Ballarpur Industries Limited (BILT) is a subsidiary of Avantha Group, and was once Indias largest manufacturer of writing and printing paper. The current chairman of the company is Gautam Thapar, who succeeded his late uncle L.M. Thapar. BILTs acquisition of SFI in 2007 was the first overseas acquisition by an Indian paper company. This acquisition transformed BILT into a major regional player, and elevated the companys ranking among the global top 100. Lala Karam Chand Thapar established company in 1945 as Ballarpur Paper and Straw Board Mills Limited, with Three Aces (paper) and Wisdom (stationery) being its first two brands. In 1969, Shree Gopal Paper Mills Limited in Yamunanagar was merged with the company.