Azerbaijan , Baku, April 13 / Trend, A.Yusifzade /
Esfahan Steel Company's production has increased by 300,000 tons to 2.2 million tons during the last Iranian calendar year (ended March 20,2011), compared to the previous year (ended March 20,2010), IRNA reported quoting the Managing Director of Iran's Esfahan Steel Company Safarali Barati as saying.
According to Barati, the Company's production of different steel commodities such as agglomerates, molten pig iron and crude steel billets exceeded by 110, 114, and 115 percent respectively during the above mentioned period.
Deputy Minister of Industries and Mines and Chairman of IMIDRO Hassan Pelarak recently said that Iran's annual steel production capacity has reached 20 million tons.
Pelarak said that by the end of 2014, Iran should be a supplier of steel materials.
"Steel capacity has increased from less than 10 million tons to 17.5 million tons, while upon utilization of the undertaken projects, the target of 20 million tons will be achieved by the end of current Iranian year and by the end of Fifth Development Plan (2015), the capacity of 44 million tons will be reached," Pelarak added.
Pelarak said that the implementation of 110 projects are incepted from the Fourth Plan (2005-2010) and will continue by the end of Fifth Plan (2010-2015). The projects are worth at $27 billion and likely other projects will be added to this number.
"Participation and investment of the private sector in the implementation of the plans are the measures that will be undertaken," Pelarak noted.
The main steel mills of the country are located in Isfahan and Khuzestan provinces.
Major raw steel producers of the Islamic Republic of Iran include the Mobarakeh Steel Mill, with approximately 47 percent of the market share, the Khuzestan Steel Company with about 23 percent, the Isfahan Foundry with about 20 percent, and the Iran National Steel Industries Group with approximately 10 percent of the market share.
According to World Steel Association, Iran is the second steel producer in the Middle East.