· The green push from the government reflects the resilience and a high probability of Zinc emerging as key contributor in achieving India a 5 trillion-dollar economy
● Coated steel Industry, Infrastructure, construction, railways and automobile will be key drivers of demand for zinc in India
New Delhi, 16th February,2023: International Zinc Association (IZA), in association with Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL), kickstarted the 4th edition of the Global Zinc Summit today at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi, India. The summit was inaugurated by Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia- Hon’ble Union Minister of Steel Government of India (GoI) and Shri Raju Bista Member of Parliament & MD Surya Roshni Limited. Mr Arun Misra, Chairman IZA & CEO, Hindustan Zinc, Dr. Andrew Green, Executive Director (Global), IZA, Dr Rahul Sharma, Director (India), IZA, and other industry leaders deliberate upon the global trends & efficient domestic usage of zinc across infrastructure, agriculture, automotive industry, railways, etc. and sustainable development. One of India’s largest galvanizing summits, over 100 Indian and International delegates attended the summit including ministry officials, opinion leaders, zinc producers, galvanizers, end users of galvanized products, industry executives from Railways, highway authorities, architects and design consultants, and media.
Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia- Hon’ble Union Minister of Steel Government of India (GoI) in his address in the inaugural session said, “Today, India is one of the fourth largest producers in the world, producing almost 6% of the world’s capacity. Zinc is an excellent corrosion-resistant material. About 80% of our Zinc is consumed in a year in hot galvanizing of steel tubes, wires, sheets, structures, foster wise markets, cables, and trade. Highways, renewable energy, and rural electrification are sectors with huge capex. This year’s budget has forecasted almost a 10-lakh crore capex program and that will usher in new markets that will usher in new opportunities. Galvanized steel not only increases the lifespan but it makes our infrastructure much more beautiful and safer. India today already is the second-largest steel producer in the world and one of the largest producers of zinc globally which is a proud moment for the country. These accolades with Zinc we will propel our journey to the Amrit Kaal growth.”
For the first time, Global Zinc Summit hosted a special session dedicated to the women who are driving the mining industry. International Zinc Association aims to become an integral and effective support organization for women working in the zinc sector. The organisation aims to support and promote women from the zinc industry by creating networking opportunities, organizing meetings, and sharing knowledge.
Speaking on the occasion, Arun Misra, Chairman, IZA and CEO, Hindustan Zinc says, “India’s journey to net zero by 2070 will be propelled by implementing more green technology, green farming, green infrastructure and allied green services in the country. Zinc will play a critical role by investing more in environment-friendly structures such as steel structures coated with zinc. With Global Zinc Summit, we aim to create awareness around the implementation of zinc as a performance-enhancing material system. It is important for the country to understand the importance of longevity and protection of countries’ premium infrastructure systems. On a global level, the demand for zinc is to be understood as a metal of durability and proven corrosion protection method.”
For the first time, Global Zinc Summit hosted a special session dedicated to the women who are driving the mining industry. International Zinc Association aims to become an integral and effective support organization for women in the zinc sector. The organisation aims to support and promote women from the zinc industry by creating networking opportunities, organizing meetings, and sharing knowledge.
The Summit had diverse panels with experienced Indian & global speakers highlighting the potential of the Zinc market and its applications.
A session on “How Zinc can contribute to achieving India a 5 Trillion dollar economy” emphasized the contribution of Coated steel Industry and the growth of Zinc in the steel industry. Some of the prominent speakers from the session were Mr. Anubhav Gupta, Strategy Head, APL Apollo Tubes Ltd, Mr.Siddhartha Misra, Chief Product Research, Tata Steel Ltd. Mr. Tarun Baldua , Chief Executive Officer, Surya Roshni Ltd, and Mr. Vijay Murthy, Chief Marketing Officer, Hindustan Zinc Ltd.
Another session on “Safety of Scaffolders and Scaffold users”, reiterated the importance of safety regulations for the Construction and Scaffolding Industry. Industry experts talked about how it is of utmost importance to tighten the safety regulations in the construction industry. Mr. Anoop Singh Jangi, Head of Bridges, COWI India Pvt Ltd, Mr. KP George, Chief Executive Officer, Coatsman Offshore Services Pvt. Ltd, Mr. Liam Hully, India Head Brand Safway India and others shared their recommendations.
On the first day, the summit saw participation from Hindustan Zinc, Tata Steel, PGCIL, CRISL, Surya Roshni, RR Ispat, International Lead-Zinc Development Association and IIT Chennai and others.
The second day of the programme will have a dedicated session on the importance of galvanizing in automobiles, with speakers from auto companies, auto experts and Indian steel producers supplying to the automobile companies presenting their perspectives.
