Vizag Steel Plant, also known as Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, is an integrated steel producer, located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The Vizag Steel Plant is India’s first shore-based integrated steel plant and was the second such plant built in the country. The plant produces steel through two different processes, namely the Steel Melting Shop (SMS) and the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF). It is known for its advanced technology and excellent quality of steel produced.
The Vizag Steel Plant is located in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, spread over an area of 10,000 acres. The plant was commissioned in the year 1983. The Vizag steel plant was developed with an investment of Rs. 19,700 crore. The plant is operated and managed by the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), a Navratna public sector enterprise owned by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Steel. It is currently India’s second largest steel producer within the public sector with an annual production capacity of 7.3 million tonnes of steel.
The Vizag Steel Plant is the first steel plant in India to have an Intensive Cooling Center (ICC) for hot rolled products, which has the capacity to achieve temperature tolerances of less than 0.5 degrees Celsius. The plant also houses a coil coating plant that is capable of producing steel coils with a thickness of 0.2 to 2 mm. The plant also has a state-of-the-art technology lab and a pre-treatment plant for treating liquid effluents from the plant.
The plant also has an in-house Railway Siding, with three cargo trans-shipment rails for transportation of raw materials and finished products to and from other industries. It also houses a captive power plant with a total installed capacity of 240 megawatts. The plant is well connected with road, rail and sea routes and has its own dedicated jetty, which is used to majorly transport materials to and from the plant.
The Vizag Steel Plant has a highly efficient workforce of over 13,500 employees and has significant contributions towards the local economy of Visakhapatnam. The plant exports its steel products to countries including the United States, Singapore, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The plant also serves various segments, including the power, automobile, infrastructure and ship-building sectors.
The Vizag Steel Plant has won numerous awards and recognition for its contribution to the steel industry, including the ‘Ministry of Steel Quality Achievement Award’ from the Government of India in 2018. It has also achieved several milestones, such as becoming the first steel plant to reach four million tonnes of annual saleable steel production, and is the only steel plant in India to achieve a production capacity of 7.3 million tonnes.
The Vizag Steel Plant is a shining example of industrialisation in India. Its advanced technological features and commitment to quality have made it one of the most successful steel plants in the country. It has helped to enhance India’s steel production capabilities and has provided employment to thousands of people, setting an example of growth and progress within the country.
