Jusco expands its order bag

Jamshedpur Utility and Services Company (Jusco), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Steel, has tied up with Canadian Minnaean Building Solutions for using its patent on high gauge steel-based housing and construction.

Besides the licence to use the technology in South Africa, Jusco staff would be trained for making steel-based constructions popular in western countries.

With two steel-based houses already set up here, Jusco plans to get into the steel-based construction business in a major way with its newly-acquired technology. The agreement permits Jusco to do business in South Asia.

"Steel-based construction is big business in the western world and Singapore. Once it gets noticed in India, it will spread like a wildfire," predicted Jusco managing director Sanjeev Paul.

"The biggest advantage are that it is ready within a short time, with less material and is light, environment friendly and earthquake resistant," he added.

Jusco has also planed investments in construction, power, education and water and waste-water management. It has already bagged a contract worth over Rs 50 crore from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jamshedpur, for renovation of existing buildings and construction of new hostels.

The company has got an order from the Tisco-owned Indian Wire and Steel Products (IS&WP) here for the civil maintenance of its colony, including water and power supplies.

Jusco has a consultancy tie-up with the French company Veolia Water, formerly known as Vivendi Water. It plans to use this to take up city water services in towns like Haldia, Delhi, Vishakhapatnam and some destinations in Karnataka. Jusco has earmarked Rs 25 crore for investment in water services in five years.