- Project to take Hazira plant capacity to 15 MTPA, creating 60,000 jobs
October 29, Hazira: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) – a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, two of the world’s leading steelmakers – today conducted a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the commencement of a Rs 60,000-crore investment programme to increase production capacity of its Hazira plant in Gujarat, from 9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to c.15 MTPA.
The ceremony was graced by Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India; Shri Bhupendra Patel, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat Government; Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Hon’ble Union Steel Minister; Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan; Shri Kunihiko Kawazu, Minister & Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan; Shri C.R. Patil, Hon’ble Member of Parliament; Mr. Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman, ArcelorMittal; Mr. Aditya Mittal, CEO, ArcelorMittal and Chairman, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India; Mr. Eiji Hashimoto, Representative Director and President, Nippon Steel Corporation; Mr. Takahiro Mori, Representative Director and Executive Vice President, Nippon Steel Corporation, and Member, Board of Directors, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India; and Mr. Dilip Oommen, CEO, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India.
This expansion at Hazira comes nearly three years after AM/NS India was established, and will involve upstream and downstream steelmaking expansion, creating more than 60,000 jobs and strengthening nearby communities with initiatives that deepen sustainability.
Since 2019, AM/NS India has made strong progress on performance and debottlenecking at Hazira plant by applying the global best practices of its parent companies and investing in technology and R&D. The company is now a self-sustaining, free cash flow generating business, and well-positioned in a fast-growing market to deliver long-term value to its employees, communities, and the Indian steel industry.
As part of its expansion programme, AM/NS India will continue to contribute to the strengthening of India’s steelmaking expertise and capabilities, including the development of downstream facilities to produce value-added steels to reduce India’s reliance on steel imports for use in sectors such as defence, automotive and infrastructure.
Beyond volume growth and improving the quality and diversity of its steels, AM/NS India is also focused on efforts to lead the decarbonisation of the steel industry through initiatives such as integrating renewables into its energy supply chain and exploring the use of a range of lower-carbon technologies over the next decade.
Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony as the Chief Guest, Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, said: “My best wishes to AM/NS India for the Hazira expansion, which will open doors for new possibilities in the future with the investment of Rs 60,000 crore. This project will create job opportunities in Gujarat and across India, apart from inspiring the manufacturing of high-grade steel while playing a critical role in reducing import dependence in critical and strategic applications. The company’s latest technology for this project will prove to be a milestone and provide a fillip to the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. I also congratulate AM/NS India for giving utmost importance to green technology to contribute to the circular economy.”
Shri Bhupendra Patel, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat Government, said: “We are proud that Gujarat remains the investment destination of choice. The ambitious expansion project by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India is a perfect start to a New Year in the state that has been leading the way in improving the Ease of Doing Business. The project will not only create jobs and economic activity in our state but also reinforces Gujarat’s position as a leading manufacturing hub, with stable, business-friendly policies and unrivaled infrastructure. I extend my best wishes to AM/NS India.”
Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Hon’ble Union Steel Minister, India, said: “India’s path to achieving 300 million tonnes of steelmaking capacity will require significant capital, advanced manufacturing technologies and deeper experience in the execution of large-scale projects. I am certain that this collaboration will help bring all three into the fold. My best wishes to AM/NS India. Looking forward to seeing the Hazira Plant make great strides in the advancement of the Indian steel industry.”
Shri Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan, said: “The ground-breaking ceremony for the next phase of capacity addition is a significant milestone. I extend my good wishes to the team. This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and India. I feel proud as partnerships like these strengthen ties between the two countries. As the world’s second and third largest steel producers, India and Japan must continue to work on common synergies for economic growth and decarbonisation.”
Shri Kunihiko Kawazu, Minister & Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan, said: “In March 2022, the leaders of Japan and India expressed their shared intention to realize JPY 5 trillion of public and private investment, and financing from Japan to India in the next five years. The Government of India has been strengthening the steel sector under the ‘Make in India’, ‘Self-Reliant India’ and ‘National Steel Policy 2017’ schemes. The business expansion by AM/NS India will complement the advancement of these schemes. The Government of Japan will continue to cooperate in the development of the Indian steel sector.”
Mr. Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman, ArcelorMittal, said: “We are proud to have reached this important juncture to deepen our contribution to the growth of India’s steelmaking industry and the country’s vision not only for Atmanirbhar Bharat but also a Bharat that manufactures for the world. This project will be one of the largest investments in Gujarat in recent years and we remain impressed by the scale of the state’s ambition and the pace of its progress in becoming a global manufacturing hub.”
Mr. Aditya Mittal, CEO, ArcelorMittal and Chairman, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, said: “Expansion to 15 MTPA is the natural next step for Hazira, a plant we have always said holds great potential to capture the growth opportunities presented by a growing domestic steel market in a rising Indian economy. Our own growth, in Hazira and across India, will be responsible growth, including an unwavering commitment to decarbonizing our steel and the wellbeing of our people and communities, starting with safety”.
Mr. Eiji Hashimoto, Representative Director and President, Nippon Steel Corporation, said: “It is a great pleasure to be part of this groundbreaking ceremony, commemorating the next step of AM/NS India. Nippon Steel is committed to making great contributions to the growth of India, through the development of AM/NS India.”
Mr. Takahiro Mori, Representative Director and Executive Vice President, Nippon Steel Corporation; and Member, Board of Directors, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, said: “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony marks a transformation of AM/NS India in its journey to becoming the leading and preferred steelmaker in India. With this new construction and capacity expansion of upstream and hot-rolling facilities at Hazira steel mill, we aim to meet the growing demand for steel in India.”
Mr. Dilip Oommen, CEO, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, said: “The plant expansion will step up resolve to enhance our contribution towards the nation’s steel growth plan that not only spurs the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative but also envisions India as a global manufacturing hub. With the state-of-the-art facilities, the project will equip us to produce high-grade value-added steel solutions, aligning with the Government’s import substitution policy goals.”
The state-of-the-art facilities to be set up
- Ironmaking process: Blast furnaces, sintering facilities, coke furnaces, etc.
- Steelmaking process: Basic oxygen furnaces, continuous casting machines, etc.
- Hot process: Hot Strip Mill, etc.
AM/NS India recently received environmental clearance for the Hazira expansion project from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change after a detailed environmental impact assessment. The company has a long-term ambition to raise its national capacity to 30 MTPA in the coming decade, supporting the government’s National Steel Policy that envisages doubling domestic capacity to 300 MTPA by 2030.
