Dharampal Premchand Ltd. makers of the Baba brand of chewing tobacco has diversified into steel production. The group has commissioned a INR 250 crore plant to produce steel sheets in Agartala. It is also the first steel unit in Tripura.

The plant, which will have a capacity of 1,50,000 tonne per annum, hopes to tap into the region’s business potential which has largely remained unexplored.

The group has interestingly enough decided to extend the Baba brand into the steel making business. The steel unit will manufacture cold rolled sheets, galvanized plain and corrugated sheets and cold rolled closed annealed sheets.

“We have completed the first phase despite enormous infrastructure challenges and constraints,” said R.K. Kakrania who will steel diversification in his capacity as director.  The steel venture will generate nearly 1,000 jobs.

Galvanised sheets are a primary roofing material used across the Northeast. The market in this region is oriented towards very thin sheets, and the project has been designed to cater to the special needs of this market. The CRCA sheets produced by the new unit will cater to local needs in making almirahs, panels, grain storage bins / silos and barrels.