B & A Ltd was originally incorporated as Barasali Tea Company Pvt Ltd in 1915. Later renamed B&A Plantations and Industries (BAPIL), it came under the control of H P Barooah in 1968. Production in its tea gardens was 2.5 lakh kg, then. It was then converted into a limited company in 1986. Later, through mergers and acquisitions, three other tea estates - Salkathoni, Sangsua and Gatoonga - came into its fold and it now produces over 2 mln kg of tea.
The Company is engaged in cultivation, manufacture and sale of tea.. It has four prime tea gardens and exports its produce to the UK and other European countries. It came out with a rights issue of FCDs in 1993 to part-finance the modernisation of its facilities, and for the replantation programme of its tea gardens in Assam.
The company has received approval from the Guwahati High Court to take over the Lohpohia Tea Estate from Tea Beverages & Allied Industries. Kuhum Tea Company Pvt Ltd has been amalgamated with BAL. With these arrangements and amalgamations, BAL has eight tea gardens and production is expected to increase to 45 lac kg. Company has earned foreign exchange from export of Tea Rs.144 lakhs & outgo is Rs.22 lakhs for the year 1998-99.
During the year 1999-2000, the scheme of arrangement for amalgamation of two subsidiary companies i.e. B & A Investments Ltd and LIPAB Investments Ltd., was approved by the respective shareholders of the three companies.
BAPIL Investments Ltd., which was 100% subsidiary of the Company and other two Companies i.e. Jorhat Investments Ltd., and Marina Towers Pvt. Ltd., were merged with the Company through the Scheme of Arrangement during 2001-02. Before amalgamation of BAPIL Investments Ltd., and Jorhat Investments Ltd., with B&A Ltd., its shareholding in B&A Muitiwail Packaging Ltd., was 49.09%. However, on amalgamation of the two Companies, B&A Ltd's shareholding in B&A Muitiwail Packaging Ltd., was increased to 71.64%. Consequently, B&A Muitiwail Packaging Ltd., became a subsidiary of the Company with effect from 31 st March, 2002.