Narendran urges workers to embrace reskilling, stressing that technology should be seen as a tool for productivity, not a threat to survival.
Tata Steel’s 118-year journey built on union-management unity: Narendran
AI, Sustainability Key to Steel’s Future: Narendran
Tata Steel MD stresses reskilling, recycling, and innovation as the path to survival in a changing global and environmental landscape.
Jamshedpur, Aug 26: Tata Steel Managing Director and CEO T.V. Narendran on Tuesday said that the future of the steel industry will depend on how companies adapt to artificial intelligence, sustainability and global competition, while also preserving strong relations with their workers and unions.
He was addressing the concluding session of the two-day executive meeting of the Indian National Steel, Metal, MetalMines and Engineering Employees Federation (INSMM&EEF) at the Michael John Auditorium in Jamshedpur.
“Jamshedpur has two or three very special things,” he told the gathering. “One is the relationship between Tata Steel and its union. That relationship is almost 100 years old. It is rare, and when we celebrate its centenary, I hope we will again mark it with a grand event. The last time, in 2004, President Abdul Kalam himself attended, calling it an important milestone in the industrial history of India. That shows how unique this bond is.”
The second strength, he said, was the city itself. “Jamshedpur is an example of how industry and community can work together. It is a model rarely seen elsewhere in India. Strong relationships do not mean there are no disagreements. It means we trust each other enough to find solutions. That trust is the foundation.”
Narendran praised the Tata Workers Union for playing its role as a bridge between management and shop-floor workers. “The union leadership has a responsibility both ways—to understand the concerns of workers and to also explain to them the challenges faced by the company. Whether it is technology, climate change, or trade, these global issues affect everyone. The union helps translate them into what they mean for daily work.”
Narendran reminded that Tata Steel’s survival and growth over 118 years was due to the combined commitment of workers and management.
“There are very few companies in the world, let alone in the steel industry, that are more than 100 years old,” he said. “Many that started in the last 30–40 years have shut down or been taken over. Tata Steel has survived because both management and workers have made sacrifices when needed. That commitment has turned around not only Tata Steel but also other companies we acquired, like Bhushan Steel and NINL. With the same employees, we have revived them, because nobody wants their company to shut down. People want survival and growth, and that is only possible with joint effort.”
Beyond China, Narendran spoke about the growing uncertainty in global trade.
“In the last 20–25 years, global trade grew steadily, with Asia supplying low-cost goods to developed countries. But now, we are seeing pushback, especially in the US and Europe, where manufacturing job losses have created political pressures. Trade has become weaponized. Tariffs are being used to help or hurt countries. This affects many industries—from textiles to engineering—and steel too, especially in Europe where Tata Steel faces a 50% duty to export to the US.”
India, he argued, must make the most of its domestic market. “Unlike many smaller Asian nations, India has a large domestic market. That is our advantage. But domestic competition will also grow as foreign players invest here. So we must be even more competitive inside our own country.”
Climate change, Narendran said, was an equally critical challenge for the steel industry.
“Steel production emits two to two-and-a-half tonnes of CO2 per tonne of steel. In Europe, carbon taxes are already high—around 70 euros per tonne, which is 7,000 rupees. That makes a huge difference to costs. In India, carbon costs are low today, but they will rise. We must prepare now.”
Tata Steel is already investing in scrap-based steelmaking and recycling. “We have set up a scrap processing plant in Ludhiana that will start production soon, and another in Rohtak. We are also piloting electronic waste recycling to recover valuable metals. Recycling will become bigger than mining in the next 20–30 years. We must adapt to this shift.”
He added that Jamshedpur too would have to explore higher scrap use and lower coke rates in steelmaking to remain sustainable.
Narendran devoted a large part of his speech to the impact of technology on jobs, productivity and skills.
“Technology has always been disruptive,” he said, recalling his own early days at Tata Steel in 1988. “At that time, we had a pool of 80 typists typing letters. People feared computers. But when computers came, we all learned typing ourselves. Those who reskilled became SAP experts. That’s how change happens—by reskilling, not resisting.”
He stressed that fear of artificial intelligence or automation was misplaced. “Two thousand years ago, people feared that writing would make the brain lazy. But humanity survived by adapting. That is still true. Technology will keep coming, whether we like it or not. The only way to survive is to continuously learn new skills.”
Citing examples from Tata Steel’s own plants, he said technology had made work easier and faster—from tracking furnace temperatures on mobile phones to real-time truck loading data. “This is why people must see technology not as a threat but as a tool to improve productivity. Avoiding technology only makes survival harder.”
Narendran also gave examples of new digital innovations at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), from digital skins to test cosmetics, to e-noses that detect food spoilage, and digital twins for mangoes to simulate storage and transport conditions. “Technology is everywhere, even in mangoes,” he said with a smile. “Our task is to plan how to use it for our advantage.”
The Tata Steel CEO emphasized that both organizations and individuals needed to embrace continuous improvement.
“In the 1990s, Tata Steel brought in the culture of continuous improvement. Plants improved productivity, mills doubled output without doubling costs. The same principle applies to individuals. Every year, we must ask: how am I better than last year? What new skills have I learned? With online platforms today, learning is easier than ever. There is no excuse not to reskill.”
He concluded by stressing the enduring role of human skills. “Technology can make us productive, but it cannot replace empathy, trust, or human relationships. Union and management must continue working together with maturity. That has been our strength for 118 years, and it will be our strength for the future.”
