Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) is a Public Sector Undertaking under the Government of India and the corporate entity that operates the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) in Andhra Pradesh. It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel and is engaged primarily in the manufacture and sale of long steel products.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited |
| Common abbreviation | RINL |
| Principal plant | Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (Vizag Steel) |
| Headquarters | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Type | Public Sector Undertaking |
| Administrative ministry | Ministry of Steel, Government of India |
| Sector | Iron and steel |
The decision to set up an integrated steel plant at Visakhapatnam on the east coast of India was announced by the Government of India in the early 1970s. The project was conceived as a shore-based steel plant making use of the deep-water port of Visakhapatnam for the import of raw materials and the export of finished products. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited was incorporated as the corporate entity to own and operate the plant, and the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was subsequently designated as its principal production unit.
The Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is an integrated iron and steel works producing pig iron, billets, blooms and a range of long products such as wire rods, structurals, rebars and rounds. It draws iron ore primarily from the mines of the Bailadila region in Chhattisgarh and uses imported and domestic coking coal. The plant uses blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace technology along with continuous casting facilities.
RINL's product range is focused on long steel products used in construction, infrastructure, railways, automotive components and engineering applications. Key products include:
As a wholly owned Government of India enterprise, RINL is governed by a Board of Directors with a Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) at its head. The company has been recognised as a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking, a category that grants enhanced delegation of powers in investment, joint ventures and human resources matters.
RINL, through the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, is notable as the first shore-based integrated steel plant in India. It is a major employer and industrial anchor in the Visakhapatnam region and contributes to the supply of long products for India's construction and infrastructure sectors. The plant also plays a role in port-linked logistics on the east coast, given its proximity to Visakhapatnam Port.