Venezuelan steelmaker Sidor is celebrating 50 years of steelmaking.

Half a century has passed since a group of workers established Venezuela's steel industry in an area known as the jungle of Guyana, with the goal of supplying the oil industry and replacing imports with domestic steel.

And that goal was met. 9 July 1962 marked the milestone that formally gave birth to the Venezuelan steel industry, dedicated to the production of liquid steel and products that would go to the oil, construction, food (packaging), automotive, metallurgy and other sectors.

The industry has faced difficulties throughout its 50 years of operating history. From 1998 to 2008, the company was in the hands of a transnational, which allowed it to reach its maximum production but at the cost of exploiting the working class and a period of little investment. In 2008 the company was nationalized by the Venezuelan government, and efforts were turned to revive the company with investments from the state, stategic alliances with other countries and working to stop offshoring.

After a long path set by generations of workers, Sidor president Carlos D'Oliveira stressed that human capital is still the most important resource. As part of its new socialist philosophy, the worker is no longer an element of production, but is becoming a central element in decision making and a new model of participatory work is being formed.

Strategies such as redirecting resources, planning purchases of critical supplies and spare parts, trade agreements, technology procurement programs, and repairs will keep Sidor productive and sustainable and able to fully comply with commitments in favor of national development.

Four years have passed since its nationalization and since then, priorities have shifted towards promoting business in the domestic market first, and then taking the surplus  to the export market, mainly to countries of ALBA (Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela), Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguya and Uruguay), and the Andean and Caribbean nations. Between 2008 and 2011, the company shipped more than 10 million tonnes of steel products. Approximately 75% of that total, including hot and cold rolled sheet, wire rod and rebar, was consumed by the domestic market. The remaining 25% was exported.

The Great Housing Mission of Venezuela has set a target of using Sidor products nationwide; rebar is in high demand because of this. During 2011, 281,200 tonnes of rebar were shipped, of which 134,600 tonnes were destined for the social program and 146,500 tonnes went to other infrastructure projects.

This year and beyond, new challenges will face the working class of Sidor, but will be met with optimism, the company says. D'Oliveira said the installation of a bar and coil factory, recovery of a pickling line, installation of a continuous caster for round and square bar, and the addition of a wire mesh line are among the strengths that will help transform Venezuela into a true industrial power.

To celebrate 50 years of steelmaking, greeing cards were sent to all the men and women who give their professionalism and efforts daily to contribute to the good of millions of Venezuelans, showing that Sidor is more than just a steel producer: it is a strong, social and human business.

"Sidor is the heart of the Venezuelan socialist," D'Olivieira said.