SANJAY ANAND
The key is to focus on backward integration, asset sweating, and optimal utilization of available resources.
BIOGRAPHY
A steel industry expert with over 34 years of varied experience, Sanjay Anand has been COO & Head of Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel LLC., (JSIS) Oman since 2017. Under his strategic guidance and leadership, the Jindal Shadeed Oman facility has successfully accomplished various milestones and accolades. He started his career with Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), Bhilai in 1985. He has also worked in JSW for 10 years and ISMT Limited for four years. He has been associated with Jindal Steel & Power Ltd., since 2012.
Can you walk us through your growth strategy for the medium term?
Currently, we are producing around 2.4 MTPA steel through use of our own DRI, which is around 200,000 MT per month of steel produced, which is sold in the local market and primarily in the GCC. Our product composition is square billets, round billets, and rebar. 32% of the steel product is sold locally in Oman, while the remaining 68% is exported to various countries in GCC, Europe, and Far East. In rebar, we are market leader in Oman and also a leader in the export of rebar to the UAE. Round and rebar are our premium products and encompass 82% of our product portfolio, all of which is either sold locally or in the GCC. In this context, our medium-term growth strategy is becoming self-reliant in the bulk raw material required for producing steel and increasing market penetration and market share in the GCC, US, Southeast Asia, China, and Europe.
What technological upgrades can enhance the iron and steel manufacturing supply chain process in Oman?
The key is to focus on backward integration, asset sweating, and optimal utilization of available resources. To increase throughput dollar per minute, we have undertaken two investments to increase our SMS capacity from 2 MTPA to 2.4 MTPA by debottlenecking constraint up the value chain by adding a 2nd caster to our steel plant. On the upstream side, we have upgraded our DRI capacity from 1.5 MTPA to 1.8 MTPA. This backward enhancement brings down our cost and reduces our dependence on the purchase of metallics from the market. Going further, we have plans to transform JSIS Oman into a fully backward-integrated plant with upcoming investment in a lime and dolo calcination plant and prospective additional capacities in the form of a DRI and pellet plant. Moreover, we are improving maintenance practices through the use of automated tools, business excellence techniques, TPM, lean practices, better housekeeping of assets, TOC, data analytics, the systemic integration of SAP with automation systems, and more. We have enhanced our capacity utilization at various plants from 5-10% on a YoY basis.
SANJAY ANAND
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Focus: Future foreign policy
Friends to all, enemy to none
In championing the late Sultan Qaboos' non-interference foreign policy, the new ruler of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, is determined to work for friendship and peace, justice and harmony, and coexistence and positive constructive dialogue.
read articleInterview
David Kalife, CEO, Oman Oil Marketing Company (OOMCO)
Despite Oman's fuel market slowing down, OOMCO increased its sales volume of lubricants by 36% in 2019 and is constructing a greenfield bunker terminal at the Port of Duqm. The company has transformed while growing its expertise in Marketing and Digital.
read articleInterview
Azzan Al Busaidi, CEO, Ithraa
Azzan Al Busaidi is an expert in competitiveness and economic growth. He was appointed CEO of Ithraa in 2019 after 17 years spent covering managerial roles in the organization. Al Busaidi was previously Ithraa's director general of planning and studies and is a strong advocate of the potential of digitization. He holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde and a BSc in Economics from Sultan Qaboos University.
read articleInterview
Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion & Former Chairman, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Private Omani companies will be able to benefit greatly from the Fourth Industrial Revolution by enhancing their local value-added strategies and upskilling the workforce.
read articleInterview
Tahir Bin Salim Bin Abdullah Al Amri, Executive President, Central Bank of Oman (CBO)
The Central Bank of Oman's job is to ensure there is adequate liquidity in the system and that banks remain robust and resilient to meet the credit requirements of all segments without undermining financial stability.
read articleB2B
Capital markets
CMA and MSM are supporting Vision 2040 by providing financing to government companies that intend to go public, financing expansion of existing and new IPOs, and widening the investors base in Oman by enhancing and developing the investment funds and insurance industries.
read articleInterview
Khalid Al Balushi, CEO, Khazaen Economic City
International investors and business owners can benefit from Khazaen Economic City's strategic location and its close proximity to the main gateways of the country to import, process, manufacture, distribute locally, and export their goods and services.
read articleFocus: Port 4.0
Destined for greatness
Investments in world-class infrastructure have generated huge rewards for Oman. The goal now is to leverage technology as a disruptive enabler, build human capacity across the public and private logistics sectors, and drive operational efficiencies to build an integrated logistics business environment that is benchmarked against the world's best.
read articleFocus: Gap in tourism services
All bases covered
An amalgamation of local companies and unique experiences in Oman has created an original flavor that is further differentiating Oman's tourism offering from other countries and in the process attracting scores of tourists from all across the world.
read articleB2B
Engineering design
Renardet Engineering Consultants and Design Unit Engineering are recognized experts in their fields. While the former is an international company strongly committed to excellent engineering consultancy services and environmental practices, the latter is an Oman-based team of architects and engineers that incorporates local culture and traditions.
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Construction materials
Oman's construction sector is facing a host of challenges, but Hempel Paints and Al Maha Ceramics are confident that a mix of forward-thinking business models, unique products, and strong government initiatives will help them through turbulent times and generate positive returns in the long run.
read articleInterview
Salim Razvi, CEO, Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA)
Focusing on higher education institutional accreditation, program accreditation, and the updating and maintaining of the Oman Qualifications Framework, OAAA is helping further advance higher education in the Sultanate.
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