SAIL director (technical) SS Mohanty speaks at the seminar in Ranchi on Wednesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, June 26: In the current industrial scenario, Indian steel finds it tough to achieve the twin objectives of cost reduction and value addition. But, with the per capita consumption of steel in the country being just about 60kg per annum, there is enough opportunity to grow provided the challenges are met properly.

S.S. Mohanty, the director (technical) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), said this while inaugurating ARCS-13, a three-day international conference on advances in refractories and clean steel making, at Ispat Bhavan auditorium in Ranchi on Wednesday.

The conference has been organised jointly by two capital-based SAIL units — Research and Development Centre for Iron and Steel (RDCIS) and Centre for Engineering and Technology (CET) — and Mecon Limited under the aegis of Ranchi chapters of Indian Ceramic Society and Indian Institute of Metals.

It is being attended by around 250 delegates from steel and refractory industries, besides 35 others, from countries like the US, Germany, Norway, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, South Africa, Brazil, Egypt, Japan, China and Australia.

“The challenges involve improvement in quality by reducing impurities in steel and refractory has to play a significant role here,” Mohanty said, adding that incorporation of steel making and refractory at the same seminar would facilitate helpful interactions among experts from both the fields.

Sridhar Varadarajan, the executive director-in-charge of RDCIS who welcomed the guests, said that steel makers faced serious challenges of stringent quality requirement, compelling them to develop smart refractory material and suitable technology.

“Interaction among experts from both fields will help achieve production of improved quality of clean steel,” he hoped.

Shinya Kitamura, a leading researcher from Japan, delivered a theme lecture at the inaugural session, covering challenges and opportunities in refractory and steel making. He spoke in details about how phosphorus posed a serious problem in blast furnace and also deliberated on the process to eliminate it.

Anutosh Maitra and S. Chandrasekaran, the chief executive officers of Bokaro and Bhilai steel plants, respectively, also spoke on the occasion.

Over 80 papers have been accepted for presentation during the five technical sessions that will be held over three days. The conference will conclude on June 28.