Marubeni-Itochu Steel Starts Tailored Welded Blank Business in India

Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. announced on Thursday the firm will establish a joint venture in India to process tailored welded blank (TWB) for automobiles with Caparo Engineering India, the press component maker for automobile in India. Marubeni-Itochu Steel and Caparo invest US$ 3.8 million and establish the factory near Delhi, which will start operation in July 2007 at 6,000 tonnes of processing capacity per year. Marubeni-Itochu Steel entered TWB market in India for the first time, while the firm already holds TWB business bases in the U.S.A. and Thailand.Capital fund of the new JV is US$ 1.5 million, 30% of which is shared by Marubeni-Itochu Steel and 70% by Caparo. The JV will be established in September 2006 in Haryana region of India and supply TWB to Japanese and European automobile makers.