RSP RECORDS THE BEST EVER PRODUCTION DURING APRIL-AUGUST

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The production of the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of the Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), a public sector undertaking of the Steel Ministry during April-August, 2003 has surpassed earlier years in all major areas. It produced 1.089 million tonnes (MT) of total sinter, 0.715 MT of hot metal and 0.643 MT of continuous cast slabs recording growth of 9.9, 6.1 and 8.6 per cent respectively. It has also achieved highest ever total crude steel production with a growth of 8.5 per cent. Total saleable steel production, during the period, was all time high of 0.665 MT registering a growth of nearly 8 per cent over the same period of last fiscal.

The month of August witnessed the achievement of the best ever August performance since inception in all important production areas like sinter plant-2, sinter (total), hot Metal, continuous cast slabs, HR coils (total), HR coils (sale), CRNO and saleable steel (total).

High value added items production in the plant during the period have registered significant growth over the corresponding period of last year i.e plates from plate mill (34%), electric resistance weld (ERW) pipes (73%), spiral weld pipes (339%), CR sheets and coils (7%), tin plates (17.3%), galvanised sheets (10%) and CRNO from silicon steel mill (7%). The production of the high value-added CRNO from RSP's silicon steel mill during the month of August was the highest as compared to any month since inception of the mill in the year 1984.

The plant has despatched 1,53,250 tonnes of saleable steel during the month of August and 0.652 million tonnes during the period April-August, 2003. This is also the best ever performance of the plant for the month of August and for the cumulative period.