Page 44 - ITAtube Journal 1 2026

Press releases
ment for processing flat and long products,
as well as for forging technology.
With over 250 guests from the world of
politics and business in attendance, the
ceremonial red ribbon was cut and a tra-
ditional Indian lamp was lit by represent-
atives of SMS’s German leadership team
together with regional leaders to mark the
facility’s official inauguration. With this new
production plant, SMS is reaffirming its
commitment to actively supporting India’s
economy and to providing its customers
with world-class solutions.
The 80,000-square-meter manufacturing
site is SMS’s second production facility in
India, complementing the first manufac-
turing plant in Bhubaneswar in the state of
Odisha, which opened in 2014.
The new production complex in Sanand
is designed to manufacture components
weighing up to 125 tons and to assemble
entire production lines. The first facility in
Bhubaneswar focuses specifically on ma-
chinery and equipment for metallurgy and
service. Together, the two locations form a
complementary manufacturing ecosystem
that increases efficiency and expands prod-
uct diversity in SMS’s portfolio.
With the new facility in Sanand, SMS is rein-
forcing its customer focus in this important
growth market and contributing directly to
the 2014 “Make in India” program, which
aims to position India as a leading center
for global manufacturing.
“This investment strengthens our produc-
tion base in India for plants and machin-
ery and makes us a first-class supplier,”
says Fabíola Fernandez, CFO, Member
of the Executive Board, SMS group. “It is
an important step toward expanding our
presence in this significant growth mar-
ket and actively supporting the industrial
upswing in the country. Steel production
in India currently stands at around 150
million tons per year and is expected to
rise to 300 million tons in the coming years.
At SMS group, we want to provide our local
customers with the best possible support
in the form of first-class equipment and
outstanding service.”
(Left to right: Marco Asquini, CEO, Region APAC & MEA, SMS group and MD, SMS India Pvt.
Ltd; Bernhard Steenken, CSO, Region APAC & MEA, SMS India Pvt. Ltd.; Shri Brajesh Kumar
Jha, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Rajkot, Govt. of Gujarat; Fabiola Fernandez, Member of the
Managing Board, CFO of SMS group; Rakesh Adlakha, Sr. VP, Head of Supply Chain & Global
Production Network, SMS group).
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ITAtube Journal April 2026