Enlight Metals has introduced its Waste Free Steel (WFS) initiative, aimed at transforming steel procurement through precision-driven sourcing and advanced material planning. The programme seeks to reduce steel wastage by 8–10 per cent in infrastructure and EPC projects by shifting procurement practices from volume-based buying to drawing-based supply aligned with engineering requirements.
The initiative is powered by Enlight Metals’ Agentic AI–enabled metal procurement platform, which enables project teams to submit technical drawings and material specifications for detailed analysis. Based on these inputs, the system maps precise grades, dimensions and component-level requirements before optimising them through advanced nesting and material planning techniques to maximise utilisation and minimise offcuts.
The steel is then processed using precision technologies such as Cut-to-Length (CTL), Cut-to-Size (CTS) and fibre laser cutting. These processes deliver fabrication-ready components that align directly with project specifications, reducing on-site cutting, scrap generation and excess inventory. The approach also supports improved working capital management and faster project execution.
The initiative addresses a key challenge in India’s infrastructure and industrial sectors, where traditional steel procurement remains largely volume-driven. Standard mill sizes often do not match project drawings, resulting in trimming losses, excess scrap and idle inventory. Industry estimates suggest such inefficiencies can reach 12–15 per cent per project.
Enlight Metals processes a wide range of materials including hot rolled (HR), cold rolled (CR) and galvanised plain (GP) sheets, along with structural components such as angles, channels and pipes. By delivering pre-dimensioned steel components aligned with fabrication workflows, the model reduces rework, scrap handling and storage requirements across project sites.
Steel typically accounts for 40–60 per cent of material costs in many infrastructure and industrial developments. Even a modest reduction in wastage can translate into significant financial savings for organisations consuming large volumes of steel annually, while also improving inventory cycles, reducing transport costs and accelerating project timelines.
Beyond operational efficiencies, the Waste Free Steel initiative also contributes to sustainability by reducing unnecessary scrap generation and lowering embedded carbon emissions across the steel value chain.
Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Pune, Enlight Metals operates as a metal aggregation platform connecting industrial buyers with verified suppliers and manufacturers. The company currently serves more than 500 OEMs across sectors including automotive manufacturing, railways, renewable energy, heavy engineering and construction.
