India’s Aarti Steel restarts 200,000 tpy Cuttack continuous caster

The two-strand continuous caster will now be able to produce bloom sections measuring 240 x 280 mm and 250 x 320 mm. It had previously only been able to cast sections measuring 125, 160 and 200 square mm.

It has a 200,000 tpy capacity and a casting radius of nine metres.

Aarti Steel has a total production capacity of 300,000 tpy with plants located in Punjab and Orissa. It mainly produces billets, hot-rolled products, wire rod and sponge iron, also known as direct reduced iron (DRI).

The restart comes at a time when domestic billet, hot-rolled coil and DRI prices have been increasing in India.

Metal Bulletin assessed domestic India DRI at 21,300-21,700 rupees ($327.67-333.82) per tonne, ex works, on March 9, a considerable increase from the 20,100-20,400 per tonne range assessed a month earlier on February 9.

Domestic India billet prices have also been increasing and were assessed at 33,300-33,600 rupees per tonne, ex works, on March 9, from a 31,500-31,800-rupees-per-tonne range a month ago on February 9.

Meet Metal Bulletin’s Asia steel editor, Paul Lim, and China steel analysts Jessica Zong and Gladdy Chu at the 16th International Steel Market & Trade Conference in Xi’an, China, on March 29-30. Paul will be presenting on “Increasing trading margins and reducing spot price risks in volatile global markets” at the conference. Connect with us on WeChat using the ID: metalbulletin.