Rourkela Steel Plant’s new plate mill sets production records, boosts quality with new testing lab

The New Plate Mill (NPM) of SAIL’s Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has achieved multiple production milestones, setting new benchmarks in single-day and shift-wise output on July 10, stated a post on its X handle.

Simultaneously, the plant has taken a major stride in quality enhancement by signing a contract to establish a state-of-the-art Product Testing Laboratory aimed at bolstering its testing capabilities.

NPM Sets All-Time Production Highs

According to reports, on July 10, the New Plate Mill rolled 5,109 tonnes of plates, surpassing its previous best of 5,050 tonnes achieved in December 2024. This marked the highest-ever single-day plate rolling for the mill since its commissioning in 2014.

Additionally, the Mill recorded its highest-ever single-day slab rolling at 383 slabs, improving upon the earlier record of 355 slabs.

The best-ever shift tonnage was also achieved during the ‘C’ shift, with 1,834 tonnes rolled in a single shift. Further, three executives from NPM were presented with books as a token of appreciation for leading the target and achieving it successfully.

Product Testing Laboratory to Enhance Quality Assurance

Further strengthening its infrastructure, RSP signed a contract earlier this month with M/s Sterling and Wilson Pvt. Ltd. for establishing a cutting-edge Product Testing Laboratory. The facility will cater to the growing testing demands of the New Plate Mill (NPM), Special Plate Plant (SPP), and Hot Strip Mill-2 (HSM-2).

The lab, to be developed in compliance with NABL accreditation standards, will enhance RSP’s capacity to conduct in-house testing for special steel grades, support third-party inspections, and meet evolving customer requirements.

The 25-month project will be executed by RSP’s Projects Department, with consultancy from CET Ranchi.