RSP reports record saleable steel production
Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), a unit of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has broken a record in saleable steel production in October 2004. RSP produced 136'000 tons of saleable steel in October 2004. The figure indicates the highest production level recorded in any October since the inception of the plant. Moreover, the figure is 15% higher than that of the previous record registered in 2003. As previously reported by SteelOrbis, like many Indian steel producers, RSP also had to reduce production due to coking coal shortage in the first half of the current fiscal year. In the first half of the current fiscal year, the company reported a net profit of Rupees 2.52 billion ($55.8 million). Moreover, in October RSP's Plate Mill produced 32'000 tons of plates, which is also 25% higher than the previous record production level. Likewise in October 2004, hot rolled plate production increased by 43%, tinplate production by 197%, galvanized sheet production by 17.5%, spiral welded pipe production by 43% and ERW pipes by 29% against the production figures recorded in October 2003.