chennai murugappa group clocked just over 23 jump in consolidated profit after tax pat at rs 5520 crore in fy2122 up from rs 4481 crore in fy2021 the company registered just over 31 increase in turnover at rs 54722 crore up from rs 41706 crore in the year ago fiscalearnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortisation ebitda posted 30 growth rs 8343 crore previous year rs 6404 crore the various manufacturing entities of the group generated a free cash flow of rs 2693 crore down from the previous years tally of rs 5049 crore this stood at 86 of pat compared to 256 of pat the year agothe group saw a more than doubling of its nonma capex spend in the year aggregate capital expenditure programmes towards expansion debottlenecking modernisation and digital infrastructure facilities across group companies excluding ma were approximately rs 1109 crore during the year up from the previous years tally of rs 465 crore said a company statement this includes coromandel internationals new 1650 metric tonne per day capacity sulphuric acid plant at its fertiliser complex in visakhapatnam at a cost of rs 400 crorethe groups return on capital employed roce of the manufacturing entities improved to nearly 27 in the current year from 215 in the previous year return on equity of the financial services businesses improved to nearly 18 in the current year from 17 in the previous year during the year the manufacturing entities have reduced loan outstanding of rs 939 crore leading to an improvement in total debt equity from 023 times as on march 31 2021 to 013 times as on march 31 2022 the working capital in comparison to the total loan is now at 293 times compared to 186 times in the previous fiscalthe group also invested in inorganic growth with group companies like cumi tube investments of india and cholamandalam investment finance opting for acquisitions carborundum universal limited cumi topped the ma roster with three acquisitions it invested rs 115 crore to acquire nearly 72 stake in pluss advanced technologies involved in the fields of phase change materials pcm for thermal energy storage and speciality polymeric additives for polymer recycling and enhancing mechanical properties cumi also bought the assets from the insolvency administrator of awuko abrasives wandmacher gmbh germany for 8 million awuko is a 120yearold brand in the coated abrasives business cumi also bought 100 stake in rhodius abrasives germany at an enterprise value of 55 million 464 crore rhodius makes highperformance grinding and cutting consumables for machining of metal and stones and concluded 2021 with sales of 625 millionother group companies also spent on ma cholamandalam investment and finance company acquired nearly 72 of payswiff technologies for rs 409 crore payswiff offers online payment gateway services for ecommerce businesses similarly tube investments of india acquired 70 stake in cellestial emobility for rs 161 crore cellestial is a startup that designs and makes electric tractors with swappable battery coromandel international is all set to acquire a 45