Bhubaneswar: Amid the challenges thrown by COVID-19 crisis, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has registered an all-time best July production in several of its units including blast furnaces and hot strip mill, a statement issued by the company said.
Blast Furnace-1 made 70,075 tonne of hot metal during the month, while Blast Furnace-5 clocked 2,39,578 tonne of production in July 2020, the statement said.
Similarly, the 60-year old Hot Strip Mill-1 rolled out 1,51,848 tonne of HR Coil (Total) thereby surpassing the previous best recorded in July 2017 while the New Plate Mill made 73,639 tonne of plates, bettering its previous best July performance registered in 2018, it said.
The Hot Strip Mill-1 added another feather to its cap by dispatching 1,23,378 tonne of HR Coils and Plates, which is an all time best performance.
Besides, all the major units – Coke Ovens, both the Sinter Plants, Blast Furnaces, Steel Melting Shop-2, both the Plate Mills and both the Pipe Plants achieved more than 100 per cent of their targets, it said.
The month was also remarkable for RSP, a unit of public sector SAIL, as it established several benchmarks in different fields of endeavour. RSP created a national record by making 48 blows from a single converter of SMS-2 on a single day—July 2.
This feat has been appreciated by the entire steel firmament of the country. A new benchmark of 2,338 cycles was also set in torpedo lining life. The achievements hold a special significance, as the employees have made this success possible, while facing the challenges of COVID-19 simultaneously, the statement said.
In a message to the employees of RSP, Dipak Chattaraj, CEO has urged them to keep themselves as well as their family members safe from COVID-19 by strictly adhering to all the safety protocols.
“The market is responding positively and the demand for flat products has increased. We have got a glorious opportunity in our hands to usher in a turnaround of the plant, which eventually means a better and brighter future for all of us. Believe me, if each one of us is alert, aware and careful, we can make our city and our steel plant Corona free and simultaneously usher in a new future for ourselves and our plant,” he emphasised.