Specialist technical expertise and engineering knowledge from Sheffield Forgemasters has improved manufacturing efficiency for an Indian power provider by a third in just 18 months.

Sheffield Forgemasters launched a unique knowledge transfer partnership with India's largest power equipment maker, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) in June 2010.

The link-up has already paid dividends with BHEL reporting that its manufacturing output has improved 30 per cent since the partnership began, with a further 10 per cent improvement expected over the next 12 months.

Top Indian government ministers and BHEL management delegates recently visited Sheffield Forgemasters to review progress of the landmark deal which sees Forgemasters service the central Asian country's power generation needs.

S. Sundareshan, Secretary to the Govt. Of India, Department of Heavy Industries, Ministry of Industry & Public Enterprises was accompanied by BHEL chairman and managing director, B.P Rao, director, O.P. Bhutani, executive director, Rajeev Hajela and general manager, S.V.S. Narayana

Shri B.P. Rao, chairman and managing director of BHEL, said: "Forgemasters is a world renowned company and we are benefiting greatly from their expertise and high standard of work."

The trade partnership sees Forgemasters help build new steel making and forging facilities to manufacture forgings for power generation projects servicing India's domestic market.

Graham Honeyman, chief executive at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: "We are delighted to welcome the delegates to Sheffield to discuss the first 18 months of our trading partnership.

"The deal remains a landmark development in trade terms between Britain and India and reinforces an already strong trading partnership with central Asia. The Indian power generation market is providing us with a unique opportunity to extend our reach and benefit from sharing our knowledge and skills.

"We received excellent feedback from the delegates on this trip and the funds generated from the technology transfer fee and royalties on sales of new products are being ploughed back into our' ongoing research and development programme here in the UK."

The agreement between Forgemasters and BHEL has provided crucial business links and trade opportunities. It has enabled the world's only independently owned forgemaster to establish a strong foothold in central Asia, helping to protect its future markets in the sub-continent and serving India's rapidly growing domestic market for turbine and power generation products.