Metal giant Vedanta Ltd is in the process of acquiring land for its 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) aluminium smelter in Dhenkanal, Odisha. Rajiv Kumar, Chief Executive Officer for the aluminium business of Vedanta, told PTI on Wednesday that the company is looking for land acquisition as part of its broader strategy of capacity expansion.
“We are moving towards setting up a new mega aluminium plant at Dhenkanal, Odisha, (with a capacity of) three million tonnes,” Kumar said.
Vedanta capacity expansion plan
Currently, Vedanta’s total aluminium capacity stands at 3 million tonnes. “We want to go to six million tonnes, for which we are actively involved in land acquisition, and hopefully things are progressing very well,” Vedanta’s Aluminium business Chief Executive Officer said.
Vedanta is a major manufacturer and exporter of billets, a key raw material for the extrusion industry. “We have in place a roadmap. We are already investing in billet capacity. We are already 580 kilo tonnes and moving to doubling the capacity”, Kumar added.
Speaking at the ALUMEX India 2025, organised by Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India (ALEMAI), Kumar said the company’s proposed green smelter has the potential to create over 2 lakh jobs.
Vedanta capex plans
Speaking on the investment planned by the company in the greenfield plant, Kumar said, “Aluminium is very heavy on investment and is a capital-intensive industry…it is progressing and any facility like this will take three to four years.”
Furthermore, Kumar stated that the company is also planning to establish an aluminium park in Jharsuguda, Odisha, and is inviting downstream players to set up their manufacturing units at this park.
ALUMEX India 2025, the country’s first dedicated aluminium extrusion exhibition, is expected to bring together more than 200 exhibitors and around 25,000 business visitors from across the aluminium value chain.