July 15, 2009: Essar Steel will be setting up its fifth Service Centre in India at Bhuj, which will make it the second such centre in Gujarat state. With another centre already operational at Hazira, Gujarat, Essar Steel has three more centres at Bahadurgarh, Chennai and Pune.

The Bhuj Service Centre will be the first centre of its kind to be set up by any steel company in a town that is a fast growing steel consumer with current consumption levels at 1.5 MTPA (million tonnes per annum). The Service Centre will have an annual capacity of 200,000 tonnes. Slated for commissioning by March 2010, it will primarily cater to the requirements of clients in the auto and general engineering sectors. It will also service the Essar Hypermarts located in northern Gujarat. This Centre is backed by Essar’s 4.6 MTPA Hazira Steel Plant, thus ensuring steady supplies and world-class quality.

Setting up of this Service Centre is in line with the company’s stated objective of being closer to the customer. This Service centre will enable company to offer customized products and small lots to users. The new facility will take the total aggregated capacity of the five centres to 2.7 MTPA and help Essar retain its number one status in this segment.

About Essar Steel
Essar Steel is a fully integrated flat carbon steel manufacturer—from iron ore to ready-to-market products. It has a current capacity of 4.6 million tonnes per annum. It has the country’s most extensive Service Centre capability with an annual capacity of 2.5 MTPA, and the largest network of steel retail outlets branded Essar Hypermart. Its products find wide acceptance in highly discerning consumer sectors, such as automotive, white goods, construction, engineering and shipbuilding.