Zinc Market in India

will Grow 8.10%

- Rahul Sharma
communication of the unique attributes that make zinc
sustainable and essential for life. The IZA's main
program areas are Technology & Market Development;
Environment, Health & Sustainability; and
Communications.
Rahul Sharma is a Post graduate Mechanical
Engineer of the Maulana Azad National Institute of
Technology, where he majored in Thermal Engg before
undertaking Management Program from IIFT, New
Delhi. He is currently pursuing PhD. During the past 17
years he has worked in Sales and Marketing
department at Aluminium major Hindalco Industries
Limited, Corus Steel (Tata Steel International) and in
this role at IZA, he has been responsible for providing
technical and marketing support to zinc consumers
with the galvanizing sector, Zinc Die Casting, Sheet
Galvanizing being a major focus of this activity
“Zinc has multifaceted applications. 58% of zinc
worldwide is used for corrosion protection of
steel, while other 42%
goes into Zinc die
casting, Rubber
industry Brass, Zinc

T he International Zinc Association (IZA) was

founded in 1990 and is a non-profit organization
based in Brussels, Belgium. IZA has regional offices in
Fertilizers, and
Pharma
applications says
China, Europe, Latin America, North America, India and Rahul Sharma,
Southern Africa. Director International
IZA is the only global industry association dedicated Zinc Association India
exclusively to the interests of zinc and its users. Operating in an exclusive interview
internationally and locally through its regional affiliates, IZA helps with Metalworld. Excerpts
sustain the long-term global demand for zinc and its markets by
promoting such key end uses as corrosion protection for steel and the What is the Present status of
essentiality of zinc in human health and crop nutrition. The main programs zinc industry globally ?
- Zinc metal in short term seems to
are Sustainability & Environment, Technology & Market Development and
be balanced with little or no changes in the stocks however
Communications. IZA staff, a team of internationally recognized experts, is access to physical material across globe is limited. Recent
dedicated to assisting the Industry with its many challenges and zinc demand-related data readings have been seasonally
opportunities. ZA's mission is to support and advance zinc products and strong and leading economic indicators are mainly positive.
markets through research, development, technology transfer and Outlook for zinc demand in medium-to-long remains robust.

13 February 2014
 Face-to-Face

The developing economies, including the BRIC countries is different. China’s GDP is (CSSBI). The CSSBI is focused on sheet steel
BRICS nations, may witness a high growth in growing @ 7-8% and India’s economy @ 4-5 solutions for the building construction market
the per capita zinc consumption and thereby %, while Brazil because of Olympics will and is Canada’s foremost authority on sheet
global Zinc demand in future Mine output is consume more zinc. So I am of the opinion that steel, its products, and its many applications. It
passing through a critical phase where few global slowdown will not impact zinc industry is responsible for the development and
larger mines like Century, Rampura Glencore What is the present profile of Zinc dissemination of steel product standards, as
Xstrata Plc, Red Dog, McArthur River, application ? well as the main source for technical
Tennessee mines etc. are tapering their - Zinc has multifaceted applications. 58% information, resources, and expert guidance to
production while new mines in start up phase. of zinc worldwide is used for corrosion the general public and sheet steel
What is the present status of Zinc protection of steel, while other 42% goes into manufacturers alike. The CSSBI promotes the
market in Asia generally and India Zinc die casting (Faucet, Hardware like door following five product categories: Steel
specifically ? handles, locks, automobile parts etc), Rubber Building Systems (SBS) - Pre-fabricated,
- China contributes approx 35% of Global industry (tyre) Brass, Zinc Fertilizers, and custom-engineered steel buildings; Steel
Zinc Mine production, India accounts for 6 Phrama applications. Building Products (SBP) - Steel roofing and
%.and rest of Asia contributes 8 %. In terms of cladding, steel roof and floor deck;
What are the new emerging
Global refine zinc production China Lightweight Steel Framing (LSF) - Cold-
applications of Zinc being developed ?
contributes ~40 %, India’s share is 6%, South formed sheet steel framing members;
- There are various new applications for Residential Steel Roofing (RSR) - Low
Korea share is 6% and rest of Asia 9%. As you India like Galvanneal Car bodies (earlier it was
know Rate of growth in China is slow but gains maintenance roofing with long life cycles; and,
only cold rolled steel with paint), Culverts (for Lightweight Steel Cladding (LSC) - Cladding
are still substantial in absolute terms. China water drainage), Galvalume roofing and
consumes 42% of zinc produced globally, for agricultural and light commercial
cladding (Replacing Asbestos because of applications. Any Steel company, PEB player
whereas India consumes only 4%. South Asia health hazard / Aluminium).
and South East Asia would also witness a boom etc can become member of ISSBG.
Moreover high end
especially in emerging markets like India, What are the activities of International
Bathroom Hardware is
Indonesia, and Thailand which would drive the Zinc Association ?
produced using zinc die
consumption of Zinc. The major demand castings. While zinc - IZA’s main programs are Sustainability
drivers in these nations being the is an essential vital & Environment, Technology & Market
infrastructure growth and industrial micro nutrient and is Development and Communications. IZA helps
growth. China was the major producer of essential for physical and sustain the long-term global demand for zinc
the primary zinc, China zinc supply is mental development of and its markets by promoting such key end uses
highly fragmented with many smelters children. Unfortunately as corrosion protection for steel and the
producing small volumes of zinc. India’s 50% soil is zinc essentiality of zinc in human health and crop
In India, Government is deficient and hence our crops nutrition. IZA was founded way back in 1990,
spending billion of Rupees on do not contain prescribed level of zinc but we started our India program in 2010 and
infrastructure development nutrition. So new application like thereafter we have undertaken many activities
.Decision makers and specifier’s fortification of Urea with Zinc and NPK + like Technology transfer to Zinc first users,
are now more focused on Zn will remove zinc deficiency in our crops Educating specifier’s and decision makers
sustainable development. and also yield per hectare will be more. regarding benefits of zinc for sustainable
With all these positive development. Recently we concluded two
According to you how is the situation in
indicators zinc market in projects funded by United Nation’s Common
developed world of Zinc ?
India will grow at an fund for commodities for Hot Dip Galvanizing
- Mature markets like EU, Americas, and Zinc Die Casting units of India. Under this
average rate of ~6-7%
Australia & New Zealand, would grow at 1 to 4 program our International experts like Dr.
YOY. India is the third largest
percent, following a constant demand flow in Frank Goodwin, Joseph Annett’s and Mike
zinc producer, with two major primary zinc
Automotive, Consumer durable and Ainsley trained engineers and technicians
producers Hindustan Zinc and Binani Zinc,
Construction markets working in production facilities and
while the secondary zinc producers in India
remains highly fragmented. HZL has The combined share of these regions is familiarized them with world’s latest
production annual zinc metal capacity of forecast to decline from 30.2% in 2009 to 24% technology in order to increase productivity
approx.800, 000 MT with fully integrated mine by 2016. South Korea & Taiwan are the and world class quality. Also we are working
production. HZL has already started highest Per Capita consumers of Zinc per Kg in very closely with Fertilizers association of
underground mining projects to compensate 2009 India (FAI) for micronutrient fertilizers. “Zinc
tapering of RAM open pit production. What is Indian Sheet Steel Building saves kids “is an initiative to improve the
What is the effect of global slow down Group ? survival, growth and development of
on Zinc industry ? - The idea to create an Indian Sheet Steel undernourished children by funding UNICEF
Building Group (ISSBG) to tackle the purpose supported programs around the world. We are
- I will say global slowdown will not affect
of increasing the use of zinc coated steel in also working very closely with CHAI and Bill
zinc industry directly, as zinc incremental
India by construction market suppliers came and Melinda Gates foundation for eradicating
production from mines and increased
from one of experts experience on a similar malnutrition among children which is
consumption pattern is more or less balanced.
committee that has been in existence in Canada predominantly because of zinc deficiency.
As slow down has more affected Europe and
some western countries, while the situation in since the late 1960's, under the aegis of the
Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute

14 February 2014