India might be planning to spend $1 trillion in beefing up its infrastructure, but did you know that even the most basic earthmoving equipment used in infrastructure projects are made of imported steel rather than indigenous, “Made in India” grades?
Take for instance the telescopic booms in heavy-duty loadall vehicles that are used to handle material at great heights. The steel used to make such vehicle parts was earlier available exclusively from European suppliers. However, now Essar Steel has also indigenously developed the specialised grade and started commercial production after receiving all necessary approvals from a leading maker of yellow goods.
The product will also find applications in vehicle chassis, container frame structures, steel bridges & building construction, chimney cases, rail wagons, snow sheds, and different kinds of ship masts—in a nutshell, all kinds of equipment where high fatigue strength is a necessity. A 100% import-substitute product, the grade has extra-low carbon, phosphorous and sulphur content. It is also ultra-high strength steel that has good formability, weldability and impact toughness.
True to its “Make In India” vision, this is the third import substitution product that Essar Steel has developed in the last three months—the other two were cladded steel plates and bulletproof steel. Interestingly, 23% of Essar Steel India’s current revenues are being generated by indigenous grades that have been developed over the last three years.