Tata Steel, a flag ship of the Tata Group, has firmed up its plan to set up a chrome producing plant in South Africa, with an investment of over Rs 250 crore, as part of the company's strategy to increase its global presence in steel and minerals. The company is in the process of getting clearances, and hopes to start production in 2005, sources in Tata Steel (Tisco) said. 

They added that in the first phase, a plant with a capacity of 1.2 lakh tonnes would be set up. The plant would be set up as a new company, they said, but declined to give details about the joint venture partner. Officials said that this was part of Tisco's plans to go global, which also included acquisition and merger, both within and outside the country.