Tata Steel, as a part of its strategy to restructure its dozen-odd subsidiaries, is looking at strategic partners for some non-core operations and planning to sell some non-profit making arms.

The company is planning to roping in partners for Tata Refractories, Tata Sponge Iron and Tata Yodogawa.

B Muthuraman, managing director, said, "Our refractories business has been doing well and we are looking at expanding its operations. We are yet to finalise the details of the proposed expansion."

The company has already shut down three of its subsidiaries including Nilanchal Refractories (a subsidiary Tata Refractories), Tata Construction and Tata Korf Engineering as part of the recast.

Sources close to Tata Steel said, "We are also trying to see whether some loss-making subsidiaries could be revived by fund infusion. Talks between the chiefs of all the subsidiaries and Tata Steel management is on to chart a course of action."

According to company officials, the logic behind roping in a partner was to add value to the companies in terms of technology and future investments.

Tata Refractories was established in 1958 as a joint venture between Tata Steel and Didier of Germany.

The company is the only commercial manufacturer of dolomite refractories in India with around 20 per cent market share. It manufactures basic and high alumina silica specialities, dolomite and monolithics.

It is one of the few companies worldwide to produce silica refractories for coke ovens and the glass industry.

It supplies products to Tata Steel, SAIL plants, mini steel plants, other steel producers of mild alloy steel and stainless steel, the cement industry, petrochemical industries, and copper, zinc, glass and hydrocarbon firms.

Tata Steel’s non-steel business include tubes, construction bars, forging quality steel, rods, structurals, strips and bearings, steel plant and material handling equipment, ferro alloys and other minerals, software for process controls, and cargo handling services.

Sister companies offer tinplate, wires, rolls, refractories, project management services and material handling equipment.