VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has approved another major manufacturing investment that further cements its emergence as one of India’s fastest-growing destinations for steel and metals.
The State government has cleared the allotment of 93.43 acres to Berry Alloys Ltd. for a Rs 1,200-crore integrated manganese and steel materials complex at the Bobbili Growth Centre in Vizianagaram district. The project is expected to generate 813 direct jobs while strengthening the State’s rapidly expanding metals value chain.
The investment comes as India prepares for a significant expansion in steel production over the coming decade. The National Steel Policy targets 300 million tonnes of annual steelmaking capacity by 2030, nearly doubling current levels. That growth is expected to drive a sharp increase in demand for manganese, a critical alloying element that improves the strength, hardness and wear resistance of steel.
Manganese-based ferroalloys are indispensable inputs for producing construction steel, automotive-grade steel, rail tracks, defence equipment and engineering products. As steelmakers increasingly adopt Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) routes to reduce emissions, demand for high-quality manganese inputs is expected to rise further.
Berry Alloys is among India’s established ferro-alloy manufacturers, producing ferro manganese, silico manganese and other specialised alloys for domestic and international steelmakers.
The company already operates manufacturing facilities in Vizianagaram and exports to markets across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, benefiting from Andhra Pradesh’s proximity to Visakhapatnam Port. It is also a member of the International Manganese Institute (IMnI).
The new facility will integrate manganese sinter production, a Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant and a carbon paste plant, supported by a 115 MW captive power complex. The project will produce 0.5 million tonnes of manganese sinter annually, around 330,000 tonnes of DRI and 60,000 tonnes of carbon paste, creating an integrated manufacturing ecosystem instead of exporting raw minerals.
The state government approved the land allotment at a concessional rate of Rs 77.25 lakh per acre following recommendations from the State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB). The approval covers 90 acres of industrial plots along with 3.43 acres of adjoining land to create a contiguous project site.
The project also reflects Andhra Pradesh’s strategy of leveraging the mineral wealth of north Andhra to move higher up the manufacturing value chain. In its order, the government specifically noted the abundance of manganese ore in the region and observed that the investment would significantly expand production of manganese sinter, a critical raw material for steel and alloy steel manufacturing.
Berry Alloys joins a rapidly growing pipeline of investments transforming Andhra Pradesh into one of India’s foremost steel and metals hubs. The State is already home to the proposed Rs 1.36 lakh crore ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel integrated steel plant at Anakapalle, alongside a growing ecosystem of ferro-alloys, downstream metals, advanced materials and renewable energy projects.
With abundant mineral resources, deep-water ports, robust logistics and proactive industrial policies, Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as a globally competitive base for the entire steel value chain—from raw materials and ferro-alloys to finished steel and advanced manufacturing.
