Tata Steel expands hot rolled gauge capability to 13.5 mm in UK

LONDON (Scrap Monster): Following extensive trials at its narrow strip mill, in Rotherham, UK, Tata Steel Europe, subsidiary of Indian steel giant Tata Steel (BSE: 500470), has expanded its hot rolled gauge capability to 13.5 mm.

The increase in gauge (thickness) will allow customers to source thicker material than before which offers the potential to increase their product portfolio and source all of their requirements from one place.

Cahel Ferguson, Tata Steel Commercial Manager for narrow strip, said: “This development keeps us at the forefront of hot rolled narrow strip developments and will appeal to our existing customer base as well as allowing us to increase our footprint globally.

"The work builds on our policy of working with key customers to develop strategic capability which complements our commitment to give customers a class-leading combination of short lead times and delivery on time.”

The steel for the narrow strip is manufactured at Tata Steel’s plants in South Yorkshire, UK, before being rolled to its final size at the company’s mill in Brinsworth, Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The narrow strip is manufactured to the exacting specifications demanded by highly specialised, quality-critical sectors across the world such as cold rollers, keys, agricultural, automotive, yellow goods and aviation.

Tata Steel Limited is the tenth-largest steel producing company in the world, with an annual crude steel capacity of 23.5 million tonnes, and the largest private-sector steel company in India measured by domestic production. Tata Steel is also India's second largest and second-most profitable private-sector company, with consolidated revenues of $26 billion and net profit of over $1.9 billion in the year ended March 31, 2011.