Steel pipes are long, hollow tubes that are used for a variety of purposes. Steel pipes are found in a variety of places. Since they are strong, they are used underground for transporting water and gas throughout cities and towns. They are also employed in construction to protect electrical wires. Steel pipes are primarily of two types, seamless and welded. Other specific types extend the basic classification to include: (a) cast iron pipes, (b) stainless steel tubes, (c) ERW (electric reistence welding) steel pipes, (d) galvanised pipes, (e) API pipes, (f) SAW (submerged arc welded) pipes, and (g) spun pipes.
The Indian steel industry has entered into a new development stage from 2007-08, riding high on the resurgent economy and rising demand for steel The steel sector in India is almost a century old, and exhibits significant economic importance due to rising demand by sectors such as infrastructure, real estate, and automobiles, in domestic as well as international markets. For four consecutive years, India has been world's fourth largest steel maker. With 62.41 million tonnes (MT) output, the country remained the world's fourth largest steel producer in the first nine months of the current year.
The Indian steel industry is largely iron-based through the blast furnace (BF) or the direct reduced iron (DRI) route. Indian steel industry is highly consolidated. About 60% of the crude steel capacity is resident with integrated steel producers (ISP). But the changing ratio of hot metal to crude steel production indicates the increasing presence of secondary steel producers (non integrated steel producers) manufacturing steel through scrap route, enhancing their dependence on imported raw material.
There are several tube manufacturers, such as ISMT, Welspun, MAN, PSL, besides the five primary steel producers in India, such as Steel Authority of India (SAIL), Tata Steel (TISCO), JSW Steel, Essar Steel and Ispat Industries.