ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS India), a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, expects Optigal to make up nearly 80% of its colour-coated steel product portfolio. Ranjan Dhar, Director and Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at AM/NS India, shared that the company has invested around Rs 600 billion in the first phase of its expansion in Hazira, with part of this investment allocated to producing Optigal in India. Optigal, a product used for roofing, fencing, and cladding in residential and commercial projects, was previously available only in international markets. It is manufactured using ArcelorMittal’s patented Zinc-Aluminium-Magnesium technology. Earlier this year, AM/NS India began producing Optigal locally, starting with Karnataka, a region strategically chosen due to its demographic, coastal geography, and consumer preference for high-quality, durable materials. The response in Karnataka has been positive, and the company anticipates growing demand and market share for Optigal in the region. AM/NS India currently produces around 700,000 tonnes of colour-coated steel annually, with Optigal accounting for approximately 250,000 tonnes. As adoption increases, the company plans to transition its entire colour-coated steel portfolio to the Optigal substrate. Over the next two to three years, the company aims to boost its colour-coated steel production capacity to 1.1–1.2 million tonnes. Beyond colour-coated steel, AM/NS India is expanding its overall production capacity in India from 9 million tonnes to 15 million tonnes by next year. The company’s crude steel capacity is 9 million tonnes per annum, supported by advanced downstream facilities. It produces a wide range of flat steel products, including value-added steel, and has a pellet capacity of 20 million tonnes. (Business Line)