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35 min ago 2 min read
India-based Ellenbarrie Industrial Gases has commissioned a 325 tonnes per day (TPD) air separation unit (ASU) at the facility of steel producer Jai Balaji Industries in Durgapur, West Bengal.
The plant has begun commercial operations under a 15-year onsite gas supply agreement, with revenue generation commencing in September 2026.
The agreement, signed in February 2025, covers the construction, ownership and operation of the ASU at Jai Balaji Industries’ steel manufacturing facility.
The contract includes a take-or-pay arrangement, providing Ellenbarrie with a minimum revenue stream over the 15-year period, subject to the plant being available to supply gases.
The commissioning marks a further expansion of Ellenbarrie’s onsite business in eastern India, where the company supplies industrial and medical gases to sectors including steel, healthcare and chemicals.
The new facility will supply industrial gases directly to Jai Balaji Industries, reducing the need for transportation and providing a dedicated supply for its manufacturing operations.
Last year, Prime Minister Modi said the steel industry played a “skeleton-like role” in the country’s economy.
“India is striving to achieve the goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy, with the steel sector playing a significant role in this mission,” he said.
Under the National Steel Policy, the country has set a target of producing 300 million tonnes of steel by 2030, along with strong export goals.
He stressed the need for a goal of “zero imports”, adding, “India is currently working towards a target of exporting 25 million tonnes of steel and aims to increase production capacity to 500 million tonnes by 2047.”
Separately, Ellenbarrie secured a 24 month contract to build an ASU at Bharat Heavy Electricals for a proposed coal to ammonium nitrate project in Odisha, edging out Linde India and INOX Air Products in the bidding process.
