The Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA) is the unifying point for the growth and development of stainless steel usage in India. Founded in 1989 by leading stainless steel producers, it was formed with the explicit objective of diversifying the applications of stainless steel in India and increasing usage volumes in the country. At the point of formation of ISSDA, the main visible application in daily life was essentially household kitchenware. It currently has a membership of over 145 companies engaged in the stainless steel business.     

Through the focused efforts of ISSDA and its member companies, the widespread and visible use of stainless steel in different walks of life is all too evident, especially in the Architecture, Building & Construction (ABC) and the Automotive, Railway and Transportation (ART) sectors. All-stainless steel railway coaches, Delhi Metro coaches, wagons for carrying coal & minerals, airports, corporate buildings, retail shops & shopping malls, the ever-wider use by the hospitality industry, even bus stands, railway platform roofs, building hardware - you name it and stainless steel is making its presence felt there. It has become the most aspired material of construction for thousands of small and big things, apart from the chemical and food process industry where the use of stainless steel is mandatory. With the economy booming, there is increasing demand for a wider range of products and services in stainless steel.

Such a change of fortunes for this material has made been possible through unremitting creation of awareness about the benefits of stainless steel amongst engineers, architects, designers, railway men and a host of professionals responsible for specification of materials of construction and at the same time providing help to fabricators to fabricate and finish stainless steels in technically correct manner. Stainless steel production in India has increased from 0.5 million tonnes in 1994-95 to 1.76 million tonnes in 2004-05.

We firmly believe that in the ABC and ART sectors, we have only initiated the curiosity for stainless steel. Much bigger volumes are on their way and we as an industry, must prepare for this. Newer sectors like household plumbing in thin-walled stainless steel and the water industry as a whole (potable water treatment, waste water treatment plants, large-dia pipes for carrying water), reinforcement bar for concrete, domestic and auto-LPG cylinders, automobile exhausts for two and four wheelers, bus bodies etc, wait to be explored and exploited seriously.

After about 19 years of persistent efforts, the influence of ISSDA is growing both in the private sector and the public sector (CPWD, Railways, Airports Authority etc.). Through this membership drive, we would like to expand the scope for stainless steel usage further by welcoming new members providing ever-greater variety of products and services. The growth of ISSDA's membership will enable the Association to provide total solution to engineers, architects, railway men, interior designers and others in a comprehensive and user-friendly manner, in many different sectors, in many parts of India. Our website www.stainlessindia.org is an important tool for easy availability of information on stainless steel to the users. With your help and association with us, ISSDA would like to become a comprehensive platform for providing solutions in stainless steel.

The technical strength of ISSDA is derived from its close association with the NICKEL INSTITUTE (NI www.nickelinstitute.org), the International Stainless Steel Forum and close collaboration with more than 20 national stainless steel development associations (SSDAs) around the world.

The various activities to increase market opportunity for stainless steel are given as under:

Stainless India
Stainless India published in March, June, September and December. This documents the applications of stainless steel in India; any body interested in the applications of stainless steels can write to ISSDA for a free copy of the magazine.

Free Technical Services
ISSDA has access to vast technical resources in the selection of proper grade of stainless steel for various service environments, as well as matters related to fabrication. This service is provided free of charge through the Nickel Institute (NI). Similarly through NI, up-to-date information on material selection of stainless steel for various industrial service environments and fabrication is available in the form of technical publications. Technical queries and matters relating to sourcing of stainless steel products & services are answered free of charge.

Members' benefits
ISSDA receives enquiries both from India and abroad for sourcing stainless steel products and services; members of ISSDA get the first opportunity for such queries.

Members of ISSDA automatically get enlisted in ISSDA’s website www.stainlessindia.org along with their address and contact details with a facility of a direct link to their own website. This gives ISSDA members easy access to Indian and Overseas buyers looking for stainless steel supplies and services from India.

Members use the platform of ISSDA to represent their case to the government regarding policy matters affecting the stainless steel industry.

Other Publications
ISSDA publishes, every few years, a STAINLESS STEEL PRODUCT DIRECTORY & BUYERS’ GUIDE. The first was in 1996 and followed by one more in 2000.

Indian Stainless Steel Market Research 2004-05 --- this contains data on the supply and the end-use consumption of stainless steel in India and projections up to 2015-16 (refer in PUBLICATIONS)

CRU-ISSDA stainless steel conference papers (refer in PUBLICATIONS)

Programmes
ISSDA organizes workshops for specific end-use applications of stainless steel targeted at designers, material specifiers, engineers, architects, maintenance personnel; workshops for improving the quality of welding & fabrication; international conferences for increasing the awareness of applications among the stainless steel industry.

Affiliations
ISSDA has close relations with NI, stainless steel development associations (SSDAs) in other countries, the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF), the International Chromium Development Association (ICDA) and the International Molybdenum Association (IMOA). This helps ISSDA to learn from their experience to introduce stainless steel for new applications. ISSDA have recently joined the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF). ISSF is the apex body for coordinating world-wide market development activities and other interests of Stainless Steel producers and SSDA's around the world.