Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel is planning to commission its steel melt shop in February at its operations in Sohar, northern Oman, according to local reports.

The $400m facility will produce billets, blooms and round products, adding value to the complex’s existing direct reduced iron (DRI) plant. Italy’s Danieli Corporation is providing the process technology for the expansion.

The company, which is a subsidiary of India’s Jindal Group, is now planning to invest $200m to add a rolling mill to the Sohar complex, Times of Oman quoted Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel’s director Naushad Ansari as saying.

The 1.4 million tonne-a-year (t/y) project is expected to be completed by May 2015, with construction due to start in February.