| In its presentation to investors, the company mentioned that it would strive to be a strong player in the construction segment and secure dominance in the high-end flat products market. |
| The move to focus on the auto and construction sectors is part of the company's strategy to move up the value chain and to achieve this it is also re-orienting its product-mix at Jamshedpur. Its FY05 plan includes increasing the share of longs, galvanised and cold-rolled products while reducing share of hot rolled and semis in its product mix. By FY07, Tata Steel would have a crude steel production of 7.4 million tonne. |
| B Muthuraman, managing director, Tata Steel, had mentioned at the annual conference in Kolkata on April 6, that establishing a global presence was part of the company's agenda for this financial year and it is also nursing a long-term plan of becoming a 15 million tonne entity. Half of the capacity would come up at Jamshedpur and the company would create the rest 5-6 million tonne capacity at other locations in India. Eventually, Tata Steel would connect domestic and global operations. |
| The company officials had earlier visited China, Ukraine and Singapore to evaluate possibilities of establishing a global presence there. Incidentally, the investor conference was held in Singapore. |
| But, steel would not be the only business to go global. Tata Steel is planning to grow its minerals business into a global entity as well. The company has already decided to set up a 49:51 joint venture in Thailand for limestone. The yet to be named joint venture has earlier taken a limestone mine on lease. |
| Meanwhile, in the last fiscal its production of chrome ore, chrome concentrate and manganese ore was the highest ever. Ferro alloy sales and chrome exports also touched record highs. |
| Lastly, Tata Steel plans to enter into alliances with leaders of steel technology to become a dominant Asian low-cost steel major. |
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