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An Empirical Study On Marketing Prospect
An Empirical Study On Marketing Prospect
VARUN P. BAGLA
2008
MA MARKETING
AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON MARKETING
PROSPECTS AND POTENTIAL OF STEEL
INDUSTRY IN INDIA
by
VARUN P. BAGLA
2008
In this dissertation, a sectoral review of the steel industry in India was taken into
consideration. The emphasis was laid down in finding out to know the competitive
advantages, which the large Indian Steel Companies have created overtime and their
adaptation to the changing environment. I also analyzed the marketing potential and
prospects of the steel industry in India. This study focuses on the two major companies
in the steel sector in India, namely Steel authority of India ltd (SAIL) and TATA Steel.
For the purpose of investigation, both primary as well as secondary source of information
was collected to get the results. Many books on the related topic like books on steel
marketing, competitive advantage, business research methods etc. were also consulted
along with a number of visits to the libraries for research purpose. Related quotes and
texts have been mentioned in the literature review section of the report. Successful
questionnaires and interview surveys were conducted among the officials of Steel
authority of India ltd (SAIL) and TATA Steel in New Delhi in order to know their
After all the research work and collection of questionnaires and surveys, I have come to
know the various marketing aspects of steel sector in India. This also helped me to know
about the various strategies that the companies have adopted to gain competitive
advantage.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION
2.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………...27
2.2 Competitive Dimensions and Advantages…………………………………..27
2.3 Effective strategies of SAIL to attain competitive advantage……………...30
2.3.1 Techno-economic parameters………………………………………..32
2.3.2 Cost Effectiveness……………………………………………………33
2.3.3 Marketing Muscle……………………………………………………34
2.3.4 Human Resource Management………………………………………35
2.3.5 Research & Development……………………………………………36
2.3.6 Environment Management…………………………………….37
2.3.7 Public Relations……………………………………………………...38
2.3.8 Cost competitiveness…………………………………………………39
2.3.9 Quality competitiveness ……………………………………………...39
2.4 Marketing Strategies Of SAIL…………………………………………………40
2.4.1 Market Development…………………………………………………...41
2.4.2 JIT Delivery…………………………………………………………….42
2.4.3 Production According To Market Needs……………………………….42
2.4.4 Policies Of Marketing And Strategic Planning………………………...42
2.5 Analysis Of Steel Across The Globe…………………………………………...43
2.5.1 Demand for Steel……………………………………………………….47
2.5.2 Relevance Of Steel To National Economy……………………………..48
2.6 Summary…………………………………………………………………………50
3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………52
3.2 Research Sources…………………………………………………………………53
3.2.1 Primary Research………………………………………………………...53
3.2.2 Secondary Research……………………………………………………...54
3.3 Proposed Analysis………………………………………………………………...56
3.4 Steel Industry Trends…………………………………………………………….57
3.5 Major Producers of GP/GC Sheets In India……………………………………60
4.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………..62
4.2 Plan for Data Analysis…………………………………………………………….62
4.3 Strategies…………………………………………………………………………...83
4.4 Opportunities and threats for SAIL……………………………………………...84
4.4.1 Opportunities……………………………………………………………...84
4.4.2 Threats…………………………………………………………………….85
4.4.3 Risks and Concerns……………………………………………………….86
4.4.4 Outlooks………………………………………………………………………….87
Chapter 5- CONCLUSION
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………….99
APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………..102
LIST OF TABLES
Mehta states in Business World (2007) that steel is a highly capital intensive industry and
cyclical in nature. Its growth is intertwined with the growth of the economy at large, and
infrastructure. Steel, given its backward and forward linkages, has a large multiplier
effect. Mehta (2007) also opine that with capital investments of over Rs 100, 000 crores,
the Indian steel industry currently provides direct/indirect employment to over 2 million
people. As India moves ahead in the new millennium, the steel industry will play a
According to Mehta (2007) in recent times, the Indian steel industry has been in the
limelight. This sudden catapult of interest is due mainly to the few large merger and
acquisition deals. They involved big name players such as the takeover of Arcelor by LN
Mittal and the recent TATA acquired Corus, the giant Anglo Dutch group. Steel
Authority of India also known as SAIL is chosen for my dissertation as I have been
following on the company’s development. While the company is large in size by Indian
standards, it is still a domesticated player unlike its other rivalries like TATA Steel.
Having acquired managerial knowledge in the MBA programm, I have a strong desire to
explore how Steel Authority of India could achieve its competitive advantage for the
future.
The study investigates the competitive factors that influence on the steel industry and
these include among others, the impact of government regulations, market liberalization,
etc in addition to the market potential and prospects of the Steel Industry in India. The
purpose of this study is to analyze the market prospects, market potential and the
marketing strategies adopted by the key players in the steel industry in India.
⇒ To find out the competitive advantages which the large Indian Steel Companies
⇒ To analyze the marketing potential and prospects of the steel industry in India
⇒ To mark out the future of these companies and recommend specific points which
Shroff (2005) argues that the competitive nature of the Indian steel sector has been held
back by the bureaucratic practices by the Indian government until early 1990s. The
survival and growth of some of the oldest Indian steel companies come under scrutiny as
they were considered “white elephants” by many quarters. Since then, the Indian steel
sector has undergone drastic change. Government practices have been streamlined and
the level of interventions has been substantially reduced. Bureaucracy has come to an
end. Instead efficiency is the order of the day! The market liberalization programm,
which kicked in since early 1990s, is the main engine of growth for the Indian steel
industry.
Shroff (2005) also reveals that the Indian companies emerged even stronger with the
opening up of the economy and now command a competitive position not only in the
Indian steel industry but are competing globally. This study intends to find out the
competitive advantages which one of the largest Indian steel companies has created over
time and how have they adapted to the changing environment. A thorough analysis of the
leading companies particularly SAIL has been conducted in order to identify the future
potential of the company and also understand the way in which it could sustain its
competitive advantage.
conditions due to upswing in international prices. The cold rolled coils prices increased
from $478 to $587 per tonne between January and April 2006 while hot rolled coil prices
shot up from $368 to $469 per tonne during the same period. However no one is certain
about the long-term trend in these prices. It is imperative that the steel industry in India
capabilities and strengths, which can be defended against imitations from rival firms
(Porter, 1985).
Wharton (1997) on the other hand suggests that a company in various ways can obtain
competitive advantage but it is very important for us to define the scope. This research
document examines the competitive advantage created by SAIL vis a vis the other
industry players (Indian steel industry Journal). Public sector policies can create and help
sustain competitive advantage for firms, or can undermine and even destroy advantages
(Wharton, 1997), thus it is necessary to understand the policy issues governing the
industry.
Some major structural changes have occurred of late in India, which have resulted in
robust industrial performance of Indian industry, so much so, that it has become the
this country really began to be seen in 2002-03; was consolidated during 2003-04;
gathered momentum during 2004-05; and scaled new heights in the last financial year
2005-06(ICFAI PRESS, 2006). Several factors have contributed towards this remarkable
state of affairs. These include: the dramatic decline in lending rates, significant
the consumer durable boom, and so on and so forth. The resultant climate has been
along with bronze, was used in Asia Minor for producing weapons as early as the 10th
century BC. In the period between 800 and 400 BC, iron became such a predominant
material that this era is commonly referred to as the Iron Age. Later, the Romans began
bulk steel production by installing large plants for extracting iron. The method of
extraction of iron changed little over the next two thousand years, i.e., until the industrial
revolution in the 18th century. The first coke blast furnace was commissioned in 1735 in
England, and soon thereafter, iron production became a key industry. 20,000 tones of pig
iron was produced in England in 1740, one hundred times this amount in 1845, and since
then, there has been no looking back. Almost 850 million tones of crude steel was made
and consumed in 2000 and over 1100 million tones last (ICFAI PRESS, 2006). The
without doubt the most widely used metal or more broadly speaking, material today.
What is perhaps particularly significant in today's ecology conscious world is that steel is
also the most recycled material; so much so that every new steel product, contains
recycled steel. In fact, steel is 100% recyclable without "downcyling", i.e., without losing
quality. The use of steel scrap is estimated to prevent the mining of close to 800 million
tones of iron ore and 250 million tones of coking coal worldwide per year. To this extent,
The steel industry as whole is convinced that with sustainability as the paradigm of the
time has come to initiate a process of rethinking. It is heartening to note that the steel
business is continuously working towards reduction in emissions along with using lower
amounts of resources and energy. It has also become extremely aware of finding more
economical ways of utilizing its by-products. Thus, the long-term sustainability of steel
over the long haul, it will need to develop a whole generation of technologies, where
There is more to an assessment of sustainability of a material than just looking at the use
of natural resources. The positive and negative effects of the application of any material
also play a role. In this context, steel is currently in the process of positive developments.
For example, in power stations new steel materials that can be exposed to higher
efficiency, thereby reducing CO2 output to help society. The development of new steels
for thick-walled high-performance components for boilers and pipes has begun. Pipelines
made of steel have proved the ideal solution for the bulk transport of oil and natural gas
over long distances before they are used by customers. High-strength steels with superior
cleanliness and greater resistance towards corrosion have found widespread use, for
example, in sea-water desalination plants. There has been remarkable progress in the area
of eco-efficient light-weight steel constructions, which is a classic example of the
synergetic advantage that can be gained by society at large from disciplines like
construction, material science, and production technology coming together. (Das SN, 2006)
India's association with iron and steel began more than three centuries ago. High-quality
Wootz steel was made in southern India more than a thousand years before steel as good
was even thought of in the West. The Harappan civilization used a variety of minerals
and metals, including iron. The Rig Veda mentions the use of minerals as gemstones;
Chanakya also referred to the significance of minerals and metals in Indian civilization in
his famous dissertation "Arthashastra" dating back 320-620 A.D. The Iron Pillar in Delhi
made over 15 hundred years ago is a metallurgical wonder since it has not rusted at all
over all these years. It can thus be justifiably claimed that India's association with iron
and steel has stood the test of time. The production of steel in India on an industrial scale
began early. By setting up The Tata Iron and Steel Company (now Tata Steel Limited) at
Jamshedpur almost exactly hundred years ago, Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata pioneered the
Indian steel industry. Immediately after Independence, India's iron and steel production
increased quite rapidly. The visionary behind this achievement was the late Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who considered steel plants to be 'temples of modern India'.
Unfortunately, India's steel capacity was not augmented to any appreciable extent over
The decade of the eighties (and even early nineties) saw the Indian steel industry at cross
roads. After a number of companies had decided to go in for new steel plants, the South
East Asian boom turned into a crash. To make matters worse, this coincided with a
institutions of India. The net result was that fresh investment in the Indian steel industry
was considered extremely risky, leading to a period of lull. Fortunately, this is now all a
part of history. The liberalization of the Indian economy in the early nineties has resulted
in a rejuvenation of the Indian steel industry. Huge investments have been announced
both by the Government as well as many private players from India and overseas.
Consequently, over the last few years, the steel industry has been witnessing
unprecedented growth. This turn around is really not surprising, since India has always
World renowned 'pundits' are "gung ho" about the future of the Indian steel industry.
Perhaps this is because India is amongst a few countries in the world having the dual
advantage of fast growing domestic demand coupled with access to raw materials.
Further, the trend that is already discernible is that the axis of global steel production /
consumption is shifting towards Asia. With their large populations, China and India
already account for 35 % of the total world steel production - more than double of
Europe. Asia is expected to outpace other regions of the world to an even greater extent
Several macro-trends favor growth in Asia. First, Asia is now experiencing what the
developed nations faced in the previous century - strong industrial demand led by
have become so stringent in the US and Europe that the capital cost required to install
environment approved new capacity has become prohibitive. Third, for long-term
sustenance of the industry, access to raw materials is a must, and Asia as a whole has
some of the best and largest deposits of iron ore and coal. Amongst the Asian nations,
China has established a huge, unbridgeable lead. It is accepted that China will continue to
be the leader. However, India is slated to emerge as the second Asian giant in the next ten
years. Figuratively speaking, while the "Dragon" has reached maturity; the "Lotus" is
about to bloom in resplendent splendor. In 2005 Chinese steel consumption was around
320 Mt, i.e China swallowed almost 32% of global steel. It is unlikely that future
production and consumption would continue to flourish at growth rates of 8% and 18%
respectively as has been the case over the last few years. On the other hand, it is sun-rise
time for India where the demand has increased by 7-8% in the last couple of years
(Hindu,2005). In the long run, Indian steel is likely to be more cost-effective since unlike
China, India has relatively large reserves of iron ore (14 billion tones), which if
strategically exploited, can sustain domestic production of 120-130 million tones for at
92 billion tones can fuel industry, large-scale iron making using the traditional blast
furnace route would require coking coal. India does not have adequate reserves of coking
coal; nor is the meager amount available of appropriate quality. Thus, the steel industry
always had to contend with the dual problems of inadequate availability and poor quality
of Indian coking coal. This has been partly addressed by adopting alternative iron making
processes that are not dependent on coking coal; it can not be denied that coal is the
biggest cause of concern for bulk steel production in India. It is here that China, with
11% of the world's coal reserves, has an advantage. Today, China is the world's leading
coal producer followed by USA. The Indian reserves are only 7.6%, of which coking coal
is only 15%. These meager reserves also have high ash content and are of low rank.
Therefore, for the last ten years or so, Indian integrated steel producers have made
extensive use (30-50 % of the total coal requirement) of high grade, low ash (10-12%)
coking coal imported from Australia. Despite such large scale imports, over the last four
years, the demand for coal in India has consistently outstripped supply. While coal
production has grown at 2% annually, the demand has risen at 8% (Hindu,2005). Even in
allocating the limited production, priority is given to the power sector. Because of the
paucity of indigenous coal, attempts have been made by steel producers to ensure long-
term supplies by tying up with global majors or by acquiring mines in other countries.
This is the only long-term solution, but with a global shortage of coal it may not remain
Another "litmus test" that has to be passed is whether steel will remain competitive
relative to alternative materials like aluminum, magnesium, plastics, titanium, etc. These
materials are already finding use in the automobile industry, which is without doubt the
biggest individual consumer of steel. Therefore, a long-term view has to be taken as far
aluminum: Aluminum is often touted as a metal that steel has to contend with in future in
the automobile sector. Even today, average European cars contain 70 kg aluminum and
up to 120 kg of plastics; just double of the 1980's figures. Despite this, steel has
continued to be the predominant metal used partly because of the fact that concerted
efforts were made by the steel industry to arrest the growth of the usage of aluminum in
automobiles. Some five years back, more than 35 steelmakers across the globe (including
Tata Steel and SAIL from India) embarked upon an exercise entitled "Ultra Light Steel
Automobile Body" under the aegis of the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI)
to promote the usage of steel in automobiles. This effort was a success and automakers
For example, Audi who were experimenting with aluminum for car bonnets, roof, etc.
reverted to high strength, light weight steel sheets. They became aware that improper use
weight by using an aluminum part compared with a similarly sized iron / steel part
seemed enormously attractive, but it was found that it was accompanied by a reduction
treatment, construction (windows, doors, siding, building wire, etc.), consumer durable
goods (appliances, cooking utensils, etc.) is real. In fact, for beverage cans aluminum has
replaced steel to a large extent in USA, in particular. Fortunately these markets are small,
replacing iron / steel: The automotive industry is also viewed as a huge and growing
market for plastics and composite materials. Self-reinforced plastics (SRPs) combine the
versatility and easy re-cyclability of a thermoplastic with the high performance of fiber-
reinforced composites. Though SRPs are in the nascent stage of development, their low
weight, high stiffness and impact resistance are making them candidate materials for a
wide range of semi-structural and structural automotive applications. SRPs are being
actively marketed as a suitable material for making lighter and smaller cars that save fuel.
It is claimed that the weight of a mid-size car is likely to decrease from 1,400 kg to 1,150
kg by 2010, if SRPs are able to penetrate this market. However, as of now, in order to
meet the new design requirements, automobile manufacturers are still in search of low
density plastics that possess good mechanical properties. Titanium and its alloys:
Titanium is lightweight, corrosion resistant, and has high strength. The density of
titanium is about half that of copper, nickel and approximately 60% of stainless steel. The
strength of titanium and titanium alloys ranges from ~205 MPa to ~1585 MPa. Titanium
exhibits the highest strength to density ratio amongst all materials up to 550°C. Further,
However, at the current premium price of titanium, only special sports vehicles are able
to use titanium. Only in such vehicles can the initial high cost of the material be
compensated for either by the advantages of weight reduction or by the increased life of
the component on account of its extremely high corrosion resistance. (Smark, 2006). If
the general anticipation that the price of titanium metal will decrease substantially with
developments involving extraction of titanium from limonite comes true, titanium may be
able to replace steel in automotives. For the moment, there is no real threat.
Talking about the advent of nanotechnology, since many illustrious scientists have
predicted that this revolutionary technology has the potential to change the very way we
live. Thus if nanotechnology fulfils even a part of its considerable promise, the outlook
for most metals / materials including steel could come in for scrutiny. Many of you are
probably aware of what nanotechnology is all about. One millimeter is one million
nanometers and this forms the basis of the 'nano-magic'. Just to give a physical idea of
how small a nanometer (nm) actually is, we need to visualize that ten hydrogen atoms
make 1 nm, the width of normal human hair is 80,000 nm, and a red ant is 5 million nm
thick. Thus, nanotechnology is all about really small objects, often down to the size of
individual atoms. The application of nanotechnology would cover the entire range from 1
to 100 nm. For some, nano-scale includes objects as small as a tenth of a nanometer,
which is about the size of the bond between two carbon atoms; for others, the range
extends to 50 nm only. What is clear is that the magic of nano-scale atoms and molecules
brick wall, he would certainly be shocked if the ball passed cleanly through the wall and
sailed out to the other side. Yet, this is 'real' in the nano-world. It happens because at very
small scales, the properties of materials including steel, can change dramatically in terms
of colour, magnetism, the ability to conduct electricity and so on. In this nano-world, tiny
particles of gold melt at temperatures several hundred degrees lower than a large nugget;
and copper, which is normally a good conductor of electricity, can become resistant to
electrical / magnetic fields because electrons, like the imaginary tennis ball, can simply
jump from one place to another, and molecules can attract each other at moderate
distances. By the way, this is the effect that allows geckos to walk on the ceilings of
buildings using tiny hairs on the soles of their feet. (Hindu, 2005)
At the nano-scale, new, exciting and altogether different properties come into contention.
If one were to start with a grain of sugar, and chop it up into even smaller pieces to
simply end up with a tiny grain of sugar, that would not be surprising at all. However, if
one is aware that as an object gets smaller, the ratio between its surface area and its
volume rises, a new vista would open up because of the fact that the atoms on the surface
of a material are generally more reactive than those at its centre. As a result, icing sugar,
for instance, dissolves far more rapidly in water than does the granulated form. Similarly,
if a metal like silver is turned into very small particles, it begins to show antimicrobial
properties that are not present in the bulk material. A company overseas has already
begun to exploit this phenomenon by making nanoparticles of cerium oxide, which are
metallic rubber, which flexes and stretches like rubber, but conducts electricity like a
solid metal. General Electric is trying to make flexible ceramics and many companies are
working on materials that could one day be made into solar cells in the form of paint. The
story of the researcher working in Japan who discovered that there was a new form of
carbon that had extraordinary properties is already well known. The so called carbon
nanotube is like a tiny sheet of graphite rolled into a cylinder, with a diameter of around
one nanometer, and is very strong and light. It has become the 'star' of nanotechnology. A
host of uses that has since been proposed include sensors, molecular probes, computer
memory, televisions, batteries and fuel cells. Work is in progress to find a way of
spinning nanotubes into fibers to make the world's toughest polymer. If even a small
percentage of these efforts, in which billions of dollars are being spent, actually succeed,
new materials would become available. At that stage, most materials we know of today
would take a back seat. Indeed, nanotechnology has such tremendous potential that many
believe that it may turn out to be as important as electricity or plastic. The comforting
thought is that this is unlikely to happen in the next two to three decades at least, because
of the inherent lag between the dreams of material scientists and the availability of the
Again, the future of steel looks 'safe' and steel will continue to be way ahead of the
India's rapid economic growth is being built on a frame of steel. Soaring demand by
sectors like infrastructure, real estate and automobiles, at home and abroad, has put
India’s steel industry on the world map. Dominating the Indian horizon are steel giants
like Tata Steel, which has just pushed through a US$ 8 billion buyout of UK-Dutch steel
company Corus. Meanwhile, the LN Mittal-owned Mittal Steel has acquired French steel
company Arcelor to create the world’s number one steel company, Arcelor Mittal; and
Korean steel giant POSCO is pumping money into mines and steel plants in Orissa to
The International Iron & Steel Institute (IISI) in its forecast for 2006 has confirmed the
trend of recent years of an increase in steel use in line with general economic growth, the
fastest growth occurring in the countries with the highest GDP growth such as India and
China. Apparent worldwide steel demand is forecast to grow to between 1,040 and 1,053
million tones in 2007 from a total of 972 million tones in 2004. This is a growth of 4 - 5
per cent over the three-year period. However, according to IISI, the cost of raw materials
and energy would continue to represent a major challenge for the world steel industry.
(Prakash, 2006)
1.3.8 Production
India currently occupies the eighth position in the list of global producers of crude steel.
Production of finished (carbon) steel stands at 42.64 million metric tones for 2005-06
(provisional estimates by the Ministry of Steel). These numbers are poised to increase
radically in the next six to seven years, when a slew of investments flow into resource-
rich states in eastern India like Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh. (Prakash, 2006)
TABLE 1.1
(April-October)
PRODUCTION
PIG IRON
EXPORTS
APPARENT
CONSUMPTION
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) is the leading steel-making company in India. It
is a fully integrated iron and steel maker, producing both basic and special steels for
Ranked amongst the top ten public sector companies in India in terms of turnover, SAIL
manufactures and sells a broad range of steel products, including hot and cold rolled
sheets and coils, galvanized sheets, electrical sheets, structural, railway products, plates,
bars and rods, stainless steel and other alloy steels. SAIL produces iron and steel at five
integrated plants and three special steel plants, located principally in the eastern and
central regions of India and situated close to domestic sources of raw materials, including
well as the international market. SAIL’s own Central Marketing Organisation (CMO) and
the International Trade Division carry out this vital responsibility. CMO encompasses a
wide network of 38 branch offices and 47 stockyards located in major cities and towns
throughout India.
With technical and managerial expertise and know-how in steel making gained over four
decades, SAIL's Consultancy Division (SAILCON) at New Delhi offers services and
SAIL has a well equipped Research and Development Centre for Iron and Steel (RDCIS)
at Ranchi that helps to produce quality steel and develop new technologies for the steel
industry. Besides, SAIL has its own in-house Centre for Engineering and Technology
(CET), Management Training Institute (MTI) and Safety Organization at Ranchi. Our
captive mines are under the control of the Raw Materials Division in Calcutta. The
Environment Management Division and Growth Division of SAIL operate from their
headquarters in Calcutta. Almost all our plants and major units are ISO Certified.
1.4.3 Subsidaries
SAIL has promoted joint ventures in different areas ranging from power plants to e-
commerce.
Set up in March 2001, this 50:50 joint venture between SAIL and the National Thermal
Power Corporation (NTPC) operates and manages the Captive Power Plants-II of the
Durgapur and Rourkela Steel Plants which have a combined capacity of 240 MW.
Bokaro Power Supply Company Pvt. Limited
This 50:50 joint venture between SAIL and the Damodar Valley Corporation formed in
January 2002 is managing the 302-MW power generation and 1880 tonnes per hour
Another SAIL-NTPC joint venture on 50:50 basis formed in March 2002 manages the 74
MW Power Plant-II of Bhilai Steel Plant which has additional capacity of producing 150
This 40:60 joint venture between SAIL and USX Engineers & Consultants, a subsidiary
A joint venture between SAIL and Tata Steel on 50:50 basis, this company promotes e-
SAIL has formed a joint venture with BMW industries Ltd. on 40:60 basis to
promote a service centre at Bokaro with the objective of adding value to steel.
50:50 basis was formed for development of Jayanti Dolomite Deposit, Jalpaiguri for
A joint venture between SAIL, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) and
Russian promoters for marketing Romelt Technology developed by Russia for reducing
of iron bearing materials, which is carried out with carbon in single stage reactor with the
use of oxygen.
The Government of India owns about 86% of SAIL's equity and retains voting control of
the Company. However, SAIL, by virtue of its "Navratna" status, enjoys significant
Established in 1907, Tata Steel is Asia's first and India's largest private sector steel
company. Tata Steel is among the lowest cost producers of steel in the world and one of
the few select steel companies in the world that is EVA+ (Economic Value Added).
Its captive raw material resources and the state-of-the-art 5 MTPA (million tonne per
Determined to be a major global steel player, Tata Steel has recently included in its fold
NatSteel, Asia (2 MTPA) and Millennium Steel (1.7 MTPA) creating a manufacturing
network in eight markets in South East Asia and Pacific rim countries. Soon the
Jamshedpur plant will expand its capacity from 5 MTPA to 7 MTPA by 2008. The
Company plans to enhance its capacity, manifold through organic growth and
investments. The Company's wire manufacturing unit in Sri Lanka is known as Lanka
Special Steel, while the joint venture in Thailand for limestone mining is known as Sila
Eastern.
Tata Steel's products are targeted at the quality conscious auto sector and the burgeoning
construction industry. With wire manufacturing facilities in India, Sri Lanka and
Thailand, the Company plans to emerge as a major global player in the wire
business.(www.tatasteel.com)
The Company has embarked upon setting up three green field steel plants in eastern
India:
12 MTPA* plant in Jharkhand
Overseas:
Iran
Bangladesh
India:
Joint Venture with BlueScope Steel for metallic coating and painting steel unit
Overseas:
Tata Steel's products include hot and cold rolled coils and sheets, galvanized sheets,
tubes, wire rods, construction rebars, rings and bearings. In an attempt to 'decommoditise'
steel, the company has introduced brands like Tata Steelium (the world's first branded
Cold Rolled Steel), Tata Shaktee (Galvanised Corrugated Sheets), Tata Tiscon (re-bars),
Tata Bearings, Tata Agrico (hand tools and implements), Tata Wiron (galvanised wire
products), Tata Pipes (pipes for construction) and Tata Structura (contemporary
construction material). The company has launched the Customer Value Management
and finding solutions jointly. The company's Retail Value Management addresses the
needs of distributors, retailers and end consumers. The company has also launched India's
first steel retail store - steeljunction - for making steel shopping a happy and memorable
experience.
While the Company is focused in the pursuit of its operational goals, it is also committed
to being a good corporate citizen. Tata Steel extends support to the economically
underprivileged not by charity but by strengthening and empowering them with expertise
and knowledge. Its community outreach programm covers the Tata Steel managed city of
Jamshedpur and over 600 villages in and around its manufacturing and raw materials
operations. Its steel works, mines and collieries and civic services in Jamshedpur are ISO
14001 certified for Environment Management. The Company's steel works is the first in
the world to be conferred the SA 8000 certification for work conditions and
improvements in the workplace. It's Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division is also SA 8000
certified. According to the UNEP and Standard & Poor's survey, the Corporate
Sustainability Report filed by Tata Steel, according to the Triple Bottom Line Reporting
Initiative, is the strongest by any corporate in the emerging economies and the Top
World Steel Dynamics has ranked Tata Steel as the world's best steel maker (for
Tata Steel has been conferred the Prime Minister of India's Trophy for the Best
It has been awarded Asia's Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise award in 2003
2.1 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter I have discussed and critically analyzed the literature related to
environment. The effective strategies of SAIL to attain competitive advantage have also
relations, cost competitiveness, quality competitiveness, all these issues in regard to steel
sector in India have been discussed in length. This section also discusses the policies of
marketing and strategic planning as well as the demand for steel and its relevance to
national economy.
Given the choices that customers face today, how do they decide which product or
service to buy? Different customers are attracted by different attributes. Some customers
are primarily interested in the cost of a product or service, and correspondingly some
companies attempt to position themselves to offer the lowest price. The major
competitive dimensions that form the competitive position of a company include the
following.
Cost – “Make it cheap” Within every industry, there is usually a segment of the
market that buys solely on the basis of low cost. To successfully compete in this niche, a
firm must be the low cost producer, but even doing this does not always guarantee
Product quality and reliability – “Make it good”. Quality can be divided into
two categories: product quality and process quality. The level of quality in a product’s
design will vary with the market segment at which it is aimed. Obviously, a child’s first
two-wheeled bicycle is of significantly different quality than the bicycle of a world class
cyclist. The goal in establishing the proper level of product quality is to focus on the
requirements of the customer. Over-designed products with too much quality will be
viewed as prohibitively expensive. Under-designed products, on the other hand, will lose
customers to products that cost a little more but are perceived by the customers as
Process quality is critical because it relates directly to the reliability of the product.
Regardless of whether the product is a child’s first two wheeler or a bicycle for an
international cyclist, customers want products without defects. Thus, the goal of process
quickly than its competitors may be critical. Seeing a need for speedy, reliable overnight
delivery, FEDEX became a $15 billion company and the world’s large expedited delivery
of the firm to supply the product or service on or before a promised delivery due date. For
an automobile manufacturer it is very important that their supplier of tires provide the
in its ability to compete. It is well known that a company with increasing demand can do
little wrong. When demand is strong and increasing, costs are continuously reduced due
to economics of scale, and investments in new technologies can be easily justified. But
scaling back when demand decreases may require many difficult decisions relating to
laying off employees and related reductions in assets. The ability to effectively deal with
dynamic market demand over the loan term is an essential element of operations
strategies.
strategic perspective refers to the ability of a company to offer a wide variety of products
to its customers. An important element of this ability to offer different products is the
time required for a company to develop a new product and to convert its processes to
rating for achieving targets set in the MOU with the Government for the year 2005-06.
similar rating is expected this year as well. During 2005-06, while maintaining capacity
utilisation at 104%, the company focused on the production of finished steel, lower
energy consumption and reduction in coke rate, increased production through the
continuous cast (CC) route and improved the product mix during 2006-07. (Sarkar, 2007)
ADVANTAGE
Rawat (2007) states that despite the market remained buoyant, the rising steel production
worldwide put tremendous pressure on availability of essential inputs like coking coal.
Despite facing a severe coking coal crisis during the first half of 2006-07, however, the
SAIL plants achieved all-time best performance by optimising operations and laying a
thrust on value addition in downstream units such as production of finished steel, plates,
rails, structural steel, etc. according to Rawat (2007), total finished steel production went
up by 4 lakh tones to a record level of 9.28 million tonnes (MT), a growth of 5% over the
previous year. The proportion of finished steel production in total steel went up to 84%
during 2006-07 from a level of 80% achieved in 2005-06. The SAIL plants showed
marginal increase in production of crude steel as well as saleable steel – 21,000 tonnes
record 7.53 MT of steel through the concast route during the year. This was 4% higher
than the CC production of the previous year. As a result, the proportion of BOF-CC
production went up to 64% of total crude steel production. In fact, 2006-07 save best-ever
added items like plates, bars & rounds and railway products recorded growth. Plate
production at 2.12 MT was the highest ever, with a growth of 15% Bhilai steel plant also
produced 864,00 tonnes of rails, the highest so far and 7% more than the production in
2005-06. The first consignment of 65-meter long rails welded into 130-meter panels was
dispatched by BSP to the Indian Railways during the year. Production of wheels &axels
by Durgapur Steel Plant at 29,000 tonnes was the highest ever and 38% more than that of
Zubin (2007) states in his article on steel industry in Indian express (2007) that the long
product plants also produced the highest-ever volume of 5.4 lakh tonnes of bar & rounds
during the year recording a growth of 8%. A total of 6 lakh tonnes of structurals were
produced by SAIL in 2006-07, 3% higher than the previous year and the highest so far.
The three special steel plants of SAIL at Durgapuri, Salem and Bhadravati together
produced 3.79 lakh tonnes of saleable steel, the highest ever and 27% more than their
production performance. The total iron ore requirement of the SAIL plants was met from
captive sources. The company’s mines produced 19.83 MT of iron ore, the highest ever,
during the year. The mines of Raw Materials Division in the eastern part of the country
together produced nearly 13 MT of iron ore, showing a growth of around 1.2% over the
previous year and setting a record. While all the RMD mines registered best-ever yearly
output, Barusa Iron Mine deserves special mention for showing highest growth of 14.5%
According to Zubin (2007) the special thrust laid by RMD during 2006-07 on quality
enhancement measures and cost reduction resulted in better productivity and effective
mitigation of the company’s variable input costs. Among the various steps taken by RMD
to enhance efficiency were better mine planning, development of mines in new areas,
with new equipment. Adoption of various cost cutting measures led to substantial
savings. During 2006-07, SAIL became the first industrial enterprise in the country to
wheel surplus power from one of its captive units to another through the national grid.
Generation of power by the captive power units at 525 MW was also the highest ever,
Coke rate: Lowest ever rate of 536 kg/tonne of hot metal was achieved during the year,
than the consumption in 2005-06, due to significant increase in BOF lining and ladle life
Energy consumption: The SAIL plants together consumed only 7.28 giga calories per
tonne of crude steel on an average, which was 2% lower than the previous year, in spite
(Sheryn, 2007)
Kim (2006) writes in Economic Times that the thrust on improving efficiency of cost
management launched by SAIL during the downturn in the steel sector continued during
the year 2005. New schemes were identified and existing schemes reviewed and revised
to offset the impact of the sharp rise in input prices, particularly in the case of coking
coal, Ferro alloys, etc., during the year, resulting in savings of about Rs. 130 crore.
SAIL’s cost management endeavours once again received recognition at the national
level. The Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India adjudged SAIL as being the
second best company in the public sector in India during 2005 in this parameter and
presented the company its National Award for Excellence in Cost Management. SAIL
had received the winner’s trophy last year for excellence in cost reduction during 2004.
(Kim, 2006)
Kim (2006) states that the consumption of finished steel in the country is estimated to
have crossed the 33 MT mark during 2006-07 a growth of about 6% over the previous
year. In line with the increased level of consumption, SAIL established a new domestic
sales record of 10.3 MT, an increase of 8% over the achievement of the previous year. To
ensure higher availability of steel in the domestic market, SAIL consciously contained
exports at a minimum level during the year. Kim (2006) writes in Economic Times that
the company shipped only about 4 lakh tonnes of steel during the year against 11 lakh
tonnes in 2003-04. SAIL sold a total volume of 8.6 MT of finished steel during 2006-07
recording a growth of 8%. The major product categories in which sales growth took place
were plates (32%), HR coils (8%), TMT (30%), wheels & axles (33%) and heavy
structurals (20%). Supplies of rails to the Indian Railways increased by 5% over the
previous year to 7.3 lakh tonnes, including long rails up to a length of 78 meters. (Kim,
2006)
According to Kim (2006) a thrust was given on supplying steel on priority to user
and state small-scale industry corporations (SSICs). As a result, there was a 25% increase
in supplies of SAIL steel to the government sector and 65% to SSICs. Along with 40%
higher supplies to projects, SAIL was able to hike supplies to consumers by 17% during
the year on an overall basis. During the year, all the branches, stockyards and offices of
CMO were linked to a centralised database. This helped in online availability of data,
consistent data integrity and seamless information flow across all applications, leading to
Mohan Das (2006) states in Business & Economy that around 4,700 employees separated
from the company during FY ’07, around 1,440 voluntarily. SAIL’s total manpower at
the end of the year thus stood at around 127,000, showing a reduction of about 48,000
2006-07. To equip employees with higher technical skills, SAIL has signed an agreement
with Tata-Corus/UK and CAI/Austria for provision of specialised training. (Das, 2006)
Sharing of prosperity with employees was a major management thrust during 2006-07.
Among the initiatives taken in this regard were payment of wage/salary arrears for the
management excellence amongst young managers of the company. A team from Bhilai
Steel Plant lifted the inaugural Chairman’s Trophy for Young Managers for the year 2004
from amongst 130 contesting teams across the organization. The Ministry of Labour for
the nation’s highest awards recognizing exceptional achievements of workmen for the
year 2007 selected ten SAIL employees. Three BSP employees will receive the Shram
Vir shile 7 employees (5 from BSP and 2 from VISL) will receive the Shrem Shri title
Daniel (2005) elaborates the development measures at SAIL; according to Daniel (2005)
competitiveness included:
♦ Raising productivity of DSP Sinter Plant to 1.36 tonnes/m/hr (peak 1.6 tonnes)
peripheral working, reversal off BLT matrix and other changes in charging system.
♦ Measures to obtain increased campaign length and reduced roll consumption at BSL.
providing a healthy environment in and around its steel plants. Over 2 lakh trees planted
in 2006-07 added further substance to the company’s efforts in this direction. SAIL at
different plant/unit/mine locations has planted around 13 million trees so far. The SAIL
plants/units maintained their thrust on controlling pollution during the year. Some of
them even received awards for excellence in pollution control measures. They are:
♦ Indira Gandhi Memorial National Award for Excellent Environment and Ecological
yielded excellent results, with appreciative feedback from employees at all levels on the
initiatives taken and themes selected to motivate, inform and instill pride in the
workforce. Wide and focused communication through both print and electronic media
strengthened the image of the organization amongst the company’s stakeholders and
general public. Revival of the television ad campaign There’s a little bit of SAIL in
everybody’s life in the later part of the year, re-enforced the company’s image as the
industry leader in viewer’s minds due to its excellent recall value. Other campaigns such
as the one highlighting SAIL’s turnaround as the most impressive in Indian industry,
Steel Green and Steel in Need, SAIL in Deed were well received by the target audiences.
A radio jingle in Hindi, Safetypin se flyover..., also generated popular response. (SAIL,
2007)
2.3.8 Cost competitiveness
According to Annual Report of SAIL published in March 2007, the following cost
(a) Reduction in fixed cost through volume growth, reduction in manpower cost and
financial charges;
ingot steel route, 100% Basic Oxygen Furnace and Continuous Casting, coke rate
reduction via CDI/auxiliary fuel injection, and higher levels of process control
steel making through higher utilization of e-commerce, centralized procurement for select
SAIL also emphasize on technology & input quality improvement across value chain;
thrust on special quality steel and new products; improvement in process consistency and
market growth projections assuming overall steel consumption at about 8% per annum.
However, the growth trends and macro-economic indicators could lead to higher growth
economic scenario, government policies and resource availability, SAIL’s plans may be
revised from time to time, and further growth in terms of volume, products, etc., may be
provides the broad direction for SAIL to move forward and would be reviewed
Sinha (2007) categorically states the clinical marketing strategies adopted by SAIL,
according to Sinha (2007), the Steel being an industrial commodity it is very necessary to
maintain customer relationship for profitability and smooth running of company. SAIL
complaints.
segment of the market and identifying key customer in segment and giving them
preferential treatment. CMO sales executives have been trained to use direct selling as
tool for building long lasting relationship with the customers. Easy access to customers to
seek assistance makes proposals send comments and compliments. (Sinha, 2007)
SAIL has valued customers group in identifying their specific needs specific to that group
thus segmenting and developing market segment for our products. Major product
modifications are done as per their specific needs of the Market segment thereby creating
JIT Delivery means just in time delivery. SAIL is able to make delivery just in time
because it works in pre-planned manner; it takes order only after consulting the
production units. So that the products car be delivered in right time. (Sinha, 2007)
SAIL is always in touch in market and tries to produce according to market needs. SAIL
tries to produce quality products / new products which full fill the need of market. (Sinha,
2007)
Raunil Desouza (2007) writes in Business Herald that SAIL has responsible function in
the working of marketing department. All the risky developments, taking out solution to
crippled situations, this section carries out product pricing and related activities, some of
⇒ Finalize annual sales plan and quantity, monthly, weekly, and daily rolling programm
of Rolling mills in consultation with CMO and mills. This plan is based on the sales
⇒ Co-ordinations with CMO from stages of enquiry, for exports, development of new
Profiles, sections, modification of product scheduling till the orders are completed.
The declining price trend after an unprecedented rise in Q1 of 2007 has taken sheen off
the global steel market. However, there is a widespread perception that in the post Q2 of
the current year the global price are bound to go up. Only this time the rise would be
flattened and not abnormal. The domestic demand in Europe is steel low with industries
production showing a downward trend forcing the major steel producer to call back the
price hike announced earlier. The postponement of purchase by the buyers is likely to
result in running down the current inventories. Data released recently indicate that EU
has imported a total of 22.8 million tones including semis; which have gone up by 8
percent in 2006.The import of CR coil and coated coils were also higher than last year
TABLE 2.1
*Excluding china
Production Of Steel in 2005 and 2004 (Jan – March) across the Globe
300
250 EU 25
other europe
cis
200
north america
south america
150 africa
middle east
100 asia/oceania
china
world
50
0
production in jan-march production in jan-march
2005(million tones) 2004(million tones)
% growth
EU 25 -0.3
other europe -1.6
cis -0.2
north america 0.3
south america 0.3
africa 10.8
middle east 9.4 EU 25
30
asia/oceania 1.7 23.8 other europe
china 23.8 25
cis
world 6.5 20 north america
15 10.89.4 south america
10 6.5 africa
5 1.7 middle east
0.3 0.3
0 asia/oceania
-0.3-1.6-0.2 % growth china
-5
world
Flat price have fallen in North American market by $70-80 per ton in the last two month.
The current HR coil price by US mills is pegged at $615 fob/t with CR price at $695 per
ton. Compared to flat producer the long product market is relatively stable and there is no
decline in the price of structural more due to fall in import volumes. China has also
remove a 13 percent rebate on steel billet and slab exporter with effect from 1st April
2005 to enhance domestic availability this has led to price fall in April. The export rebate
on bars and rods has been reduced from 13 to 10 percent from 1st May. Indian long
product market is largely influenced by global price of semis. The CIS price of billets is
currently running at $370gob/t; which is nearly at the same level as in March. There are
reports that Russian steel producer are expending a major chunk of the equity
participation in mills in other countries as a long term trading ventures. Crude steel
production figure for 2008 released by HIS exhibits a growth of 6.5 percent in the first
three month over the corresponding period in previous year. China remains the leading
Ramaswamy (2006) writes in his book on Global Economy that, Steel Being vital for
industrial development; developing countries have great demand for steel. Whereas
ore deposits, they produce only 7 percent of world’s steel. In the case of India whereas
she has 15 percent of world’s population, she produces only 1.5 to 2 percent of world’s
steel even after setting up four new steel plants (the fifth plant, that is, Vizag Steel plant
is yet to go into production). India’s position regarding foreign dependence for its
industrial growth before the establishment for its steel plants, therefore, can be well
visualized. There was a spurt in the consumption of steel during the first Five-year Plan.
After a fall during the next three years, the consumption rose again but by varying
degrees. From the consumption level of 3.3 million tones (mt.) of steel in 1960-1961, the
industries;
In order to assess the requirement of steel and the planning of production it would be
necessary to trace the end uses of steel. Details of various categories and size also need to
be worked out. First, steel processing industries are the clear cases where various
the non-stop processing industries such as food, chemical, pharmaceutical use steel for
machinery and factory structures. In agriculture sector, steel is required for agriculture
implements, tractors, plant protection equipment etc. In transport sector, steel is essential
for railway rolling stock, ships, motor vehicles, etc. Steel is also required for manufacture
of host of goods in consumer sector, like concrete buildings, rail bridges, railway tracks,
According to Ramaswamy (2006) iron and steel products are closely interrelated with the
various sectors of construction, agriculture and capital good industry. To mention a few,
structural bars, rods, sheets and pipes are required for industrial building, housing and
power distribution networks. Forgings and castings are required for agriculture
implements, machine tools, industrial machinery and defense. Various types of sheets are
TABLE 2.4
consumption of steel
construction sector
transport
electrical power
17.70% 0.50% equipment
industrial machinery
7.50% 43%
other metal
14.40% manufacturing
5% 9.30% mix metal consuming
2.60% industrie
small scale industries
processing loss
2.6 SUMMARY
For a nation that is economically strong, free of the problems of underdevelopment and
plays a meaningful role in the world as befits a nation of over one billion people, the
groundwork would have to begin right now. The Indian Steel Industry will be required
and is willing to play a critical role in achieving this target. The findings from the above
discussion suggest that with abundant iron ore resources and well-established base for
steel production in the country, steel is poised for growth in the coming decades in India.
Steel will continue to have a stronghold in traditional sectors such as construction,
key attributes discussed above are very much in favor of steel industry. Marketing is one
of the most dynamic fields in any business along with finance, production and operations,
Human resource management and systems. Its orientation needs to be handled carefully
as it is only through integration of marketing with other fields that makes an organization
successful or face the odds. Indian steel industry is also concentrating on its marketing
activities.
CHAPTER 3- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The present chapter describes the research methodology, which was applied for
conducting this research. The various aspects of the research methodology were
described into the various specified sections which are; design of the research, data
various steps that area generally adopted by a researcher in studying his research problem
along with the logic behind them. It is necessary for the researcher to know not only the
research methods / techniques but also the methodology. Researchers not only need to
know how to develop certain indices and tests, how to calculate the mean, the mode, the
median or the standard deviation or the chi square, how to apply particular research
techniques, but they also need to know, which of these methods or techniques, are
relevant and which are not, and what would they mean and indicate and why.
A research has been carried out which is both qualitative and quantitative in its support.
The qualitative approach applies to both, descriptive and inductive forms of research.
While as in case of quantitative approach, an extensive use has been made of the
literature available to carry out a detail research on the nature of the problem. SAIL &
A combination of both primary and secondary resources have been used to achieve the
• The internal functioning of the organization, its cultural aspects, its management
style and leadership systems were determined through surveys with the present and ex-
employees of the organization, extensive use of questionnaires were made for this
purpose. Questionnaires were sent out by two basic ways, first the questionnaires were
sent through electronic mail and second the questionnaires were sent out through the
traditional mailing method i.e. by post. A draft questionnaire is attached at the end.
• Interviews were also carried out with the officials of SAIL & TATA Steel
involved in the functioning of the company and other people from the industry to
determine the marketing aspects of the organization and the industry, this aimed to find
out the reasons for the attainment of competitive advantage through employing effective
The data collected was analyzed to determine the positive as well as the negative aspects
of the organization in relation to the industry, to better understand the factors which have
contributed to its competitive advantage and to mark out the factors which are hindering
its growth and can affect the sustainability of the competitive advantage in the future.
Questionnaire method as well as interview method was employed to extract best results
Books
by Michael E. Porter
Internet links
⇒ www.sail.co.in
⇒ www.tatasteel.com
⇒ www.indianmetals.com
(www.brint.com)
⇒ Annual Reports
⇒ CRISIL – (Indian Ratings, Financial News, Risk, and policy advisory company)
The results of the questionnaire were analyzed using graphs and charts and a trend on the
internal working of the organization were marked out. This allowed reaching conclusions
on the issue as to whether the internal operations of the organization are conducive for
growth or not.
The results of the interviews would allow us to go in-depth into the marketing policies of
the organization and would allow us to link it to the future competitive position.
Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis shall be done by using appropriate means
TABLE 3.1
Production Consumption
Year
(Million tonnes) (Million tonnes)
The global production and apparent consumption of pig iron (basic plus foundry grade)
550
540
530 (Million tonnes)
Production
520
(Million tonnes)
510 Consumption
500
490
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
(E)
years
TABLE 3.3
Production Consumption
Year
(Million tonnes) (Million tonnes)
2002 2,795 2,300
The production and consumption of pig iron in India between 2002 and 2007 (estimated)
TABLE 3.4
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500 (Million tonnes) Production
2,000
(Million tonnes)
1,500 App.Consumption
1,000
500
0
2001- 2002- 2003- 2004- 2005- 2006-
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
years
The capacities of the major galvanized steel producers in India are furnished in table 3.5
TABLE 3.5
Annual Capacity
Name of the Producer
('000 tonnes)
TCIL 100
Ispat Industries 225
JISCO 450
Usha Rectifiers 60
The galvanised plain coils / sheets and corrugated sheets (GP/GC) are value - added steel
products which are tough, sturdy, light weight, bright and corrosion resistant. In India
these are produced in the thickness range of 0.15 mm to 2.0 mm and width range of 800
mm to 1560 mm. JISCO, Bhushan steel and Tata steel are the major producers as shown
in figure 3.1
FIGURE 3.1
4.1 INTRODUCTION
The data, after collection, has to be processed and analyzed in accordance with the
outline laid down for the purpose at the time of developing the research plan. This is
essential for a scientific study and for ensuring that we have all relevant data for making
editing, coding, classification and tabulation of collected data so that they are amenable
to analysis. The term analysis refers to the computation of certain measures along with
searching for patterns of relationship that exist among data groups. Thus “in the process
validity data can be said to indicate any conclusion.” But there are persons (Kothari,
2007) who do not like to make difference between processing and analysis. (Kothari,
2007)
A graphical analysis has been conducted based on the responses received from the
persons questioned and interviewed. Once the interview was over, the responses received
were be grouped together, and a graphical presentation and analysis has been made for
TABLE 4.1
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
TATA STEEL
2 JINDAL STEEL
1.5 ESSAR STEEL
1 SAIL
0.5
0
TATA STEEL 4
JINDAL STEEL 3
ESSAR STEEL 2
SAIL 5
02. How would you rate your companies’ competitiveness in relation to the industry?
TABLE 4.2
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
Less competitive
2.5
2
Moderately
1.5 Competitive
1 Very Competitive
0.5
0
TATA STEEL SAIL
Less competitive
Moderately
Competitive
Very Competitive 5 5
03. Do you think being a public sector company is a hurdle for the growth of the
company?
A)Yes B)No
TABLE 4.3
70%
60%
50%
40%
yes
30%
no
20%
10%
0%
SAIL
yes 30%
no 70%
04. In your opinion is your company ready to expand overseas like other Indian steel
companies?
A)Yes B)No
TABLE 4.4
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% yes
no
30%
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
yes 90% 85%
no 10% 15%
05. What affect do the government policies have on the company?
A)Positive B)Negative
TABLE 4.5
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
positive
30% negative
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
positive 65% 80%
negative 35% 20%
06. What affect will the opening up of the Indian steel sector will have on the future of
your company?
A)Positive B)Negative
TABLE 4.6
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
positive
30% negative
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
positive 70% 75%
negative 30% 25%
07. In your opinion, which style of leadership does your company have?
TABLE 4.7
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
Autocratic
15% Moderate
Democratic
10%
5%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
Autocratic 30% 40%
Moderate 40% 20%
Democratic 30% 40%
08. How are the atmosphere and the environment at work?
TABLE 4.8
40%
35%
30%
25%
TABLE 4.9
40%
35%
30%
25%
career?
A)Yes B)No
TABLE 4.10
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
yes
30% no
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
yes 75% 70%
no 25% 30%
11. According to you how is the culture of the organization?
TABLE 4.11
70%
60%
50%
40%
conducive for
30% growth
hinders growth
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
conducive for 65% 70%
growth
hinders growth 35% 30%
12. What does your company think about its customers?
TABLE 4.12
70%
60%
50%
40%
consumer is king
30%
consumer is
20%
important
10% consumers are
just important
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
consumer is king 60% 70%
consumer is 35% 28%
important
consumers are just 5% 2%
important
13. Does your company reward you for your performance?
A)Yes B)No
TABLE 4.13
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
yes
30% no
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
yes 75% 70%
no 25% 30%
14. Does your company have a clear and defined future goal?
A) YES B)NO
TABLE 4.14
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% yes
no
30%
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
yes 80% 85%
no 20% 15%
15. How clear are authority and responsibility relationships defined in your organization?
TABLE 4.15
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
5%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
very clear 40% 45%
very unclear 30% 15%
cant say 30% 40%
16. Do you own the shares of your company?
A)Yes B)No
TABLE 4.16
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
yes
30% no
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
yes 75% 70%
no 25% 30%
17. If yes, then are you happy with the dividend payouts?
A) Yes B) No
TABLE 4.17
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% yes
no
30%
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
yes 85% 90%
no 15% 10%
18. In your opinion how has been the performance of your companies stock in the recent
past?
TABLE 4.18
35%
30%
25%
20%
good
15%
very good
10% satisfactory
outstanding
5%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
good 20% 25%
very good 30% 30%
satisfactory 35% 20%
outstanding 15% 25%
19. Would you invest money in your own companies stock?
A)Yes B)No
TABLE 4.19
70%
60%
50%
40%
30% yes
no
20%
10%
0%
T AT A ST EEL SAIL
competition?
A) YES B)NO
TABLE 4.20
70%
60%
50%
40%
yes
30%
no
20%
10%
0%
TATA STEEL SAIL
yes 60% 65%
no 40% 35%
4.3 STRATEGIES
Demand Side
of steel
Supply side
– Enhanced and easy access to critical inputs – iron ore & coking coal
services
Students
4.4.1 Opportunities
SAIL has four main integrated Steel Plants (ISPs) which have a combined capacity of
10.2 million tonnes of saleable steel with modernized facilities available to meet diverse
The per capita consumption of steel in the country is just about 30 kgs as compared to the
world average of about 144 kgs. There is therefore scope for substantial increase in
country in the form of construction of highways, bridges, seaports and airports etc. And
the fact that SAIL’s long products are preferred for their superiors quality, there is
sector while increasing its presence in the cold rolling segment. Further, the growing
demand from the white goods and automobile segments provide good opportunity for
The water supply, oil & gas sectors are other segments where there is large growth
potential as a number of major pipeline projects are on the anvil. The Electric Resistance
Welded Pipe Plant (ERWPP) at Rourkela which is being modernized will be able to cater
to the requirements of the oil and gas sector through supply of higher grades of API Pipes
upto API X-70 in wall thickness of 3.2 – 12.7 mm. Besides, SAIL would continue to
During last few years, the Company has taken several measures to reduce costs in areas
such as operations, purchases etc., which has helped in containing SAIL’s cost of
production by neutralizing the impact of input cost escalations. Cost reduction would
continue to remain a thrust area for SAIL as the company strives to further improve its
cost-competitiveness.
4.4.2 Threats
During the fourth quarter of 2005-2006 custom duties on steel have been reduced from
25% to 15% and imports have also been exempted from levy of Special Additional Duty
(SAD), thereby effectively reducing the customs duty by about 50%. As and when
international prices go down there could be an increase in imports. Furthermore, any
Anti-dumping measures continue to be held in place of USA and the European Union and
experts to these countries still remain largely affected. Further, the growth in global steel
demand, which has been powered by the high demand from China, may not be
maintained at the present level and, in due coarse, could get reversed when Chinese
there is still an estimated surplus capacity about 3 million tonnes in the country and
availability. While SAIL has upgraded and modernized the Rail Mill at Bhilai Steel Plant,
However, SAIL has signed an MOU with the Railways who are sourcing almost their
requirement of rails from SAIL. Also, new capacities are being set up in the country,
Given the increasing globalization of the Indian economy, high volatility of international
prices has a direct effect on domestic steel prices, particularly in respect of flat products.
Also, the decline in international prices would lead to lower margins on exports.
Inadequate availability and higher prices of key raw materials such as coal, Ferro alloys
etc. In the required quality coupled with infrastructural constraints, like wagon
availability, port congestion etc. Would greatly impact operations at SAIL Plants as well
4.4.4 Outlooks
The domestic per capita steel consumption in India is still quite low and much below the
average international level, thus having an impact on the future prospects of Indian steel
economy would be beneficial to the Indian Steel Industry. The buoyancy in the Indian
Steel is a combination of demand for exports, mainly to China, and also a positive
outlook in certain steel consuming sectors of the Indian Economy, which is expected to
continue in the coming year too. Infrastructure development, and also the number of
industrial projects taking off would result in increased economic activity which would
It was a privilege for me to take this opportunity to choose SAIL & TATA Steel as the
target organizations for my research study. As a result of my research work and analysis
Customer's satisfaction like quality is a journey and not a destination. It is essential that
everyone in the company have a clear understanding of what customer satisfaction means
if the plant aim to achieve leadership in customer satisfaction. While improved customer
satisfaction is necessary for ensuring prosperity of the company must also be recognized
that ability of the company to satisfy its customers would depend on its ability to
The management at TATA Steel believes that Customer's satisfaction would happen
1. Delivery in time.
4. Complaint settlement
of improvements:-
1. Policies and strategies to create awareness among the customers about the product are
not effective.
2. All marketing procedure of prime products are decided by SAIL and carried out by the
3. As the organization is concerned with a large number of productions activities and the
departmental work are done mostly manually from placement of orders to documentation,
4. The organization is more concerned with larger orders of steel products by ignoring
5 The local customers with business of by-products are sometimes made to wait for
6. Most of the existing yards suffers from improper stocking space and siding facility
often they are not well developed due to this the material stored there are rusted and other
defects are caused and later they are disposed of by offering some concession or at low
7. Due to improper packing, the materials reach the stockyard often in damaged
condition, which is attracting criticism from the customers and these damaged materials
The current usage of steel in construction in our country is reasonably low. It may be
noted that the present per capita consumption in the country is barely 29 kgs, as against
the world demand of 149 kgs and over 400 kgs in several developed countries.
Nonetheless, this scenario is expected to change and the country’s steel consumption
figures are likely to rise substantially in coming years. Steel production in India, at a level
by 2011-12, and to about 100 million tonnes by 2020. But for this change to happen, both
rural and urban housing needs to be given a thrust in our country. As of now, the existing
housing shortage in the country is estimated at over 12.8 million dwelling units. As per
estimates nearly 140 million new dwelling units shall be required by the year 2020,
involving an investment of around Rs. 14,000 billion. The urban housing sector in India
would need investments worth US$ 25 billion over the next 5 years.
countries, in India it is just about 1%. Thus to promote housing, the government has
announced several schemes such as the Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana, Indira Awas
Yojana, Birla Awas Yojana, through NGOs and self-help groups, etc. Additionally, in its
fiscal policy, the government has provided various incentives for construction of new
dwelling units. The interest rates on housing loans have been cut to almost half of what
they were 15 years back. Similarly, personal tax reliefs have been provided for
contribution towards the principal amount where loan facilities have been availed for
house construction.
Road building is another important area in the construction sector, which is all set to
14,279 kms of national highways are to be converted to 4/6lanes at a total estimated cost
of Rs. 65,000 crore. The project involves the Golden Quadrilateral linking the four major
citiesof Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, the North-South and East-West corridors
involving 7,300 kms of roads connecting Srinagar in the north to Kanyakumari and
Silchar in the east to Porbandar in the west, as well as port connectivity and other projects
to the extent of 133 kms. Further, by the end of the year 2005 all villages with a
population of 1,000 are to be connected and by 2008 all villages having a population of
⇒ Steel industry does not enjoy any unreasonable protection from the Government.
Import duty on steel was reduced from 25% to 20% and has been lowered further to 15%.
HR Steel imports have become cheaper by almost Rs 6000 to Rs 8000. The Government
has also suspended DEPB benefits on export of HR Steel. The combined effect of this has
exports even less viable for the industry and imports continue becoming cheaper.
⇒ Numerous non-tariff barriers on steel exports have been put in place by other
countries. Developed countries like US have imposed high anti-dumping duty as high as
⇒ While this is the case with Indian steel industry, user groups such the Indian
automobile industry enjoys a high protection with 100% import duty on finished
products.
Despite these difficulties the Indian steel industry has managed to keep itself competitive
5.2 EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES OF INDIAN STEEL INDUSTRY TO ENHANCE
NATIONAL INCOME
Taking a look at the global outlook of the Stainless Steel Industry Mr. N C Mathur,
Director – Corporate Affairs and International Marketing, Jindal Stainless Steel Ltd. said,
"In 2006, world production of stainless steel was 24,583 MT as compared to 22,861MT
in 2005, a growth of 7.5%. During the same period, the growth in Asia was much higher
in 2004. India & China will contribute to the maximum growth in Asia. In fact, Asia
including China, South Korea, India, Thailand, Taiwan, have become the largest user
segment with a share of almost 43% last year, which is expected to increase to 50% in the
coming years. This change in market dynamics is expected to have a substantial impact
on raw material pricing, material flow, product mix by grades and market development.
One of the major consumers of steel is the automobile industry. Analysing the Auto
Industry Growth Potential, Steel Demand and Product Development, Mr Anuj Munjal,
Dy. Chief Executive Officer, Hero Cycles Ltd. Cold Rolling Divison, stated,
"Worldwide, the auto industry is showing good growth and the scenario is similar in
India too. For the Indian steel industry, there is a great opportunity to move up the value
chain and manufacture a range of special steels that have a good demand in the auto
industry. These include Trip Steel, Dual Phase Steel, Dent Resistant Steel, Tailor Welded
Other sectors where substantial growth is expected in the coming years are power
generation & transmission, telecom, ports, housing and urban infrastructure. The total
outlay on major infrastructure sectors during the 10th Plan is Rs 413,197 crore, of which
the estimated share of construction is Rs 271,177 crore. The major outlays are on power
(Rs 143,399 crore), urban infrastructure (Rs 12,168 crore), railways (Rs 60,600 crore),
roads(Rs 59,700 crore), ports (Rs 5,418 crore), shipping (Rs 14,220 crore), telecom(Rs
86,964 crore) and water supply & water resources (Rs 17,800 crore).
With all these above mentioned investments, demand for steel is expected to increase
extensively. To justify this claim, it is imperative to mention the estimates which suggest
that every 500 MW power unit about 18,000 tonnes of structural steel, 15,000 tonnes of
reinforcement bars, 24,000 tonnes of steel for boilers and 68,000 tonnes of cement is
required. Also, as per a leading estimate, the growth in flat steel products such as plates,
HR coils/sheets, CR coils/sheets, galvanised sheets, for example, during the 10th and 11th
Five year Plans, is expected to be of the order of 8.5% and 9.4% respectively. On the
other hand, in the case of non-flat steel products like bars & rods, structurals, rails, etc.,
The advantages of using steel in the construction segments are manifold as it can be
commodity, which does not shrink, wrap or change in shape. It is non-combustible, fire
resistant and its properties remain consistent for longer period of time. Steel has a wide
range of applications in the construction sector. Wire rods for the manufacture of
fasteners, wires for reinforcement, rebars for buildings, equipment foundation and
structural applications, sections for building construction, structures, bridges, ships and
vessels, universal beams, wide-flange beams, H-shapes for purlins and frames, tubular
products for water, steam and slurry piping, plates for fabrication of steel structures, HR
coils/sheets for manufacture of welded pipes, cold rolled sheets for press-formed
components, tanks and containers, galvanised sheets for roofing, side cladding, fencing
and water tanks and coated sheets for interior decoration, roofing, panelling, etc., are few
and extend them to rural India. Rural Indian today presents a challenge for development
of the country and the opportunity to increase usage of steel in these areas through
Current shortage of inputs has pushed up the costs for the steel industry.
Government should ensure that quality raw material such iron-ore and coke are available
to the industry. With Ministry of Steel targeting an output of 100 MT of steel by 2020
there is an urgent need to develop raw material resources for inputs like iron-ore and coal
within or outside the country. Countries like Japan have already taken similar steps to
Adequate enabling infrastructure such as power, ports, roads, rail transport is pre-
Government should not regulate prices and free market forces should prevail.
Intervention by the Government is only a short-term solution to the issue of steel prices in
the country. Once left alone, market dynamics will automatically ensure price corrections
The Indian steel Industry is amongst the least protected in the world. While
developed countries have put numerous tariff and non-tariff barriers on steel exports from
the country, the domestic industry is exposed to cheaper imports from competing nations.
As in case of other important industries, the Government should give reasonable levels of
protection to the domestic steel industry, which is just starting to get back on its feet.
the overall health of the Indian manufacturing segment. The steel industry has invested a
capital of over Rs 90, 000 crores. CRISIL in a recent study has concluded that given the
large exposure that banks and financial institutions have to the steel industry, a healthy
steel sector is in the interest of the economy. Steel industry still continues to be
Indian finds growing acceptability in international markets. But despite this India’s share
in world trade steel is a miniscule 2%. Given the capabilities of the Indian steel industry
there is tremendous scope to increase this share further. While the steel industry will
continue servicing the domestic demand there is a lot of untapped export potential with
the industry.
5.5 LIMITATIONS
In completing the study a number of difficulties were encountered. In such a short span of
continuous process. It is impossible to study the whole procedure within such a short
span. Apart from this there were lots of other problems encountered during the research
work. The officials were very hesitant and reluctant to give interviews and answers to
questions of investigators. Further this study of SAIL & TATA Steel does not give scope
As a concluding remark, it is essential to note that while the growth in construction is one
of the major indicators of economic growth, the increasing usage of steel is one aspect
that cannot be missed. Poised for this substantial development, the Indian steel industry is
industry sector. Yet to ensure this kind of backing, there is an urgent need to encourage
the flow of financial resources to this sector. Similarly, it is essential to make project
management more efficient and to facilitate close monitoring of project completion. This
comes in light of the fact that in the past instances, projects have been badly hit by time
4. Shroff, Pesi, 2005,India Today, issue dated 15th June 2005, pp: 48
5. Pandhe M K, 2007, Business Today, issue dated 1st August 2007, pp: 98
11. Smark J, 2006, The Sunday Indian, March 2006, Volume-3, Pp.42
16. Sarkar JK, 2007, Times of India, issue dated 14th Feb 2007, pp: 25
17. Rawat NM, (2007), Business & Management Chronicle, issue dated 30th Nov
18. Zubin Jayed Sayeed (2007), Civil Services Chronicle, issue dated 1ST April 2007,
pp: 101-102
19. Sheryn Drick M, 2007, Business Standard, issue December 2007, pp: 98-99
20. Kim Suzi, 2006, Economic Times, page-4, column -2, issue dated 09 September,
pp: 9
21. Mohan Das (2006), Business & Economy, volume-4, issue-8, pp: 165-166
22. Daniel M, 2005, BBC report published in Business Deccan, dated 30th Nov 2005,
27. Sinha Kumar K, 2007, competitive strategies for better future, ICFAI Journal,
volume-4, pp: 39
1. www.sail.co.in
2. www.tatasteel.com
3. http://www.tatasteel.com/Company/profile.asp
APPENDIX
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
• Infrastructure
• Labor laws
• Rapid urbanization
THREATS
SURVEY QUESTIONS
2. How would you rate your companies’ competitiveness in relation to the industry?
A)Less Competitive B)Moderately Competitive C)Very Competitive
3. Do you think being a public sector company is a hurdle for the growth of the
company?
A)Yes B)No
4. In your opinion is your company ready to expand overseas like other Indian steel
companies?
A)Yes B)No
A)Positive B)Negative
6. What affect will the opening up of the Indian steel sector will have on the future of
your company?
A)Positive B)Negative
10. Does the company offer you opportunities for growth and advancement of your
career?
A)Yes B)No
A)Yes B)No
14. Does your company have a clear and defined future goal?
A) YES B)NO
15. How clear are authority and responsibility relationships defined in your
organization?
A)Yes B)No
17. If yes, then are you happy with the dividend payouts?
A) Yes B) No
18. In your opinion how has been the performance of your companies stock in the recent
past?
A)Yes B)No
20. The future is very competitive; do you think your organization is ready to face the
competition?
A) YES B)NO