THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, OCTOBER 14, 2026

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday inaugurated Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd’s (IMFA) greenfield ferro chrome project at Kalinganagar, marking a major expansion in the company’s production capacity and positioning it as the country’s largest producer of value-added ferro chrome.

The project, which was operationalised within 15 months of the commencement of construction, takes IMFA’s installed capacity to 534,000 tonnes per annum (tpa), strengthening its position in the domestic and global ferro chrome markets.

The construction of the Kalinganagar facility began on May 22, 2025, with a groundbreaking ceremony performed by the Chief Minister. The first furnace achieved production on August 25, 2026, in just 458 days, the company said.

The greenfield project comprises two 33 MVA submerged arc furnaces with a combined production capacity of 100,000 tonnes per annum. It also features an 8.7 MW off-gas-based power generation system to improve energy efficiency and reduce dependence on external power sources.

Designed with state-of-the-art closed furnaces, the facility incorporates measures to minimise environmental impact, with stack particulate emissions maintained below 30 mg/Nm³. The company has also entered into a long-term agreement for hybrid renewable energy to further reduce the plant’s carbon footprint.

The project generated approximately 4.5 lakh man-days of employment during the construction phase and is expected to create around 1,500 direct and indirect jobs, providing a boost to industrial activity and livelihoods in the region.

Commenting on the inauguration, IMFA Managing Director Subhrakant Panda said the project marked a significant milestone in the company’s growth journey, making it the country’s largest producer of value-added ferro chrome and placing it among the foremost producers globally.

He expressed gratitude to the Odisha government and its agencies for their support in enabling the project to achieve its first hot-metal tapping within 15 months, while also commending the project team for its dedication and commitment.

Panda said the facility’s advanced closed-furnace technology, coupled with off-gas power generation and hybrid renewable energy, would help improve operational efficiency and lower the company’s carbon footprint.

 “Ferro chrome plays an important role in India’s manufacturing ambitions, and we will do our utmost to add to the nation’s economic resilience and competitiveness,” he said.

Ferro chrome, an essential alloying material used in the production of stainless steel, is strategically important to the steel industry and a range of manufacturing applications. The new facility is expected to strengthen India’s domestic production capabilities and support the country’s broader manufacturing ambitions.

Incorporated in 1961 and headquartered in Bhubaneswar, IMFA is a fully integrated producer of value-added ferro chrome, with captive chrome ore mines at Sukinda and Mahagiri and manufacturing complexes at Therubali, Choudwar and Kalinganagar.

The company has captive power generation capacity comprising 200 MW of coal-based power and 4.55 MWp of solar power. As part of its diversification strategy, IMFA is also setting up a 120 kilolitres-per-day grain-based ethanol plant at Therubali in Odisha.