At JSW, change is the only constant, accelerating the value- creation
momentum.
Sajjan Jindal,
Vice Chairman and Managing Director, JSW Steel, highlights the JSW
strategy
A new chapter was written in the history of Indian Steel Industry when
your company acquired 45.53% majority stake in Ispat Industries. The
new entity that has a capacity of 3.3 mtpa and is scalable to 5 mtpa
with relatively less investment.
Dear Shareholders,
The year 2010-11 marks an important milestone in JSWs journey. The year
2010-11 was fully packed with events like acguisition of Coking coal
assets in USA, Technological Collaboration Agreement with eguity
participation by Japanese Steelmaker JFE and the acguisition of Ispat
Industries.
Strategic Collaboration with JFE - The Game Changer
JSW recognizes that the company needs to grow faster than peers in
skill, expertise and technology. In orderto shorten the learning curve
JSW entered into Strategic collaboration with JFE Steel corporation,
from Japan to produce high-end value added steel products for
Automotive and construction Industry, energy reduction technology and
environmental technology.
This collaboration entails execution of several definitive agreements
which are consistent with your companys long term vision forfuture
growth. The collaboration between JSW and JFE involves following:
- A general technology assistance agreement, which encompasses all
facets of steel making and processing from
raw material handling to rolling mills including energy control and
savings.
- A technical assistance agreement encompassing our newly announced
cold rolling mill (CRM 2).
- A foreign collaboration agreement focusing on the manufacture of
high- end auto-grade steel presently being imported into India.
The definitive agreement with JFE represents a game-changing milestone
in JSWs journey to emerge as one of the best global steel manufacturing
company.
The Company also entered into a subscription agreement with JFE
following which they invested Rs. 4,947 crores in the eguity of the
Company, holding 14.78% of Eguity Share Capital and Rs. 463 crores
towards Global Depository Receipts.
Backward Integration - Strengthening Sustainability
There is a global debate on the importance of increasing downstream
production capacities or acquiring natural resources. JSW continues to
focus on both: the creation of additional capacities on the one hand
and investing in enhancing resource linkages.
US Coking coal Mines: We acquired coking coal mines in West Virginia,
USA. The acquisition covers seven blocks. We expect to commence
production in 2011-12 and ramped up to 3 million tonnes in 3 years.
Chile Iron ore: Our iron ore mines in Chile are ready to supply output
to international customers. The Bella Vista project is expected to ship
1 million tonne perannum. We have planned to enhance mining in Chile
to 3 mtpa over three years.
Changing the dynamics of the Indian Steel Industry - Ispat Acquisition
A new chapter was written in the history of Indian Steel Industry when
yourcompany acquired 45.53% majority stake in Ispat Industries. The new
entity that has a capacity of 3.3 mtpa and is scalable to 5 mtpa with
relatively less investment.
The geographical location of the plant in the west coast of India along
with a captive jetty has huge strategic advantages due to proximity to
growing western India market and raw material access. With our leading
presence in south India we realized that we can develop healthy
synergies with ispat Industries.
Ispat is a company with strong technical fundamentals and cutting edge
technology. The Thin Slab casting facility and the compact strip mill
give its product a cutting egde in the competitive market.
JSW will complement these realities with additional investment in coke
oven, pelletising plant and power plant, resulting in complete
integration that will graduate it to a profitable steel company.
Another Step in Forward Integration - JV for Building Structure
In another landmark event forthe steel and construction industries in
India , JSW Severfield Structures (JSSL) , a 50:50 joint venture
between JSW Steel and UK based severfield Reeve structures, inaugurated
its speciality steel plant at Vijaynagar having a capacity of 35000
tonnes per annum on November 17, 2010. The plant will address the fast
growing needs of the Indian construction market. The output is
completely booked for 2011 -12.
JSW also widened its coverage to cutting- edge flooring technology viz
Composite Metal Decking through another joint venture with Structural
Metal Decks Limited, UK. This profiled sheeting is used with in-situ
concrete and relatively light reinforcement leading to structurally
effective and economic floor solutions. This pioneering technology will
reduce concrete volumes by about 30% and overall weight, translating
into a pioneering solution for high-rise buildings in India.
Growth Strategy- Fine Tuned
As you are aware that we have been pursuing the Strategy of Vertical
Integration (Forward and Backward integration) and Horizontal expansion
(Growth in Volumes) for the last few years, we have further fine tuned
it in the face of new economic realty in the developed world. We have
moved from the erstwhile approach of manufacturing value-added steel in
the developed economies to manufacturing them in India.
Priorto the meltdown in 2008-09, special steel demand and realizations
were robust in developed economies, justifying the acguisitions of
processing mills in these geographies. However, the prolonged delay in
post-meltdown recovery has now made these developed economies expensive
as processing destinations.
On the other hand, India has rebounded from the global crisis with
speed, largely due to countrys consumption-driven economy. These
trends are further expected to sustain over the decade due to
increasing disposable income, income distribution, growing urbanization
and rising working population.
In view of the above, the company closed its UK service centre
facility, relocated the production assets to the companys service
centre in India as part of its overarching strategy to commission more
service centers proximate to steel consuming markets and automotive
hubs in India.
Horizontal Expansion
West Bengal Project: We have commenced work on our proposed West Bengal
project for the first phase for 3.0 million tonnes steel plant and 300
MW captive power plant. We expect to complete the first phase in three
years. The work on the boundary wall is on the verge of completion and
soon we will begin the construction of the plant in the next financial
year.
Capacity expansion up to 12 million tonnes at Vijaynagar works: The
Company has made assessment of the existing facilities at vijayanagar
works and based on findings, we have decided to increase the capacity
by additional 2 mtpa.
Investment in Technology - Towards Lowest Cost Steel producer
We are in the process of implementing a strategy to achieve significant
cost reduction by investing in new technologies. We commissioned
beneficiation plant at Vijayanagar works to utilize the low grade iron
ore fines. We also commissioned our new sinter plant to enhance the
sinter % in the feed which will further increase the productivity of
our blast furnaces and reduce the fuel consumption. In orderto further
increase the energy efficiency of steel plant we are implementing
various project like coke dry guenching, Coal briguetting, waste heat
recovery boilers, 100% waste utilization, micro peptization etc.
Speed and stability - hand in hand
I take the opportunity to mention that while we move ahead with
unprecedented speed, the Company is very stable. We deleveraged our
Balance sheet with additional infusion of eguity and pre-payment of
debt. We are financially strong, healthy and stable to pursue our
growth plans.
With the world getting increasingly dynamic turbulence will be the
order of the day; volatility will only increase. But I would like to
assure shareholders that as a policy, we undertake projects where we
continue to be among the lowest cost steel producers in the world.
Your company is committed to improving the quality of life of all
stakeholders through continuous and purposeful engagement in economic
progress, social responsibility an environmental concern.
Our Gratitude
I would like to convey my sincere gratitude and appreciation to our
shareholders, debenture holders, Customers, Business partners, Vendors,
both International and domestic, Bankers, Financial Institutions and
all other stake holders for their consistent support and trust.
A compulsive dreamer, I continue to scan the horizon with optimism and
conviction. The second fastest growing economy in the world will take
its rightful place as an economic superpower. This will create huge
opportunities for growth over the next decade. I would like to assure
shareholders your company will play an important role in this India
growth story and we will continue to invest in projects, products and
markets that reinforce our position as one of the lowest cost steel
producers in the world leading to a projected 40 mtpa capacity by 2020.
Warm regards,
Sajjan Jindal
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