SAIL reports record production in April-June 2006

Mumbai: The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has reported production of a record 3.1-million tonnes of saleable steel during April-June 2006 — its best-ever quarterly production.

While overall production saw a growth of eight per cent, average capacity utilisation at SAIL''s five integrated steel plants surged to 112 per cent during the first three months of the current fiscal against 103 per cent during the same period the previous year.

SAIL also reported improvement in production parameters with the energy consumption level down one per cent at 7.22 giga calories per tonne of crude steel and coke consumption reducing by one kg to 542 kg per tonne of hot metal.

Sales grew by half a million tonnes while total exports remained at the previous level of around 1.2-lakh tonnes during the period.

The three speciality steel plants of SAIL also reported improved performance. Production at Alloy Steels Plant, Durgapur rose 12 per cent during the period while Salem Steel Plant reported production of 41,500 tonnes against 23,000 tonnes in the same period of last year. VISL recorded a 10 per cent growth in hot metal production during the period.