Essar Steel completes capacity expansion at Hazira

Essar Steel has completed the capacity expansion of its Hazira steel plant near Surat in Gujarat. The steel unit capacity has been raised to 10 million tpa at an investment of $7.5 billion (approx Rs 39,750 crore). The investment includes raw material beneficiation, steel-making and distribution. The plant will have the capability to manufacture steel at a low cost through a series of cost-cutting measures. The Hazira facility combines a DRI, blast furnace and corex technology for making iron, which is later used in the steel-making process through electric arc furnaces. (January 2012)