2001 was one of the worst years in the history of the ferro-chrome industry .The prices of chrome ore and concentrate were at an all-time low in the domestic as well as the international market. Allover the world, chrome ore producers were suffering (nay dying) on account of drastically reduced realisations. In China, where the ferro-chrome industry is largely dependent on the import of chrome ore from India, the consumers were constantly demanding more value for money. Owing to the Canalisation Policy of the Indian Government, it was not possible for the Indian producers to sell chrome ore at prices lower than the floor price fixed.

A strategy had to be devised by the Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division (FAMD). They decided that to satisfy the consumer's demand for greater value for money, they would offer a larger tonnage of chrome concentrate, which is a superior product compared to chrome ore and it is also decanalised. But, the COB plant where the

chrome concentrate had to be produced was overloaded with orders, it was clear that more concentrate would not be available. The Sales team and the mining engineers of the Sukinda Chromite Mines sat down to chalk out a plan to combat the situation. After lot of deliberation, the team came up with the idea of a new product - friable fines which could be positioned between the normal chrome ore and chrome concentrate. Friable fines can potentially fill the void left in the market owing to insufficient chrome concentrate supply.

The next issue was to try and make this product acceptable in the market. One of the customers was persuaded to try out one shipload of this material on a trial basis. The final difficulty was to produce the material in the short time span available. The task looked impossible at first, but thanks to the excellent teamwork displayed by the employees of FAMD, the material was produced and shipped to the customer on schedule.