Focusing predominantly on value added products, Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) is looking forward to offer an array of differentiated and quality products in market while focusing on value along with volume. During interaction with employees at SAIL’s Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) on Tuesday, Chairman, SAIL, Shri PK Singh said, in the prevailing stiff market competition, value addition to our products and processes along with tailoring the product quality and attributes in line with market demands rather producing only volume can be a game changer for us. He added that the state-of-the-art 1 MTPA (million tonne per annum) capacity Medium Structural Mill (MSM) installed at DSP is capable of producing world-class structural steel products which have a high demand for various on-going and upcoming infra and construction projects in India. Shri Singh also added that with Railways switchover to LHB coaches in a phased manner in next few years, wheels for new LHB railway coaches are in advanced stages of validation at DSP and the metallurgical testing of the wheels has already been completed.
At DSP, MSM is producing Parallel Flange Beams, Joists, Channels and Angles, which are primarily used by infrastructure and construction segments and considering the pick-up in infrastructure projects, metro connectivity, accelerated construction activities, Shri Singh said “These products are all expected to translate into increased demand for such value added Structurals. The Company is also tapping world market for exporting its products where there is a demand for these.’’ DSP is a plant designed to produce 7.5 lakh tonnes of Semis, where SAIL-DSP in association with R&D and Centre for Engineering & Technology (CET) will tap the huge market for special grade semis by targeting to produce 90% semis as special steel grades and tie up for value added products of special steel. The semis would also explore possibilities in transmission line towers (TLT) and forging areas, he said.
Emphasizing the importance of Research & Development and improving Project Designing, he said that, RDCIS and Centre for Engineering & Technology would contribute more in developing value-added products for the Plant.