UAE-based Emirates Steel Industries (ESI), one of the largest steel producing and fully integrated companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, has recently announced that it has plans to add flats to its product portfolio.
Currently, ESI is evaluating a project to construct a fully-automated hot rolling line, which would increase the company’s production capacity to over 5 million mt per year. Moreover, once completed, the investment will make ESI the second HRC producer in the GCC region, along with Saudi Arabia-based Hadeed. "After completing the evaluation process, we plan to meet the increasing demand on HRC and flat products in local and regional markets through the new expansion of assets and operations. Launching our new HRC products is part of our growth plans which aim to maximise our contribution to the UAE industrial sector," said Al Remeithi, CEO of ESI. Currently, HRC buyers in the GCC and the UAE in particular mainly source their feedstock from Asian suppliers. ESI’s project, according to sources, will help to balance the market and competition once there will be a local supplier capable of covering the essential needs of the re-rollers and pipe makers.
Currently, ESI is one of the largest producers of long products and sections and the sole manufacturer of the hot rolled sheet piles in the GCC region.