Laced with an extensive product range, impressive production tonnage and technologies that matter, Ambica has few parallels in the production of stainless steel long products.

Ambica Steels Limited began its journey in 1970 with a 5 tonne Arc Furnace from Danieli producing a modest 10000 tonnes of alloy steel. In contrast, it has today attained an annual capacity of about 80,000 tonnes, an almost eightfold increase, making itself the India’s largest fully integrated specialty stainless steel long products producer.

The company is headquartered in Delhi with its three production units in Uttar Pradesh, along Delhi – UP border. Ambica Steels specializes into the production of stainless steel long products such as continuous cast billets and blooms, forging ingots, bright round bars, cold drawn square and hexagon bars, HRAP flat bars, and hot rolled rounds and RCS.

Its presence may be felt domestically as well as globally. Today, it exports to over 50 countries across the globe and has strong domestic consumption for its steel. It’s well equipped manufacturing facilities have a melt size of 22 tonnes, producing about 80,000 tonnes of various steel products annually.

Recently, at Wire 2016, Germany, Wire & Cable India had a quick chat with Mr. Abhinav Gupta, Director (Commercial), Ambica Steels Limited to know about company and new developments.

Wire & Cable India: To start with, tell us briefly about Ambica’s evolution into one of the largest integrated stainless steel producers of India.

Abhinav Gupta: Ambica Steels is family owned business. The company has been established in 1970; however, the present management took it over in 1989. We have come a long way since then – from 1 tonne induction furnace to a melt size of 22 tonnes. The company has literally been built from scratch by Mr. C. P. Gupta, the chairman and managing director of Ambica Steels. So, it’s really been a long journey for the kind of base we have created as a company, today exporting to more than 50 countries and commanding a veritable domestic consumption.

WCI: Kindly share with us some details of technology that you use and quality standards you follow.

AG: As far as quality is concerned, we are certified by TÜV NORD in addition to other required and acknowledged certifications such as ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, BS OHSAS 18001:2007, AD 2000 Merkblatt W0, P.E.D.(97/23/EC), AS 9100C Aerospace, IBR Certificate, Lloyd’s register certificate for marine application, and Z Ambica 1326WL111860.

As regards to AS 9100C certification, we are the first mill in India to get that. Moreover, we have recently acquired CE-marking and Lloyd’s register certificate – two latest additions in our accreditation portfolio.

In terms of technology, we have all the stainless steel manufacturing process and steel heat treatment facilities under one roof. We have invested a lot in our machines and processes, especially in cold finishing producing bright bars. Ambica has a specialty, i.e. the melting of special composition steel in the weight range 18-27 tonnes. We can also produce melts in the weight range 16-28 in some special cases. A strong production control system is in place to obtain precise melting data and monitoring to ascertain the desired material properties such as purity level and mechanical values.

Our specially designed heat treatment furnaces can treat bars up to the length of 7.5 meters/24.6 ft. Moreover, there are numerically controlled centerless grinders and other integrated lines for producing bright round bars. In terms of technology that we use and products we churn out, we are very competitive with European mills, both quality- and price-wise.

WCI: Tell us more about your products, and applications they are mainly used in.

AG: We have products under eight categories, viz. stainless steel bright round bars, precision round bars, hexagon and square bars, flat bars, hot rolled steel bars, forging quality ingots, duplex stainless steel, and precipitation hardening steels (17-4 stainless steel). Ambica Steels is the largest producer of duplex stainless steel long products in India and specializes into the production of 17-4 steels (also known as 1.4542 and AISI 630). This is a precipitation hardening martensitic stainless steel with Cu and Nb/Cb additions.

Applications are vast; stainless steel is like bread and butter to engineers. We can’t even say exactly where our all the steel go. We usually sell to aggregators who collect the demands from the market and buy from mills. Application-wise, most of the products are consumed by the engineering product companies, who use these to make fasteners, flanges, and many other components. We have a good market share in the domestic forging industry; we are also supplying to few forgers abroad.

In terms of geography, we are strongly placed in European market. However, we have supplied to all the continents and, as on date, our export portfolio includes no less than 50 countries, spread across all the continents. It’s a matter of pleasure, and pride at the same time, for our products to have been accepted and appreciated across globe.

WCI: Can you tell us what the ratio is for export and domestic supply of your products?

AG: Presently, it’s 35:65 between export and domestic. We try to strike a balance, but it’s difficult to do so as we are more competitive in the domestic market. The domestic and exports demands are different and it’s different for all the Indian suppliers for reasons such as Euro price and competitive price of European steel products. Indeed, European mills are in distress and are doing a lot of selling at extremely competitive price.

WCI: Any new recent development that you would like sharing with us?

AG: Among new developments are the certifications that I told you earlier. We are not investing in expanding our product portfolio; however, we may go for it next year, may be developing forging wire steel.

This year, the major addition has been the super duplex steel, i.e. F-53, which we did not make until now. We have seen quite exciting response from the domestic market for this product.

WCI: Any future expansion that you are clear about?

AG: We are waiting for the industry to pick up. As of now, the industry seems to be in distress and we would not be investing into any further expansion until it kicks back in. Notwithstanding whether we go for expansion, our present portfolio is still vast and comparable only to producers like Viraj, Mukund, et al.

WCI: To conclude with, tell us about the USP and philosophy of Ambica Steels.

AG: Transparency is the USP of Ambica – transparency from inside and outside. We are able to commit anything only when we are sure we can deliver it. Once committed, we don’t retract and that’s something our customers like the most about us.

As regards to philosophy, quality is the only bedrock of everything we do as a producer of steel products.