By Sanjeev Shekhar
The rate of technology innovation in steel industry has been high, as steel makers are motivated to reduce costs and improve quality. While steel producers continue to undertake research in areas of product development and operational improvements, equipment suppliers have been driving force behind radical process advances, stated the Director (Technical), Steel Authority of India, V.K.Gulhati during his visit to Ranchi recently.
Gulhati was speaking as the chief guest on international technical meet of “Sino-Indian Steel Plant Equipment Manufacturers and Suppliers (SIEMS-2008)” at Ispat Bhawan, SAIL. Organised under the aegis of the Indian Institute of Metals, Ranchi Chapter, in association with Centre for Engineering & Technology (CET), SAIL, R&D Centre for Iron & Steel (RDCIS), SAIL and MECON Ltd, the meet was inaugurated to hold interaction between Indian and Chinese equipment manufacturers, suppliers and users at one forum for better understanding of each other's requirement.
In the keynote address the ex-managing director, Durgapur Steel Pant, Dr. S. K. Bhattacharya, expressed his concern and said the steel companies today does not have enough equipment manufacturers, suppliers and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors who can meet the strict deadlines that have been set. Inadequate availability of EPC contractors has been a major constraint over the last few years in this sector, stated Bhattacharya.
He asserted that there has been no major capacity addition in the equipment manufacturing sector in recent years as the steel industry went through a period of hibernation. In Europe and USA capacity addition in steel making mostly took place in sixties and seventies.
“The technology, particularly the design and development capability need to be developed among most of the Indian equipment manufacturers. They have to bridge the gap between drawing and design. Till this is achieved the dependency in the foreign company would continue and would be a major bottleneck for prosperity of the Indian steel industry,” said Bhattacharya.
He suggested that organizations like Centre for Engineering and Technology and Research and Development Centre for Iron and Steel (RDCIS) can extend meaningful support to Indian equipment manufacturers. The Chinese experience in this regard would be quite educative, as China has built a successful infrastructure and support services for equipment design. This meet will help in bring about the possible collaboration for mutual benefit that needs exploration.
“The concept of this meet is very relevant in the present scenario. The epicenter for growth would be Asia. There is lot of optimism amongst Indian steel makers having ambitious plans. Steel majors from across the world has been attracted to India to set up steel plants for the favourable investment climate and anticipated demand,” concluded Bhattacharya.
Sanjeev Shekhar,
Journalist/Media Consultant/PR
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