The first phase of Iran’s steel new production project in the country’s Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari province will be inaugurated in the Iranian calendar year beginning 21 March 2015.  The second and third phases will come online in 2015 and 2016. The Sefid Dasht Steel Company will have a capacity of one million tonnes/year of crude steel, Kallanish learns from an announcement by the company.

The Mobarakeh Steel Company (MSC) is a major investor in the project. The scheme has suffered delays since 2009 due to “technical problems”, Mohammadreza Nemtazadeh the Iranian minister for Mines, Industry and Trade said during a visit to the project. “The inauguration of Sefid Dasht Steel Company will pave the way for the direct employment of 1000 people and indirect employment of 7000 people…” he added.

The inauguration of the direct reduction unit will take place between March 2015 and March 2016.  The steel making plant and casting units of the company will rapidly come online afterwards says Dr. Mehdi Karbasian, chairman of the Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation organisation (Imidro). “So far the physical progress of this project has been good in comparison to the other 8 steel projects underway throughout Iran…” Karbasian said.

In 2013, Iran was the world’s 15th biggest producer of crude steel with 15.4 million tonnes of output. Imidro, including subsidiary companies MSC and Estaphan Steel, was ranked joint 24th in the global top 50 steelmakers listing with 14.3mt.