Captains of the Indian steel industry will meet here on Thursday and Friday to address the challenges related to raw materials and technology for long-term viability at a conference being organised by Steel & Metallurgy, a monthly magazine, in association with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (Ministry of Steel, Government of India) and support from the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
The sixth “Iron and steel-making conference - success and survival strategies” is being organised at The Gateway Hotel on Thursday and Friday. According to Mr Nirmalya Mukherjee, editor of the magazine, the ongoing global economic uncertainty has caused market volatility across the regions and steel industry is one of the worst-affected.
With falling demand from the construction sector, automobile sector and white goods sector, steel production and consumption rate has also witnessed a downturn. Last year, the Indian steel industry saw a dip in growth rate but this fiscal, the growth rate is projected at 7.9 per cent.
India needs to choose the right technology in iron-making and steel-making to ensure supply of adequate and quality raw materials and also cost-effective, quality production. “It is to discuss these issues that Steel and Metallurgy is organising the conference,” he said. Eminent guests at the conference will include Mr A. P. Choudhary, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, RINL-VSP, Mr K. Bhaktavatsalam, Head, Essar Steel Ltd, Vizag Operations, Mr Y. Siva Sagar Rao, former Chairman and Managing Director, Vizag Steel Plant and ex-Joint M.D. and CEO, JSW Steel Ltd, Mr M.V. R. Sarma, Chief Project Manager (Steel), National Mineral Development Corporation.
On the occasion, Dr B. N. Singh, Group CEO of Adhunik Group and former Chairman and Managing Director of Vizag Steel Plant, will be felicitated with Lifetime Achievement Award. An exhibition will also be organised where companies will showcase new technologies, process and products.