JSW Severfield Structures Limited, 50:50 JV between JSW Steel and UK based Severfield Rowen , has started its commercial production of fabricated steel at Vijayanagar. The facility will provide customers with a total package from design through to erection on site.

The company has already invested INR 200 crore to have an initial capacity of 35,000 tonnes per annum and plans to ramp up it to 90,000 tonnes in the next two years.

Mr Sajjan Jindal vice CMD of JSW after inaugurating the new plant at Vijayanagar told reporters that “The severe shortage of special steels for building airports, railway stations, stadia and other large structures has prevented architects from using more steel instead of concrete in infrastructure projects. With the commencement of commercial production of this fabricated steel plant at Vijayanagar in Karnataka, we have started a new phase for promoting the greater usage of structural steelwork in the country.”

Mr Tom Haughey CEO of Severfield said that the plant is mostly aimed at meeting the requirements of the domestic market and that they have already raised orders worth about INR 80 crore and expect the order book to double within two weeks. He told that they are already supplying steel for a heavy industry unit, a power plant, a commercial office building and a residential complex.

Mr Haughey said the company would be utilizing expatriate labour from Dubai initially to work at the construction sites as it would cut learning curve sharply.

Mr.Haughey also pointed out that while in the UK steel accounted for about 60% to 70% of the construction spend, it is only 5% in India.

(Sourced from PTI and BS)