Indo-Gulf is selling 4,500-5,000 mt of copper cathode (CC) rods per month, which reflects a 33 per cent market share in the industry where other players include Sterlite and Hindustan Copper.

The existing capacities of other players are 60,000 tpa (4,000 tonne per month) from Sterlite and 47,000 tpa from Hindustan Copper. Swil is planning a capacity of 50,000 tpa which is yet to go onstream. Among these, the Birla Copper plant has the largest capacity.

According to Indo-Gulf Corporation managing director BN Puranmalka, the company eventually aims to increase its dominance in the copper industry with a market share of as much as 50 per cent.

Birla Copper, a division of Indo-Gulf, commissioned the copper smelter plant within 27 months from its ground break in January 1996. Commercial production of CC rods andcathodes had commenced in mid-March this year.