BHUBANESWAR/JAJPUR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday inaugurated Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd’s (IMFA) greenfield ferro chrome project at Kalinganagar, making the company the country’s largest producer of value-added ferro chrome, with an installed capacity of 5.34 lakh tonne per annum.
The project, comprising two 33 MVA submerged arc furnaces, was operationalised in 15 months. Construction began on May 22, 2025, following a groundbreaking ceremony by the chief minister, and the first furnace achieved production on August 25, within 458 days.
The project generated around 4.5 lakh man-days of employment during construction and is expected to create 1,500 direct and indirect jobs.
The new facility has been equipped with closed furnaces and an 8.7 MW off-gas power generation system to improve energy efficiency. Stack particulate emissions are designed to remain below 30 mg/Nm³. IMFA has also entered into a long-term agreement for hybrid renewable energy to reduce the project’s carbon footprint.
Speaking at the inauguration, IMFA managing director Subhrakant Panda said the project marked a significant milestone in the company’s growth journey, strengthening its position in the domestic and global ferro chrome markets.
He thanked the government for its support in commissioning the facility within 15 months.
Panda said the closed-furnace technology, off-gas power generation and renewable energy would help improve operational efficiency and reduce the plant’s carbon footprint.
IMFA operates manufacturing complexes at Therubali, Choudwar and Kalinganagar. The company has captive chrome ore mines at Sukinda and Mahagiri and power generation capacity comprising 200 MW of coal-based power and 4.55 MWp of solar power.
The company said the enhanced smelting capacity would be supported entirely by chrome ore from its captive mines and by hybrid renewable power. As part of its diversification strategy, IMFA is also setting up a 120-kilolitre-per-day grain-based ethanol plant at Therubali.