Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers Ananth Kumar drew attention of the industry leaders to the need for adopting pro-active approach towards corrosion control in manufacturing activities.

Speaking at CORCON 2014 : International Conference and Exposition in Mumbai, Kumar said the government as well as the industry should change the mindset and move with enthusiasm to adopt corrosion control and management technique, without considering it as a repair and maintenance issue. The Minister informed that according to a recent report of the World Corrosion Organization, the annual corrosion cost is approximately US $ 2.5 trillions or 3-4% of the global GDP. In India alone, the loss on account of corrosion is estimated&nbs p;at around $ 67 billion, the minister added.

He said, in the fertilizer industry too, corrosion is a major concern due to corrosive nature of raw materials. Kumar said controlling corrosion requires significant expenditure, but it is more rewarding in the long run in terms of increased plant safety, better performance and enhanced asset life.

Kumar remarked that the Prime Minister has laid great emphasis on ‘Make In India’ with zero defect and zero effect on environment. “In this regard, corrosion management will facilitate the manufacturing sector to enhance its competitive edge in the global market,” he added. He said, corrosion control should become an integral part of ‘good manufacturing practice’.