Editorial – June 2024
I am happy to present this issue of ‘Steelworld’ to our readers for a very special reason. Yes, this is the annual issue, which has been brought out once a year for the past several years. This issue includes more reading material and a more detailed statistical section. However, the special reason is something else. This issue marks the completion of thirty years of publication for ‘Steelworld’ magazine. Three decades is quite a long period for any industry, and ‘Steelworld’ has been a witness (and sometimes a catalyst) to many changes the iron and steel industry has undergone during this time span.
When we launched this publication in June 1994, it was a 12-page black-and-white leaflet containing a few news pieces and one or two articles. Given my background in metallurgical engineering (NIT – Jamshedpur) and working in steel plants for the initial few years, it was not difficult for us to identify and address the real issues facing the industry, both technological and market-related, and comment on them. The magazine soon caught the imagination of industry professionals, and it started growing in terms of content and sponsorship. Leaving a well-paying job with a steel plant and launching a steel magazine was seen as an innovative idea at that time. Many of my industry colleagues and friends asked me, “Why?” I did not have an answer at that time, and even today I cannot cite any.
As we all know, publication is not the only form of media. Conferences and exhibitions are also considered integral parts, and ‘Steelworld’ soon entered this area as well. Our first exhibition in 1996 at Nehru Centre, Mumbai (Steel Tech 96), and the first conference in 1997 (Steel Conference 97) at Oberoi Towers, Mumbai, in association with the Ministry of Steel (Govt of India), created big ripples in the industry. This was the first time the Steel Ministry had collaborated with any private agency to organize a conference. With the then Steel Secretary as Chief Guest, a few decorated speakers from the US and other western countries, and the top management executives from all the major steel business houses in the country as delegates, the event was a huge success. We continued organizing such conferences in association with the Ministry of Steel (GOI) for many years at different locations, and they were very well attended by industry professionals. They were often graced by the presence of the Steel Minister and the promoters of the top steel plants. I must admit, these events played a big role in establishing ‘Steelworld’ as a premier media brand of the iron and steel industry not only in India but also in the Asian region. We soon launched another metallurgical publication, ‘Metalworld’, covering the non-ferrous metals sector and foundry industry. Additionally, new annual B2B events were launched in India and other parts of Asia, namely the Middle East and Southeast Asia. These events not only provided an excellent networking opportunity for the participants but also served as the technology backbone for the regional industry, apart from providing a neutral platform to discuss the prime issues facing the industry. Industry research and market study assignments also became a regular activity since this time.
The entire world, including our industry, underwent significant changes during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the many unfortunate and tragic consequences, the pandemic had a silver lining and taught us several valuable lessons. Concepts like digitalization and ‘work from home’ became popular and are now well-established in the professional world.
The media industry also faced significant challenges during this period. Many publications had to shut down as the demand for printed magazines diminished drastically. However, some media companies, including ours, adapted to this change and swiftly transitioned to digital platforms. At Chandekar Business Media Pvt. Ltd., we not only switched to digital magazines but also successfully transformed our B2B conferences and exhibitions into digital formats. The latest edition of our annual exhibition garnered over a million views. This required considerable developmental work on our part and a deep understanding of the strengths and limitations of digital media. I am pleased that our team managed this transition seamlessly and efficiently. This transition was not easy and would not have been possible without the wholehearted support and participation of the industry.
For us at ‘Steelworld’, we have enjoyed this three-decade journey and always cherished our intimate relationship with the iron and steel industry. On this occasion, I would like to reassure the industry that our commitment to providing unbiased, neutral, and technically correct information and analysis will not waver in the future, and we will continue to cater to the information and networking needs of the iron and steel industry with undying passion !