ABB India and Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), a Maharatna central public sector enterprise, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the digital optimization of ironmaking and steelmaking processes at SAIL’s Rourkela Steel Plant in Odisha.
Under this collaboration, the Rourkela plant will share operational data with ABB India. Using this data, ABB will develop mathematical and data-driven models to create digital twins of the plant’s blast furnaces and basic oxygen furnaces in the steel melt shop. These digital twins aim to provide insights that support process optimization and operational efficiency.
The partnership addresses key challenges faced by the steel sector, such as stricter environmental regulations, the need to reduce operational costs, and maintaining competitiveness in a changing market landscape. The Rourkela Steel Plant produced 4.08 million tons of saleable steel products in FY 2024-25, and SAIL plans to increase output to approximately 9 million tons by 2030. The company is focusing on improving operational efficiency and sustainability through digital transformation.
ABB’s expertise in automation and digitalization will help optimize ironmaking and steelmaking operations by enabling data-based decision making. The collaboration aims to make steel production at Rourkela more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.
India’s steel industry continues to grow steadily, with domestic demand projected to increase by 9-10% in FY25, according to ICRA. Long-term growth is expected between 5% and 7.3% annually, as per Deloitte. Technological advancements and upgrades in steel mills play a key role in enhancing energy efficiency and productivity in this sector.
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