IOC offers gas-powered iron boxes, jumbo cylinders

CHENNAI: Energy major Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is now looking at newer market segments with products like gas powered iron boxes for neighbourhood launderers, value added gas for metal cutting units and bigger gas cylinders for rice mills, food factories and hotels, said a senior official.

The company has got a big order for its Indane Nanocut-specialised LPG for cutting metals from integrated lignite mining-cum-power generation company NLC India Ltd.

“One of the new market segments we are tapping is the neighbourhood laundry units with our gas-powered iron boxes.

We are offering LPG in various capacities from 5 kg cylinders to 425 kg cylinders for different kind of users ranging from mobile food vendors to big food factories and hotels,” R Sitharthan, Executive Director, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, said.

He said the IOC will soon launch its liquified petroleum gas (LPG) powered iron boxes which works out economical and also a healthy option for launderers as compared to charcoal and electricity powered iron boxes.

“The LPG iron boxes weighs almost the same as the traditional coal fired iron boxes — about six kg and costs about Rs 7,000. But the start-up time is far shorter — two minutes — as compared to about 45 minutes in the case of coal fired ones.

The costs works out to just about fifty paise per cloth whereas it is about Re 1 and Rs 2 for coal and steam powered iron boxes respectively,” Sitharthan said.

Further the gas iron boxes are environment friendly owing to low carbon emissions and is also healthy option for the users.

That apart, there is no risk of damage to clothes due to coal sparks, he added.

The oil and gas company is selling its innovative Indane Nanocut gas cylinders to units where metal cutting is involved.

THE COSTS WORKS OUT TO JUST ABOUT 50 PAISE PER CLOTH WHEREAS IT IS RE 1 AND RS 2 FOR COAL AND STEAM POWERED IRON BOXES, IOC SAID