Govt exempts 40-odd grades from Stainless Steel QC Order

The government has excluded 40-odd grades of stainless steel used in auto and engineering sectors from the Stainless Steel Quality Control (QC) Order, 2016.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) recently came out with the order, which stipulates a mandatory registration with the state-run quality control body. It also prohibits manufacture, import, storage, sale and distribution of stainless steel products by trade and industry without such registration.
"Around 40 grades have been exempted. These are customer specific stainless steel flat rolled products used in auto, industrial and engineering sectors, however, those used in utensils and kitchenware applications are covered under the QC Order," a senior government official said.

In September, the government had extended the window for registration under the Stainless Steel Quality Control Order, 2016, by three months after several industry bodies approached the Steel Ministry on the matter.
The development had come following a bitter war of words between stainless steel industry body ISSDA and industry bodies like PPMAI, MSSMA and AISSIA, which forced the Steel Ministry to set up a panel to look into the issue in August.
The order provides stainless steel makers and dealers more time to register their products with the BIS.

The QC Order had led to a war of words between various industry bodies associated with the stainless steel sector. While some called it need of the hour, others were protesting that it helps a few companies at the expense of others.

Industry bodies like Metal and Stainless Steel Merchant's Association, All India Stainless Steel Industries Association and Process Plant and Machinery Association of India (PPMAI) have alleged that the QC Order has been implemented without discussions with end-users.
Slamming such claims, ISSDA said reports on long period of certification is factually incorrect and that BIS has announced a simplified regime for registration that will now only take a month after the submission of complete documents.