In order to promote and closely collaborate on the development of steel and infrastructure industry in Pakistan, the joint venture of Al-Ittefaq Steel Products Company (ISPC), a subsidiary of Al-Tuwairqi Holding of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and POSCO – world’s third largest steelmaker by market value, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of Pakistan (GoP) through the Ministry of Investment for the backward and forward integration of Tuwairqi Steel Mills Limited (TSML) – Pakistan’s first private sector integrated environment-friendly steel manufacturing complex.
Forward integration would be a further value addition through a Melt Shop, producing world standard steel grades, while backward integration would be to the extent of exploring iron ore locally in Balochistan, its beneficiation and pelletization as well. The estimated investment on these projects would be around US $900 million. The MoU was signed by S. Anjum Bashir, Secretary, Ministry of Investment, Prime Minister Secretariat, Government of Pakistan and Zaigham Adil Rizvi, Director (Projects), TSML in the presence of Dr Hilal Hussain Al-Tuwairqi, Chairman Al-Tuwairqi Holding and Joon Yang Chung, Chairman & CEO, POSCO of South Korea.
As per the MoU, GoP will facilitate TSML in using Pachinkoh Deposit (Nokkundi) and Dilband Deposit (Mastung) for the development of iron ore mine and utilisation of such developed iron ore products as raw material for TSML’s DRI Plant and Pellet Plant in its 1st and 3rd phase, respectively. GoP has also committed to facilitate TSML with 180 MW of electricity, 3,000m of water per day and natural gas as per the additional quantity required for TSML’s upcoming projects.
Through the MoU, POSCO has also expressed its interest for exploring business opportunities with GoP in engineering, procurement and construction services in the fields of infrastructure and industrial, environmental, electric power and oil & gas facilities.
On this occasion, Dr Hilal Hussain Al-Tuwairqi, Chairman Al-Tuwairqi Holding said that Al-Tuwairqi’s vision is to participate in the development of national economy, in order to have a long sustaining growth of Pakistan. “We are looking forward to create, for our younger generations, ample job opportunities to build a strong and prosperous nation, on the face of this plant. Al-Tuwairqi sees Pakistan as a land of opportunities and we are very clear in our perception that Pakistan as a country has to grow and we are determined to play an instrumental role in its development,” he remarked.
Joon Yang Chung, Chairman & CEO, POSCO said that POSCO is serving some of the most quality conscious markets in the world, and with its vision and expertise in the global steel industry spanning over 4 decades, POSCO is committed to transform TSML into a globally renowned company for quality steel making.-PR
