Kobe Steel to Provide Auto-Outer Panel Technology to Essar Steel

Kobe Steel signed contract with Essar Steel of India to provide technical support for automotive outer panel flat steel. The contract is first actual step under the comprehensive alliance agreement signed in November 2008. They discussed various cooperation themes since the alliance start. Kobe Steel expects with Kobe Steel’s support including technical advisers at the site Essar provides high grade automotive steel to Indian transplants of Japanese steel makers.

Kobe Steel provided 6 direct reducing iron plants to Hazira works of Essar Steel. Kobe Steel also provided technical support and facility check for production and quality control of automotive flat steel. They try to find another cooperation items to meet growing demand in India.

They discussed the technical support since the alliance agreement. Kobe Steel provides technical support in quality and production control for sheet and plate steel, facility and operation of whole works and efficient management of environment and energy consumption.

Kobe Steel eyes procurement of slab and raw materials from Essar Steel. Kobe Steel tries to expand the procurement source and to follow high valued steel demand in India through tie-up with Essar Steel.