The Indian company Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Limited (KFIL) has resumed steel casting production in the western state of Maharashtra after a short-term shutdown due to a shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the company said in a statement on Tuesday, March 31.
The company said that the Solapur plant shut down its two high-pressure molding lines on March 17 as LPG supplies were halted, but the plant has now been returned to production using alternative fuels such as oxy-acetylene and diesel.
The company attributed the CIS shortage to tensions in global energy markets caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which is putting constant pressure on fuel availability and costs in international supply chains.
LPG plays an important role in cast iron casting operations, where it is used in high-pressure casting to maintain the precise temperature and process conditions necessary to produce castings consistently and according to specifications.
The company's management strives to provide alternative sources of LPG or switch to alternative fuels to keep the plant running, the report says.
KFIL manufactures castings from grey cast iron and cast iron, supplying mainly customers in the automotive and industrial engineering industries.
