Essar Steel eyes passenger car segment for bullet proof steel

Essar Steel India Ltd (ESIL) on Tuesday said it is in talks with vehicle body builders and car designers for using its bullet proof steel in vehicles.

ESIL is the first Indian company to develop bullet proof steel. Till date, this grade of steel is imported from developed countries. Now, ESIL, has also become a part of the elite club who can produce this grade of steel. It is used in light armored vehicles and protective shields or structure.

"Having developed this product, we are now in position to commercialise it. We are in discussion with couple of vehicle body builders and car designers to develop passenger vehicle using our bullet proof steel," said Vikram Amin, Executive Director,(Strategy & Business Development), Essar Steel.

The newly developed bullet proof steel absorbs the impact of bullet travelling at a speed of 700 m/sec with hardly a dent on the surface. This steel has hardness levels above 500 BHN and is extremely tough. The product has undergone several tests and is now ready for commercial production.

There is a huge potential for this steel in India. While armoured vehicle is a clear user segment, Essar Steel is now eyeing passenger vehicle segment. As personal security gains importance, bullet proof vehicles will have great demand in India. Such vehicles are common in developed world; but is a novelty in India, Amin said.

As a part of its initiative to target Defence segment, it has already developed steel for use in various defence applications.

ESIL is not a new entrant in defense segment. It had been supplying DMR 249A grade, special steel for building warship, from its hot strip mill since 2001. After commissioning of 5 m wide plate mill with sophisticated heat treatment facilities in 2009, several new grades were developed and the product range for the existing grades was enhanced.

The Essar team had collaborated with Defence sector to produce grades like CDA-99, EN10025-6-S690QL, very tough steels used in heavy armored vehicles.

However the crowning glory has been the production of DMR-1700, an ultra-tough steel of yield strength 1500 Mega Pascal designed by Defence Research Development Organization.