Inspired and self-reliant

Pyare Lal Paul sets up steel manufacturing unit for agricultural market in Jalandhar, Punjab.

Establishes the iconic Oxford Bookstore in 1920 and brings the best books & stationary to India.

Unit grows into a profitable steel goods manufacturing enterprise employing over a 100 people by World War II.

Establishes a shipping line to effect steel goods EXIM for independent India’s needs.

Becomes first Indian company to invest in Shipping. Apeejay Shipping is born, charting territories overseas.

Becomes first Indian company to manufacture stainless steel without a foreign collaboration at Apeejay Steel Mill, India’s most advanced at the time.

Pioneers new steel import routes from Europe, China and the USSR to build infrastructure for young India. Shifts headquarters to Kolkata, West Bengal.

Became the third largest exporter of steel in India with a specialisation in shipping steel, pioneering exports to the UK and Japan.

Acquired land banks laying the foundation of Apeejay’s operations in Real Estate and expansion into Hospitality industry.

Designs, constructs and opens the first hotel in Kolkata in Apeejay Commercial Complex in Park Street, Kolkata.

Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels is born.

Expands steel operations to Visakhapatnam and Mumbai.
Mumbai and Kolkata steel units receive coveted status of Export House from the government. Marine Drive Tetrapods are built in Mumbai.

Diversifies to tea acquiring Assam Frontier in the United Kingdom.
Modernises factories, increases crop yield and exports.
Dividends to AFT shareholders go as high as 110%.
Apeejay Tea is born.

Expands to Financial Services incorporating Apeejay Finance.
The Non-Banking Finance Company builds a formidable auto finance business and network in major Indian metros.

Pioneers the concept of plug and play offices. Now also referred to as co-working spaces, the concept becomes a runaway success and opens in Indian metros.
Apeejay Business Centre is born.

Opens Bengal’s first warehouse in capital city of Kolkata.
New concept of Oxford Bookstores rolls out across India.
Tea, Hotels, Financial Services and Retail brands are e-commerce enabled.
Investment in Apeejay brand development and mapping Brand Equity and Reputation Index begins.
Cha Bar opens and becomes an instant rage in Kolkata and soon leaves shores of City of Joy and becomes a national trendsetter.

Diversifies to FMCG. Acquires Typhoo Tea, Welsh brand Glengettie, Scottish brand Melrose’s, leading instant tea brand Lift, healthy infusions and organic brand Heath & Heather, speciality tea brand Ridgways of London, London Fruit & Herb as well as coffee brand Red Mountain.
Begins focused execution of the Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility.

Global expansion of FMCG to 50 countries commences. Typhoo launches in India.
Business consolidation in Financial Services division concludes.

Celebrates ‘100 year-milestone’ with the unique 100 for 100 programme, undertaking 100 community initiatives and cornerstones commitment to creating an equitable society and a sustainable business.
Typhoo Tea is the largest private label tea packer and the second largest tea manufacturer in the UK.

Diversifies into Logistics. Construction and Development of Inland Container Depot and Container Freight Station in Bengal and Odisha begins.

Launches Zone by The Park, a social catalyst hospitality brand delivering a novel experience to
business travellers.
Adopts a new Sustainability & Social Responsibility Policy Framework aligned with UN SDGs.

Launches an industrial and warehousing facility in Delhi NCR, expanding Logistics business and
logistics park network, in time for India’s e-commerce boom.

Expands Apeejay Business Centres and Apeejay Retail operations across India. ABC co-working spaces open in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurugram and so on.

Logistics Parks support MSMEs and maintain regional supply chain, Apeejay Real Estate ensures essential services partners’ business continuity.
Apeejay Shipping keeps global and Indian coastal trade moving. Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels provides home to Corona warriors while serving community and customers.