Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ABB India to digitally enhance ironmaking and steelmaking operations at its Rourkela Steel Plant in Odisha.
The collaboration will enable the development of digital twins for blast furnaces and basic oxygen furnaces, using operational data and advanced modeling to optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and support sustainability goals.
This partnership comes amid rising industry pressures to meet environmental standards and boost competitiveness. Rourkela Steel Plant produced 4.08 mln tons of saleable steel in FY 2024-25, and SAIL aims to increase output to 9 mln tons by 2030.
By leveraging ABB’s expertise in automation and digitalization, SAIL plans to drive data-driven decision-making and improve overall plant performance.
Commissioned in 1959, Rourkela was India’s first public sector integrated steel plant and remains a key producer of flat, tubular, and coated steels, including defense-grade materials.