An equal joint venture – Tata BlueScope Steel – designs, manufactures and distributes building and construction products and solutions in India. These include colour-coated steel for infrastructure, and for industrial, commercial and residential buildings. Today, the joint venture has 6 modern manufacturing facilities, which use coating technologies developed by BlueScope in Australia.
‘Our products are eco-friendly,’ says Mr Ajay Rattan, Vice President, for BP-Infra, Safety and Sustainability, Tata BlueScope Steel. ‘They are fully recyclable, water harvestable and comply with hazardous substance regulations. Our products adhere to sustainability standards required for new-age architects.’
Australia–India joint venture makes niche construction products
The joint venture plays to the 2 companies’ commercial strengths. BlueScope Steel is a frontrunner in colour-coated paint technology. Meanwhile, Tata Steel is one of the world’s largest steel-manufacturing companies.
In 2005, the 2 companies formed a joint venture – Tata BlueScope Steel. Its objective: to make specialty colour-coated steel products for India’s booming construction industry. The joint venture would focus on roof and wall-cladding applications.
‘While the raw material is sourced from Tata Steel, the technology and R&D support is adopted from BlueScope Steel in Australia,’ says Mr Ajay Rattan.
Since 2005, the joint venture has driven significant investment in Jamshedpur, in eastern India. This is the historic centre of Tata Steel’s operations. In addition, Tata BlueScope Steel has set up 4 more state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities: in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and at two sites near Pune, in Maharashtra.
‘The joint venture has proven to be a valuable investment for both the partners,’ says Mr Ajay Rattan. ‘This is because the building and construction industry is growing at a rapid pace in India and steel is one of the key materials.’
The BASF manufacturing unit in Chennai utilised ZINCALUME® steel and COLORBOND® steel.
Joint venture brands win green awards in India
The joint venture has brought iconic brands to the Indian subcontinent – including brands developed in Australia. Some are designed for improved aesthetic appeal, such as ZINCALUME® steel and COLORBOND® steel.
Tata BlueScope Steel also makes and distributes the LYSAGHT® range of roof and wall-cladding products.
The company’s brands are helping to raise environmental standards in India. For example, some coated products include thermal technology embedded in the paint. This reflects solar heat, which reduces temperatures inside the building and overall energy consumption.
The joint venture’s innovations have made an impact in India. Tata BlueScope Steel products have gained a GreenPro Ecolabel certification from the Confederation of Indian Industry. They have also gained a Green Rating for Integrated Housing Assessment (GRIHA) certification, which aims to improve sustainability in domestic construction.
Austrade helps investors partner for prosperity
Mr. Ajay Rattan observes that Australian businesses are investing widely in India.
‘Australian investment in India is significant and new opportunities are emerging between the 2 countries,’ he says. ‘This is because of initiatives by our governments and various other stakeholders.’
He says that Austrade has assisted the joint venture during its rapid growth.
‘Austrade has helped us grasp a better understanding of trade-related questions on several occasions,’ he adds. ‘Austrade is poised to leverage the synergies that exist between India and Australia.’
Steel joint venture is set for further growth
The joint venture comes at a pivotal moment in India, according to Mr Ajay Rattan.
‘India is passing through a very interesting phase as we become one of the world’s major economies,’ he says. ‘This is triggering lots of foreign direct investment and public-private projects.
‘Today, India’s policies are friendly to investors,’ he adds. ‘Both our stakeholders are positive about the joint venture. We are creating new products and applications – and we are definitely on a growth path.’
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