JSW Steel to invest Rs 17,600cr more to up capacity to 24.7 mt

Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel today said the company has decided to invest an additional Rs 17,600 crore for increasing its steel capacity to 24.7 million tonne per annum (mtpa) by 2020.

"Looking at the domestic demand growth, we see a shortage of steel if we don't expand in the next two years," JSW Steel joint managing director and group chief financial officer Seshagiri Rao told reporters here while announcing almost two-fold rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 2,879 crore in the March quarter, against Rs 1,008 crore in the year-ago quarter.

"We have decided to expand our capacity from 18 mt (million tonne) to 24.7 mt, which includes addition of one mt at Vijaynagar and 0.67 mt at Dolvi unit, and also expand our downstream projects by 2020," he said.

The overall estimated capex plan of Rs 26,815 crore announced last year is expected to be enhanced by Rs 17,600 crore to implement new projects, Rao said, adding, "Overall, the company is now implementing a cumulative capex pipeline of Rs 44,415 crore by March 2020."