Essar Steel to expand its retail chain in Kerala

Targeting the retail market, global steel producer Essar Steel would increase its retail distribution network, Hypermarts and Expressmarts in Kerala, a top company official said here today.

Essar Steel currently has three Hypermarts and 15 Expressmarts in the state. It is planning to increase their numbers to 4 and 23, respectively, by the end of the 2011, Essar Hypermart CEO Girish Rao told reporters here.

Essar Hypermart is aimed at making steel available to end users close to the user point, he said.

With over 500 retail outlets across the country, the concept of Essar Hypermart has revolutionised the marketing of steel in India, he said.

Essar Hypermarts cater to customers ranging from small manufacturers, local fabricators to general engineering firms in the SME segment, he said.

They offers its customers a comprehensive range of flat and long steel products for a variety of applications, he said, adding in a shift from the slow and cumbersome methods of delivering steel, Essar Hypermart provides immediate delivery, transparent pricing, customised quantities and guaranteed quality to its retail customers.

The firm plans to open a Hypermart at Thiruvananthapuram shortly to take their number to 4 in the state. Besides, it will come up with 8 more Expressmarts in various parts of the state, he said.

Essar Steel is a fully integrated flat carbon steel manufacturer, with presence in Canada, USA, India and Indonesia. Essar steel has a global steel production capacity of 8.6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).

It operates seven service centres in India, Indonesia and Canada with an aggregate capacity of over 3 million tonnes. Essar has the largest network distribution channel with over 400 branded Essar Hypermarts.

Essar Group is a multinational conglomerate and a leading player in sectors like Steel, Oil and Gas, Power, Communications, Shipping Ports and Logistics, Construction and Minerals with operations in over 20 countries across five continents.