Sarda Energy & Minerals Limited (SEML) Siltara, Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Billets are semi-finished steel products with a square cross section usually up to 160mm x 160mm. This product is either rolled or continuously cast and is then transformed by rolling to obtain finished products like wire rod, merchant bars and other sections. At SEML, billets are produced using continuous casting process. The molten steel is continuously cast via a tundish into a water-cooled copper mold causing a thin shell to solidify. This ‘strand’ is then withdrawn through a set of guiding rolls and further cooled by spraying with a fine water mist. The solidified shell continues to thicken until the strand is fully solidified. Finally, the strand is cut into desired lengths and these are either discharged to a storage area or to the hot rolling mill. Our annual billet production capacity is 200,000 MT.

Ferro alloys are high value added products usually used for manufacturing of mild steel and special steel. SEML is one of the largest producers and exporters of manganese based ferro alloys with exports to more than 60 countries. For its contribution to ferro alloys export, SEML has been awarded Star-Export house status from the Government of India. Recently SEML has also been awarded by EEPC- (Engineering Export Promotion Council) by Regional Export award in the category of star performer for the FY 08-09.The ferro alloys division constitutes the bulk of SEML top-line as well as bottom-line. Ferro alloys are produced in sub-merged arc furnaces using electro-thermic process. The main raw materials are manganese ore, fluxes like dolomite & quartz and reductants like coke, charcoal & coal. Ore which is in metallic oxide form is smelted in the furnace. The reduction reactions are endothermic and necessary heat is supplied by captive electricity through graphite electrodes in the centre of the furnace. The electricity passing through the electrode to the metal creates arc which smelts the metal forming ferro alloys of desired quality. SEML has total installed capacity of 45 MVA at its Siltara, Raipur plant. The installed capacity is being increased by 25% to 60 MVA due to improvements in operational efficiency.