Tata Steel Ltd. (TSL), which is eyeing an annual installed capacity of about 30 million tonnes by 2025 through capacity expansion as well as acquisitions, will eventually put all these under a unified brand.
“We will gradually bring all the brands under the Tata fold — to make sense and avoid confusion in the minds of the consumer,” said Anand Sen, president-TQM and steel business, Tata Steel (India), when asked about plans on marketing the products of companies such as Bhusan Steel or the steel business of Usha Martin Ltd.
He, however, stressed that the products of these companies would first have to conform to TSL’s standards. Indications were that till then, they would be sold under their present brand identities.
Mr. Sen was speaking to the media after announcing TSL’s plans to jointly host the 56th National Metallurgists Day with the Indian Institute of Metals.
Capacity expansion
He said that through these new capacities and its own expansion programmes at its existing plants, TSL was “aspiring” a capacity of 30 million tonnes by 2025. Including Bhusan Steel, TSL’s capacity is now about 18.5 million tonnes. The steel major had recently taken over Bhushan Steel, which has a capacity of 5.6 million tonnes and is in the process of taking over Usha Martin’s steel business, which has a 1.5-million- tonne capacity.
Peeyush Gupta, TSL vice-president — steel marketing and sales, said that more than 20 products, solutions and services now contributed about 47% of TSL’s revenues. This could increase to more than 50% once the unification got completed, he said.
Earlier, commenting on the industry outlook, Mr. Sen said that steel was back again in the growth period with a stable short-term outlook on the price and demand front.
International portents also seemed to be good with exports controlled by China amidst good domestic demand. In India, the depreciating rupee had kept imports in limited range.
On the National Metallurgists Day, he said that experts from the U.S., Germany and other countries would participate at the 3-day event starting November 14. The technical meeting, to be held alongside, will see plenary lectures on subjects ranging from the future of e-vehicles to its changing effect on metallurgical industries in India. to digitization in metals.
