Six industrial and mining projects with an outlay of 58.8 trillion rials ($262 million) have come on stream in three provinces.
Their inauguration on July 9 by President Hassan Rouhani via videoconferencing follows the government's plan to launch 200 industrial, mining and trade projects worth 1.69 quadrillion rials ($7.54 billion) across the country by the end of the current fiscal year (March 20, 2021), creating about 41,000 new jobs, Mehr News Agency reported.
One of the newly-inaugurated projects is Pasargad Steel Complex's direct-reduced iron ore unit with a production capacity of 1.8 million tons of DRI per year with an investment of €139 million, in addition to 1,990 billion rials ($8.84 million). A total of 1,870 people have been directly employed with the inauguration of this project, as 20,000 others are indirectly involved.
The other project to come on stream was the complex's iron ore pellet production factory with a capacity of 3.5 million tons per year.
Another phase of the steel mill's development pertains to the establishment of an iron ore concentrate production unit with 2.5 million tons of capacity. A total of €141 million, in addition to 2,000 billion rials ($8.88 million), have been invested in these two phases. The latter project has yet to be inaugurated.
Pasargad Steel Complex located in the southern Fars Province was founded in the fiscal 2013-14 with an annual production capacity of 1.5 million tons.
Rouhani also cut the ribbon on three industrial projects in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan on Thursday. These projects include the renovation of a textile factory in Iranshahr, a metal can production unit in Konarak and the first phase of the 250,000-ton warehouse complex in Mokran, Chabahar.
According to Hossein Modarres Khiyabani, caretaker of the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade, the renovation of textile factory has been implemented with an investment of over 2 trillion rials ($89.28 million).
“This project will provide 150 direct jobs and is expected to produce 4,500 tons of silk thread per annum,” he said.
The textile factory was established in 1981, with a nominal capacity of 22 tons of thread per day and 28 million meters of fabric per year. However, a part of it has been out of service since 2008 due to a fire.
Another project inaugurated in the southeastern province was the Konarak Metal Cans Factory.
According to Khiyabani, the plant came on stream with an investment of 200 billion rials ($892 million) and has created 40 direct jobs.
He did not provide details about the plant’s capacity, but noted that with the new unit on track, Konarak’s metal can production has reached 348 million per year.
The ministry’s caretaker also noted that giant warehouses with a combined capacity of 250,000 tons in Chabahar became operational in another inaugural ceremony attended by Rouhani through videoconferencing.
He noted that new warehouses with an aggregate capacity of 100,000 tons are also under construction in line with plans to boost the capacity to handle commodities in the southern strategic ports.
The president also launched two industrial projects in the central province of Isfahan on the same day.
Shahdineh Aran Hasht Behesht Glucose and Starch Production Unit became operational with an investment of 5.4 trillion rials ($241 million).
The plant is expected to produce 95,000 tons of glucose and starch per year.
Khiyabani said the new unit has provided 300 direct jobs.
Sepahan Atlas Pump was another industrial project inaugurated in Isfahan on Thursday, with a daily production capacity of 600-800 auto parts.
The plant, with a 200-billion-rial ($892 million) investment, has created 500 direct and 1,200 indirect jobs in Isfahan.
