Date:05/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/05/stories/2005030502730200.htm

Back Jindal Saw plans to set up branch in US

Ambarish Mukherjee

New Delhi , March 4

JINDAL Saw Ltd (formerly SAW Pipes Ltd) is planning to set up a branch in the US to increase its marketing activities.

The Managing Director of the Company, Ms Sminu Jindal, told Business Line that the company is expecting to notch a turnover of around Rs 2,200 crore for the current financial year.

"We have expanded our operations last year and are now in the consolidation phase. We have move beyond submerged arc welded pipes and have started making seamless pipes as well as ductile iron (DI) and cast iron (CI) pipes," Ms Jindal said.

The company has a substantial export base, but is currently working on plans to increase it further.

"Eventually we would look to a situation where 50 per cent of our revenues come from the domestic market and 50 per cent from exports. It is with the objective of exports that we have set up a facility at Mundra in Gujarat," she said.

In order to increase exports, the company has identified East Africa and West Asia as potential regions and is working out an aggressive marketing strategy for these countries.

As far as the domestic market is concerned, the company would be focussing heavily on cast iron and ductile iron pipes during the current year.

"The current market for CI and DI pipes is around 2.5 lakh tonnes annually. We would be eyeing 25 per cent of the market share in the first year. We would be trying to take our share of the market to around 60,000 tonnes by next September," Ms Jindal said.