Jindal Steel Limited is pushing the boundaries of hollow section applications with its 600×600 mm ERW-DFT product, while steering the market toward higher-strength grades such as E450 and YST 410-450. Company executives outlined plans to expand steel’s role across construction, photovoltaic, automotive and long-span structures.
The company’s product range spans circular hollow sections from 89 mm to 219 mm OD and square hollow sections from 60×60 mm to 600×600 mm, manufactured across three mills at Raigarh with a total capacity of 0.75 million tonnes per annum. The 600×600 mm size, produced via the Direct Forming Technology route, is described as a key differentiator, the first such plant in India. Products find applications in airports, high-rise buildings, refineries, railways, metros and railway station development under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
Executives said pricing remains a major industry challenge, as smaller tube manufacturers using re-rolled billets operate with different cost structures compared to integrated producers that manufacture from iron ore through to finished products. The company sees stronger opportunities in photovoltaic, automotive and long-span structural segments, where quality and capability requirements favour integrated manufacturers.
A key growth focus is replacing concrete with steel in building applications including factories, houses and shopping malls, drawing on examples from developed markets such as Germany where steel structures are used extensively. Executives noted that convincing customers to shift from concrete to steel remains a challenge, though steel’s reusability and recyclability offer a long-term advantage as India’s steel consumption continues to grow.
