Tata Bluescope inaugurates third manufacturing facility

Chennai, Jan 29 (UNI) Tata BlueScope Steel Ltd today inaugurated its first Building Components and Systems manufacturing facility at the industrial hub of Sriperumbudur, about 40 km from here, and plans a sales target of Rs 100 crore in the first year ending March 2007 and Rs 1,000 crore by 2010-11.

This was the third facility of the company, a joint venture between country steel major Tata Steel and Australia-based BlueScope Steel Ltd, in the space of six months after its two plants in Pune and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan.

''We are expecting a sales turnover of about Rs 100 crore in the first year ending March 31, 2007. By 2010-11 we expect a sales growth of Rs 1,000 crore'' Tata BlueScope Steel Managing Director Chetan Toila and Chairperson Kathryn Fagg told reporters.

With this third facility, which would manufacture light steel structures and roof and wall cladding solutions under the brand name ''LYSAGHT'', the company had strengthened its position in the steel construction industry.

The Chennai facility, set up at an investment of about Rs 70 crore, would offer light steel structure solutions for commercial, agriculture, residential and institutional sectors.

Mr Chetan Tolia said this state-of-the-art facility was set up in a 10-acre area and would manufacture roofing and wall cladding components for pre-engineered metal buildings and other building solutions.

He said Tata BlueScope's coated steel manufacturing facility at Jamshedpur would become operational from the first quarter of 2009.

The Jamshedpur facility, with a capital investment of Rs 900 crore, would have an annual metallic coating capacity of 2,50,000 tonnes and paint line capacity of 150,000 tonnes.

UNI