DURING 1969/70, Rourkela steel plant was able to increase production of pipes by 6 per cent over the previous year. Supplied and erected by Mannesmann AG, West Germany's largest pipe manufacturers, the pipe unit at Rourkela for a number of years remained underutilised clue to shortage in demand after the recession. Recently, a major breakthrough was achieved with exports to Western countries. At the same time, domestic demand picked up considerably.