): Pack Size – a) 50gm b) 25gm c) 12.5gm, 2) Golden Patti (Surovi) (55): Pack Size – a) 50gm b) 25gm c) 12.5gm, 3) Akiz Zorda (Beli) (44): Pack Size – a) 50gm b) 25gm c) 12.5gm and 4) Vhiza Patti (33): Pack Size – a) 25gm b) 10gm.
Government Award for Export:
For outstanding performance in export, the company achieved “The National Export Trophy-2001 (Gold)” for Navy Special Filter Cigarette export and “The National Export Trophy (Silver)” for hand made cigarette (popularly known as bidi) export as well as a pioneer employment provider with employment strength of 60,000 staff and officer in different categories.
Marketing Process:
Government ban on tobacco and anti tobacco campaign has induced our marketing team to become innovative in their marketing strategies. Marketing operations at Akij Corporation Ltd. includes a range of activities like Brand Management, Trade Marketing and Distribution and Marketing Research.
Human Resource:
The Human Resource department is responsible for developing and sustaining a workforce for Akij Corporation Ltd. There is separate HRD wing for ACL for running day to day administrative work of Marketing Department.
Mission, Vision & Objective of Akij Food & Beverage Ltd.
Mission:
“To grow and increase value by implementing new products and services to provide high quality products to satisfy customers’ requirements.”
Vision:
“To provide the high quality products for the customers.
Goal:
“To achieve market leadership, profitability, good corporate citizenship and a sustainable growth.”
Objectives:
“The main objective of the company is to increase the market share in related diversified
products in Bangladesh and to assure the potential customers of the quality and durability of the products.”
The organization structure
AKIJ FOOD & BEVERAGE LTD. maintains a flat organization structure. The company has many separate divisions for the smooth operations in Bangladesh. Among them some divisions are related with business and some are are supporting divisions.
The main divisions are:
Akij Food & Beverage Ltd. (AFBL)
Akij Corporation Ltd. (Dhaka Tobaco)
Printing & packaging
Jute mills, Textiles
Particle boards
Matches, Zarda
Cement
Pharmaceutical
Supporting divisions are:
Human resources division
Finance and Accounts division
IT service divisions.
Corporate communication and business development division.
All the departments are headed by the respective general managers, who reports directly to the managing director and there is also one commercial Manager in each division. Each division has also Sales and Service Managers who are responsible for sales and after sales service of the product respectively.
The main divisions are responsible for the operation of all of their business areas and also for selling and giving after sales servicing to the customers of their product.
Human Resources
The human resources division is responsible for the recruitment of the needed personnel.
Finance and Accounts
The finance and accounts division is responsible for all the financial activities in the organization. It monitors the collection of payments from various clients. It controls payments and schedules various payment activities in order to run the business more smoothly. It also works as an internal auditor involved with bookkeeping of the payments as well as collections and prepares the financial statement of the Siemens Bangladesh Limited. All the administrative works and logistics support are provided by this department.
IT Services:
The IT department provides technical support to the employees to gather and disburse information, trouble shooting and many other IT related assistance.
