September 4, 2002	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Saani25,1423

KARACHI, Sept 3: Pakistan Steel has made a substantial achievement by increasing the ratio of steel production from 37 tons per employee to 59 tons per employee and Rs0.63 million to Rs1 million in terms of cost, during the last two years.

“During this period the Pakistan Steel also made a significant contribution towards development of environment,” said chairman, Pakistan Steel, Lt-Col Mohammed Afzal, while speaking at the inaugural session of 8th training course on “Productivity improvement in foundry industry” here on Monday.

The course was organized by Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Japan, in collaboration with Pakistan Steel and National Productivity Organization (NPO), Ministry of Industries and Production. Over 18 engineering, financial and administrative officials from around 11 Asian and Pacific countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia and Myanmar are participating in the five-day training course.

Mr Afzal said the labour cost was brought down from 28 per cent of the annual budget to 18 per cent, and Pakistan Steel earned Rs552 million and Rs102 million during the last two years, respectively.

This was achieved through restructuring that included off-loading the excessive staff, better capacity utilization and minimizing non- productive expenditures. On the whole this was in fact a productivity improvement exercise.

Regretting only 20kg per capita consumption of steel in Pakistan and less than 30kg in other neighbouring countries, he said the present scenario provides tremendous opportunities for development to the region’s developing countries.—APP