German consul-general Rainer Schmiedchen in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 18: A Germany-based company is setting up a workshop near Khurda to provide superior quality equipment to steel plants across the country.

“All the big steel plants including those of the Tatas, Jindals, SAIL and Bhusans will be their clients,” Germany consul-general Rainer Schmiedchen told The Telegraph.

In December last year, the state government had allotted land to the Germany-based SMS India Limited, subsidiary of an engineering company, to set up its workshop. The plant is expected to start production in June next year.

Once ready, around 400 engineers and highly skilled workers will be working at the workshop. “I thanked the administration for their support for fast allotment of the land,” said Schmiedchen , who was on a five-day visit to the state.

“The Odisha government is very much interested for training support from us. I will pass on the message to our government and try to send some German expert to impart vocational training,” he said.

Today, representatives of Odisha business community and the Confederation of Indian Industries, Odisha chapter, met him and discussed various issues.

“I feel business prospects are very good in the field of mineral, metal and mining and also in the power sector,” he said.

Schmiedchen said: “I am happy that the business climate is good. The administration really cares for business interest. There have been a lot of initiatives in infrastructure development. Maoist situation has also improved.”

The Germany consul-general said he had met chief secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra on Friday.

“We spoke about the industrial scenario and German business interest,” Schmiedchen said.

“During the discussions, we got some encouraging news about the Posco project. We were told that the project has been ready for construction,” said Schmiedchen.

The consul-general, accompanied by his historian-wife Annete, visited Buddhist monuments in Lalitgiri-Ratnagiri-Udaygiri and some ancient monuments in and around Bhubaneswar.