One of India’s leading manufacturers of industrial gases, INOX Air Products (INOXAP), has launched its largest air separation unit (ASU) at the Steel Authority of India’s (SAIL) Bokaro facility. At a cost of ₹750 crore ($87m), the plant marks the company’s largest greenfield oxygen plant investment to date and the largest ASU at any SAIL facility nationwide.
The newly commissioned ASU boasts an installed capacity of 2,150 tonnes per day (TPD), which includes 2,000 TPD of gaseous oxygen, 150 TPD of liquid oxygen, 1,200 TPD of gaseous nitrogen, and 100 TPD of argon. This latest addition boosts INOXAP’s combined production capacity at SAIL’s Bokaro site to over 6,300 TPD across all gases. The company previously operated a 1,250 TPD ASU at the same site.
Sharing his thoughts on the milestone, Siddharth Jain, Managing Director of INOXAP, stated, “The commissioning of our largest-ever ASU, at SAIL’s iconic Bokaro Plant is a massive milestone in our Company’s journey. Considering that this is SAIL’s largest ASU at any of its facilities brings us immense pride and stands testimony to our capabilities and reliability. We firmly believe that our association of nearly two decades with SAIL, has enabled us to play an impactful part in the nation’s growth story.”
INOXAP’s collaboration with SAIL began in 2008 with the establishment of its first cryogenic ASU at the Bokaro Steel Plant. This was followed by another ASU with a 108 TPD capacity at SAIL’s Salem facility in 2011.
India’s steel industry: A snapshot
India is the second-largest producer of crude steel globally, accounting for 124.7 million tonnes in 2022, according to the World Steel Association. The nation’s steel sector is a vital consumer of industrial gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, which are essential for processes including steelmaking and refining. Industrial gas demand in the steel industry is driven by oxygen, which is used in basic oxygen furnaces (BOF) and electric arc furnaces (EAF).
In addition to its size, India’s steel industry is poised for growth, with the market projected to reach $233 billion by 2030, driven by infrastructure development and urbanisation, according to reports by Invest India.
