Sales and income from operations during this quarter have grown only by nine per cent from Rs 153.10 crore the previous year to Rs 167.34 crore this year. Interest charges during this quarter is up by 13.85 per cent from Rs 4.69 crore to Rs 5.34 crore.

However, the company's cumulative results continue to be impressive with net profit up by 62.84 per cent compared to the previous year. Net profit for the nine months ended December 31, 1999 is Rs 56.18 crore up from previous year's Rs 34.50 crore. Operating profit is also high at a 61 per cent growth from last year. Cumulative turnover for the nine months period is Rs 419.11 crore from previous year's Rs 306.57 crore indicating a 36.70 per cent increase.

Meanwhile, the company recently finalisedmarketing arrangements with a US supplier for the Leviton range of connectors and accessories, states Deepak K Chhabria, deputy managing director in a statement issued here on Saturday. This will enable Finolex to offer complete structured cabling systems for local area networking. The company is making efforts towards achieving a quantum jump in the production capacity for co-axial cables at its Urse unit.

According to Chhabria, the company is expected to benefit for year ended March 2000 from depreciation of its new jelly filled and allied plant at Goa which commenced operations during December 1999. The amalgamation of Finoram Sheets with Finolex Cables will be completed shortly.