Credit for Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) industry
Many of the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) industry businessmen turn towards Banks to meet their funding needs for working capital requirements. However, they get confused as to what type of working capital instrument would suit them given their personal and professional objectives. The objective of this article is to decipher this confusion and give clarity on the subject matter.
Types of Fund-Based Working Capital available to the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) Industry Players
Following are the three most common types of working capital funding instruments that a Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) business borrower can resort to from Banks
Cash Credit (CC) for Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) Industry:
In this case, the bank sanctions a particular amount of credit limit and the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) business is free to use any amount within that limit. Interest is levied only on the amount utilized (on daily balance basis) and not on the full sanction limit. However, the maximum amount a Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) business can use in a particular month is the lower of the two parameters:
Actual sanction limit or Amount derived as per your eligibility in the Drawing Power (DP) statement.
Bank Overdraft (OD) for Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) Industry:
Bank Overdraft is generally given to very small borrowers and works similar to Cash Credit on the same principle. However, one major difference is that the requirement of DP statement is not applicable here and the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) business need not submit any stock statement related information to the Bank on a monthly basis. Here also, you pay interest on the amount utilized on a daily basis.
Dropline Overdraft (DOD) for Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) Industry:
Dropline Overdraft (DOD) is an innovative concept and is introduced by certain banks to cater to the working capital needs of certain sections of the borrower. At times, the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) industry borrower wishes to get debt free but knows that this cannot happen overnight – it has to be a gradual and disciplined process. Dropline Overdraft (DOD) comes to the rescue for these types of Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) borrowers. In the case of Dropline Overdraft (DOD), one is free to utilize the working capital funds just like CC / OD and you pay interest only on the amount utilized. However, every month, a fixed amount of the credit limit is gradually reduced so as to ensure that the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) business entity has the discipline to manage its business with a little lower banking limit. Over a period of the next 3-5 years, it is expected that the limit will gradually become zero; and the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) business entity has good discipline to run its business without bank funding and become debt free.
Difference Between the Different Types of Funds Based Working Capital
A tabular comparison of all three working capital instruments is given hereunder for the benefit of the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) industry borrower:
Parameters |
Cash Credit |
Overdraft |
Dropline OD |
| Credit Limit | Fixed | Fixed | Reduce gradually |
| Purpose | For working capital | Could be for general business purposes | Normally for working capital |
| Credit Limit | Fixed | Fixed | Reduce gradually |
| Interest | Charged at month end on running daily balances | ||
| Interest Rates | Slightly lower than other instruments | Marginally higher than Cash Credit (at times) | |
| Processing Fee | Applicable & paid on the entire sanctioned limit | Paid on the entire limit even though you don’t have that limit for the full year | |
| WCDL sub-limit | Can be given on a case to case basis | Not offered | |
| Drawing Power (DP) Statement | To be submitted every month | Not needed | Normally not required |
| Stock Audit | Required to be done (at borrower’s expense) | Not Required | |
| Collateral Needed | Marginally lower than Overdraft / Dropline OD | Marginally higher than Cash Credit | |
| Repayment of Loan | Ideally, on the bank’s demand; however, the same gets annually renewed and no repayment happens On Demand | Monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly | |
| Tenure | 12 months | 12 months | For a longer period |
| Monitoring by Bank | Regularly | Irregular | Partially Done |
| Bank’s Comfort | Very likely – most common product, subject to credit satisfaction | For small loans and depending upon the nature / profile of the borrowers | Mixed (only certain banks) |
Which banking instrument (CC / OD / DOD) is good for Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) industry borrowers?
Deciding between the Cash Credit, Bank Overdraft and Dropline OD can be a mounting task. The answer to the above depends upon a host of factors.
- Overdraft facility is generally offered by banks only on loans up to Rs. 3-5 crore. For amounts beyond Rs. 5 crore, banks prefer to seriously monitor the Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) industry borrower’s financial performance rigorously and review stock statements every month. Hence, they shall offer Cash Credit and not Overdraft facility.
- What is your mindset and capability as a borrower? Do you want to become debt free? So, a forced discipline mechanism of Dropline OD would be apt for you. However, in case you think your business will be severely impacted because of the consistent limit reduction every month and you shall not be at ease; then Dropline Overdraft (DOD) is not meant for your Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) business.
- Does your Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) business have enough resources / bandwidth / systems within your company who shall work tirelessly to provide the DP Statement to the Bank every month? If not, then you may explore availing an Overdraft instead of a CC or simply choose to contact us at BankKeeping.
So, to conclude, all these instruments, Cash Credit, Overdraft and Dropline OD, have their own pros and cons and these have been designed by Banks keeping in mind the different categories of borrowers. So, go ahead and choose the one which is best suited for you. To ensure accuracy in monthly interest debits and to avoid overpaying interest, you may choose to use the services of experts like BankKeeping. We are equipped to handle all banking needs of a Base Metals (Aluminium, Copper, and Zinc) industry operator with our team of experts and specially designed products.