Maharashtra Seamless Ltd (NSE: MAHSEAMLES) Q3 FY23 Earnings Concall dated Jan. 24, 2023
Corporate Participants:
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Analysts:
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Pratiksha Daftari — Aequitas Investment — Analyst
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Ramanan Venkateswaran — Emkay Ventures — Analyst
Presentation:
Operator
Ladies and gentlemen, good day, and welcome to Maharashtra Seamless Q3 Earnings Conference Call, hosted by PhillipCapital India Private Limited. [Operator Instructions] Please note that this conference is being recorded.
I now hand the conference over to Mr. Vikash Singh from PhillipCapital India Private Limited. Thank you, and over to you, Mr. Vikash Singh.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Thank you, operator. Good afternoon, everyone. I’m pleased to welcome you on Maharashtra Seamless Q3 FY ’23 Earnings Call. From the management side today, we have with us Mr. Saket Jindal, Managing Director; Mr. Kaushal Bengani, Senior Manager and Investor Relationship. I’d just like to just announce that unfortunately, due to some urgent work, Mr. D.P. Jindal has to travel at the last moment, and he could not join the call right now. We are still hoping that in the second half of the call, he would be able to join us. But Mr. Saket and Kaushal are there to help you out with your query.
Without taking any much time, I would like to hand over to Maharashtra Seamless management for the opening remarks. Over to you, sir.
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
Hi. Welcome, everybody, and we are here to answer investor queries and give the outlook of the company, and Kaushal shall start with it.
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Thank you, sir. Good afternoon, shareholders. Thank you for taking time out and joining us in our discussion of quarterly results for the December quarter. We have had another good quarter where margins have been very good and enabled us to maintain absolute EBITDA despite taking a maintenance shutdown in one of our seamless pipe mills. This shutdown was targeted for the first quarter of FY ’24. But in view of our large order book, it was taken in the third quarter of FY ’23.
We’ve undertaken maintenance activities and repaired and overhauled the furnace, motors and gears, which has enabled us to improve our production. We expect production volume in this mill to improve by 10%, and this increase will be immediately apparent in the fourth quarter of FY ’23. Generally, such maintenance activities are conducted once every two to two-and-half years, and therefore, we expect uninterrupted production from this mill going forward.
In the third quarter of FY ’23, we’ve also undertaken prepayment of long-term debt of INR315 crores, thereby bringing down our interest cost substantially. We’ve also completed bonus issue in the ratio of 1:1, thereby doubling equity capital of the company. We are set to meet our EBITDA guidance given at the start of the year as margins have remained firm throughout the year and our order book remains strong. We also have good visibility of orders for next quarter as well.
I would like to quickly take you through our presentation before opening the stage up for queries. At consolidated level of Maharashtra Seamless, margins remain consistent, and we’ve generated similar level of EBITDA despite having lower production. This is clearly evident that our operations and sales are at a very strong level, and we expect similar pattern to continue going forward.
In United Seamless, we are pleased to announce that we have maintained absolute EBITDA and, in fact, improved our margins despite having slightly lower dispatches in the third quarter of FY ’23. Our profit margin has also improved and so has the earnings per shares in United Seamless. We’ve provided a comparison of these profit and loss statements of Maharashtra Seamless and United Seamless in the next slide.
On the front regarding amalgamation of United Seamless with Maharashtra Seamless, the first motion has been approved by NCLT Mumbai and the second motion has been admitted with them. Next hearing is scheduled in February 2023, and we are hopeful that the amalgamation will go through within this financial year.
On Slide 10, we’ve detailed operational and financial performance indicators. And again, we talk about the steady margins, which have remained despite taking a production dip on account of maintenance in one of our mills.
Slide 11 talks about the EBITDA mix. As you can see, more than 80% of the EBITDA is generated through the Seamless segment. And we would want the participants to take note that the Seamless segment of Maharashtra Seamless and United Seamless are the growth drivers of the entire organization.
ICDs continue to reduce gradually as was committed. Currently, they stand at INR95 crores, and we expect ICDs to be fully realized by next year, March. Our cash balances have improved. We’ve reached a level of INR640 crores as total liquid investments of Maharashtra Seamless. And our net debt is minus INR469 crores after prepayment of debt of INR315 crores. This is indicative of the cash generated from our strong order book and good margins.
Corporate guarantee and SBLCs continue to reduce as was committed, and we expect them to be fully discharged by September of 2024.
We have given some more inputs on our capital allocation plan. The total capital expenditure that we are targeting is INR852 crores, and this will be entirely funded from internal accruals. Of the projects detailed in this slide, two have been given priority. The heat treatment and finishing line at United Seamless, so that we are immediately able to double production at United Seamless and cold drawn pipes, which we want to expand in Maharashtra Seamless.
We are also targeting setting up OCTG line and billet preheating surface in this — sorry, in next financial year as demand for seamless products is expected to remain consistent. We reiterate that there will not be any requirement of any debt, and all capital expenditure and working capital requirements will be met from internal approvals. Order book has improved from last quarter and we expect similar levels of order book to continue going forward. In Maharashtra Seamless, you have an order book in the Seamless segment of INR1,660 crores and in United Seamless, we have an order book of INR122 crores. The sustained order book will translate in improvement of capacity utilization by 5% in FY ’23.
We’ve also received orders for value addition products, especially drill pipes in Maharashtra Seamless. We received three new tenders, and we’ve completed supplies against our previous tender. We are talking about dispatch target of 365,000 tonnes in Maharashtra Seamless. Maybe we’ll fall short by a few thousand tonnes, but we expect to come very close to the given targets, both in Maharashtra Seamless and United Seamless.
The next three slides talk about the development undertaken by the company towards its customers and the marketing initiatives that have been undertaken. We’ve also dispatched subsea sour service seamless pipes in the previous quarter and are continuing our dispatches in the current quarter and we expect more orders to come in this new value-addition product that we have developed. Similarly, in United Seamless, we are rapidly expanding our customer base, and we expect to capture a greater share of the market.
In terms of general visibility of orders, we expect orders to remain strong because rig counts have not declined. They remain consistent and the strategic petroleum reserve in the U.S. continues to be at an all-time low. Therefore, crude is expected to remain strong, and so will our order book. The impact of the Russia-Ukraine war remains in the seamless pipes industry as it does in quite a few other industries. And despite the longevity of this situation, it does not appear that there will be any abatement. And we can expect good orders to come from our export market going forward.
Promoters continue to increase their holding in the company, thereby reiterating confidence for all shareholders. And we’ve had some marquee investors in our company, and they continue to remain invested.
I would now like to open the floor for questions and hand over back to Vikash.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Thank you, Kaushal. Operator, please announce the Q&A session.
Questions and Answers:
Operator
[Operator Instructions] The first question is from the line of Pratiksha with Aequitas Investment. Please go ahead.
Pratiksha Daftari — Aequitas Investment — Analyst
Good evening. Congratulations on good set of numbers. My first question was on the order book front. So what would be the execution period for this order book? And what gives us the confidence of like basically, I just wanted to understand that Q4 target volume targets seem to be pretty high. So what gives us the confidence that you’ll be able to do that kind of volumes in Q4?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
In the fourth quarter, we expect a good level of production because we’ve undertaken refurbishment activities and maintenance activities in three of our mills in the past three quarters. In the first quarter, we’ve undertaken maintenance activities in our seven-inch mill at Nagothane. In the third quarter, we’ve undertaken maintenance activities at a 14-inch mills, at Nagothane. In the second quarter, we had undertaken maintenance activities in our ERW mill. So production is expected to increase, and we are confident of achieving our stated targets because mill efficiency has increased. This is because we’ve overhauled motors, gears and furnace in our largest mill and therefore — and also in our seven-inch mill. And therefore, we are quite confident of achieving our stated targets.
Regarding the order book, this order book of Maharashtra Seamless is expected to be executed over a period of four months and that of United Seamless in a month and half.
Pratiksha Daftari — Aequitas Investment — Analyst
Okay. And on the ERW front, just wanted to understand the mix in terms of — as the sector? And how should we look at the margins going ahead since you’ve had very volatile margin profile in that segment?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Right. So in the ERW…
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
Let me explain the ERW. In the past quarter, there was less margin. And last quarter, it came back because previously there was certain quality control issues where there was testing happening for IOCL projects. So there, we took some time to complete the testing process. And in the last quarter, we made a double shift. And also, there was regularization, means it came back to normal operations and the shift also increased. So the production was better in the last quarter. And also the margins were intact because we are supplying to the oil and gas sector, where API PSL2, that is a product which is being used.
Pratiksha Daftari — Aequitas Investment — Analyst
Okay. The current quarter margins are a good trajectory for the head, right, they are more or less sustainable?
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
Yes, that’s right.
Operator
Thank you. Our next question is from the line of Saket Kapoor with Kapoor Co.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Thank you for the opportunity. As been articulated by you in the opening remarks Kaushal-Ji and Jindal-saab, that we have taken refurbishment, there would be better yields that we are expecting. So if you could give us some understanding what kind of key benefit in terms of tonnage or EBITDA we can expect over a period of time with the overhauling done?
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
So if I understand clearly, the refurbishment is basically to regularize and to also avoid any breakdowns. So it wasn’t any upgradation in technology as such. It was just a regular maintenance where we have to overall certain equipment’s to avoid any — as a preventive maintenance. So it will be regularized and yield and everything will be maintained. So there is no additional increase in yield. It is the same, and we continue and post the same kind of output as earlier.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Sir, in the presentation within the order book breakup also, we find a very strong client concentration, that is from the PSU basket of ONGC and Oil India. So going ahead, taking the nature of the business and we having a dominant market share in seamless side, what other steps of mitigating the client concentration risk can we look forward? Or how are we going to tap the export market in terms of — in your commentary it was mentioned that because of the Ukraine crisis many European companies have stopped participating in the Seamless segment. So if you could give us some more color or steps in the annual or the nature of the business is such that we will be having a larger pie from — dependence would be from ONGC and Oil India?
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
Right. So let me address the second part, which is the export target. So Canada has opened up for us recently because the normal value of the floor prices have been revised, which is making it more conducive and workable to export. So Canada OCTG, the oil and gas sector, has opened up again and line pipe we were doing earlier also. So the market in Canada and U.S.A. combined is significant volume where there is no shortfall as such. So additional requirements for orders besides domestic can be exported to U.S. and Canada. So we need not focus on other markets besides these two because this is sufficient enough. But we still have our eyes open for orders in Middle East, North Africa and South America. But this may not be essential because U.S. and Canada is sufficient. So — but at the same time, we have to keep our trust on the marketing initiative where our quality is well established. And looking at even domestic market, our quality complaints are bare minimum, which is very encouraging. And the U.S.A. customers also are very happy with that quality.
So minor complaints are there, but at the same time, we are well established, reputed vendor. And also the China — Chinese pipe are restricted in these markets by WTO. So the restriction on Chinese pipes, we are more open for these markets because in India there is a level playing field because it is avoiding the dumping of goods by China. So we are confident with the domestic market and the export, we will have a healthy order book, and there is no risk as such. That way.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Right. And lastly, sir, about our investment in this rig segment, although as in your commentary mentioned that the accounts have reached the pre-COVID level and the demand for more oil exporting activities is on an uptick globally. Since the nature of the investment, the returns does not commensurate with our main business, so those will get diluted with the ROIs. So taking that asset into account, since we are contracted for a three-year period with ONGC, does this debar us for contemplating any selling of our rigs? Is it a workover proposition? Or we will be — the ownership has to be there with the person with whom the same has been contested? In the case there is a significant demand or there is an option where you can sell the rig even if it is contracted, just understanding, is that — that is an option or we can only think of it once the contract gets over?
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
No, let me clarify. The rig — oil prices are high currently. And the day rates and the drilling sector is going up. Recently, a group company contracted — made a contract with ONGC at almost double the price for the previous. So instead of, say, $40,000, it’s come to $75,000. So that is encouraging that day rates have gone up. And in our rig, which is an MSL, has also been operated by group company. And once this contract gets over, we will surely renew the contract at a much higher price. So this is something positive we expect. And at the same time, in the future, if it’s lucrative and if it’s beneficial to the company, we can hire off the rig to any other company and cash the capex. So means that is — depends on the situation. But currently, it is operational, and it should remain operational in the near future and other rigs are expected to go up.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
No, sir, my point was, since we are contracted for a period of three years, so whatever the additional benefit that is there in the current rig prices won’t be percolating to our numbers. It’s only an indicative that these are —
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
It’s a contract with a fixed price. So during this contract, there will be no change in the financials.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Yes, sir. And since we have just contracted, I think, few months — in the month of May only. So three years down the line, nobody can predict what the charter rates are going to be. It may be higher of $70,000 or lower of below INR $40,000. So my point was only a small understanding that in this interim period, wherein we have contracted, can the management contemplate change in ownership depending upon if there is a merger as a buyer or any other understanding where we can hive off or whether because of the contractual terms we have to continue for three years? That was my question.
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
No, the contract is — there’s obligation to fulfill the contract for three years. So we’ll have to fulfill the contractual liability. And secondly, talking of hive off, there is no surety as of now. It all depends on the scenario.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Okay. And very last point, in the presentation it was mentioned about value-added segments have a good opportunity to address in drill pipe, subsea sour pipes and premium connection market. So if you could throw some more light what are the advancement we are taking, and going ahead how are these three segments going to contribute to the profitability of the company, drill pipes, subsea sour pipes and the premium connection market?
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
Right. Drill-type orders we already have in hand currently and — in Oil India also. And we are executing, and it is as per schedule in — I mean next month onwards, it will be delivering. So this is a high value-added product where we benefit more than the regular pipes because of more value addition and more margins. So this is number one. Number two is the premium connections. So there, we are talking of license agreement with JFE premium connections, and they audited the mill, and they are very happy with the facilities and they are doing the final stage for signing the agreement and commencing operations.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Right, sir. Okay, sir, once that is done then okay. Thank you for the — I’ll join the queue again. Thank you.
Operator
Thank you. [Operator Instructions] Our next question comes from the line of Ramanan Venkateswaran [Phonetic] with Emkay Ventures.
Ramanan Venkateswaran — Emkay Ventures — Analyst
Hi. Good evening. Just wanted to check, we have the order book, which almost covers more than four months of our production at MSL. And given that we have the order book with the pricing and also inventory that we would have in terms of raw material, how do we see the margins going forward into the current quarter and possibly the next quarter as well? Is it better than the previous quarter? Or is it similar to that? How do you characterize that?
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
I mean, I think more or less the margins are consistent and the steel price has corrected slightly towards the lower side. So that might give us some additional margin. And if we do value-added products like we just mentioned, premium connections and drill pipe, so that will add to our overall margins, operating margins and also exports will help. I think, in export, if we are targeting more exports, then actually, overall contribution will be higher because there we can get higher realizations.
Ramanan Venkateswaran — Emkay Ventures — Analyst
So, when I actually look at the order book over the last few quarters, the share of exports and the order book has actually declined a bit. Is it intentional or — and it’s back to the higher levels, how is it like?
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
No, I think in the recent past, the Canadian market was a little under investigation for duties. Now it has been crystallized. So the Canada market is once again open to us. So it will come back. In fact, we want to export more than what we did in the past. So I’m sure we shall be able to achieve record exports in the near future.
Ramanan Venkateswaran — Emkay Ventures — Analyst
Okay. And one last question. On the — we talked about the [Technical Issues]
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
Hello? Yes.
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Mr. Ramanan, we cannot hear you.
Operator
The line of the current participant is disconnected. We seem to have lost the current participant. The next question is from the line of Hemant Sony an Individual Investor. Please go ahead.
Hemant Sony — — Analyst
Sir, congratulations on good set of numbers and Thank you for providing the opportunity. Sir, I have basically two questions. First question is, like you mentioned in the opening remarks that there was a planned maintenance shutdown. So for how many days the plant was shut down and what is the loss of revenue? And sir, second question is, you had earlier guided in, I think, Q1 of the conference call that you — that the company is targeting INR890 crores of EBITDA in FY ’23. So sir, will it be possible for you to throw some light on the EBITDA numbers for FY ’24 as well?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Mr. Sony, we had taken a preventive maintenance shutdown in our 14-inch mill in December for a period of four weeks. And the plant resumed operations towards end of December, and we are getting a higher level of production in that plant as per our standards.
Secondly, regarding EBITDA, we had given a guidance of INR895 crores. And out of that, we have completed 75% of that in the first three quarters. So right now — actually, we’ve done more than that. We’ve done around 85% of that. So I think we will probably end up closer to INR1,000 crores than INR900 crores which will be evident in due course. In the next financial year, if we take an absolutely conservative number and factor in the increased level of production in the Seamless segment, then we should have an EBITDA guidance in excess of INR800 crores, although it is difficult for us to specify a number in absence of orders which extend through the entirety of next year. We will come up with a more accurate guidance in our next investor call after conclusion of Q4.
Hemant Sony — — Analyst
That is fine, sir. Any tentative number would be fine, like INR800 crores you have guided for Seamless division. What about the ERW segment?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Sir, INR800 crores or more than INR800 crores for the entire organization. This includes Maharashtra Seamless, Seamless, ERW, wind and solar, rig and United Seamless.
Hemant Sony — — Analyst
So sir, basically, there will be a drop of 20% in the EBITDA, can we assume that?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
You cannot assume that because I do not have enough data to present you with a number. This is just a ballpark number on an extremely conservative basis.
Hemant Sony — — Analyst
Okay, sir. Thank you, sir.
Operator
Thank you. [Operator Instructions] Our next question is from the line of Saket Kapoor with Kapoor & Co.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Just to reiterate what Kaushal-Ji just mentioned. Sir, you would be in a much better position, I think, so post your first quarter numbers maybe for the next financial year when the proper EBITDA guidance could be given to us. I think so when you first gave the guidance for annual guidance, it was in the first quarter of this financial year. So whether INR800 crore number or INR1,000 crore number or any number between that or a conservative guidance, I think so if I’m not wrong, you would be in a better position — the team would be in a better position to guide us on the path during the first quarter. Is that understanding correct? Or we should keep this conservative number of INR800 crore?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Your understanding is correct, and thank you for clarifying that.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
So we will wait for the first quarter to get. But what the underlying fundamentals are, they are getting to a strong story that is very well given in the in the sheets presented to us. So I think that understanding also should be taken in that way. Sir, it is mentioned that we are also taking steps for this monetization of investments in the Singapore subsidiaries. So if you could give us some understanding what is that current net NAV or net asset value or what are we trying to explain by the steps for monetization of investments, sir?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
The value of the investment in the Singapore subsidiary has increased because crude oil is at a higher level and value of rigs has increased. So the opportunities available to us for monetization has increased. However, we will not be able to go ahead with monetization immediately because there is some debt in the — on the rigs in which the Singapore subsidiary has invested. And once that debt is reduced, then we can probably go ahead with monetization, although there is no such definitive plan at the moment.
So when I say the value has gone up, if you look at our financials, we have to restate the value of the equity assessments at the end of every financial year. There has been a gain of around $2.1 million on the valuation of the investment.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
And what is the total value currently for the investment, sir?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Total value in terms of INR is INR16 crores at Maharashtra Seamless stand-alone level. At consolidated level, it would be closer to INR300 crores.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
No, sir. Come again, INR16 crore and INR300 crores is different size? Did not understand.
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
So at consolidated level, the investment would be at INR300 crore.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
With Singapore investment only or you are clubbing everything?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
No, Singapore subsidiary. Maharashtra Seamless, Singapore.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Okay. That investment is worth INR300 crores at the concentrated level?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Yes.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Okay. Earlier, sir, I think so also Jindal-saab has also commented on the bonus issue being value-accretive steps taken for the investing community. However, it has its own pros and cons. So going ahead, since I think so we did hire the PricewaterhouseCoopers agency for this merger with USTPL with MSL. So going ahead, we would look the management to take more steps and involve or engage agencies to create value for all the stakeholders. And it is very much evident with the type of kind of cash generation the company is doing and the valuation is being given by the market. So I would recommend or whether just on my part would be that proper agencies who look after for this value creation for the company must be hired from the company level so that the process can be — to get that traction. That is what it is my understanding. I mean in that process, I think so going ahead we should also look for hiring an in-house or creating an IR team also. That would be another value addition so that the dissemination of information and the right valuation could be achieved. These were my suggestion if it merits any — if they derive any merit, they should be deliberated on. Thank you once again and all the best to the team going ahead.
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Okay. On the point of value creation for shareholders, we’ve completed bonus issue in December. And in the next Board meeting, we will come out with a dividend policy. We’ve done a lot of work in the past year and half in making the company simpler and more easily accessible to all stakeholders. We’ve put in a lot of effort to make it more investor friendly. And the only point which was remaining to — in our perception was — is the dividend policy, which we will come out with in the next Board meeting.
Saket Kapoor — Kapoor Co. — Analyst
Right, sir. And it would be very unfair on my part not to applaud Mr. Kaushal Bengani also. He has also played a very important role in communicating and creating awareness amongst the investing community, so all the best to you, Kaushal-Ji also. Thank you, Jindal-saab for all the reply.
Operator
Thank you. [Operator Instructions] The next question is from the line of Mr. Vikash Singh from PhillipCapital India Private Limited. Please go ahead.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Hi, sir. Sir, I have just a couple of questions. Firstly, regarding our capex. So how much we have spent in FY ’23 nine months, the pending capex for FY ’23? And what are our targets for FY ’24 spends?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
In FY ’23, Vikash, we have not spent any significant amount towards the capex, which is given in the presentation. So we are targeting two projects, which we will execute on priority, and we have floated necessary inquiries for the same. Actual expenditures will start in next financial year.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
So only for that two new projects the maintenance capex probably would go through in the next financial year?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Yes.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Understood. And secondly, I just wanted to understand our bid book size basically. The next six months, what is the visibility in terms of orders in India as well as in abroad? So if you could give us some insights into that?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Order book remains strong. And going forward, we have good visibility of orders. In the export market also, especially Canada, we can start — we have started exporting OCTG products and we want to expand further both in U.S. and Canada. There is good demand in U.S. and Canada on account of rig counts remaining stable. There is consistent demand on that front. And with the U.S. government buying crude from the market, we expect this demand levels to continue.
In the domestic segment, I put out a point in my presentation that ONGC has a demand of 1 lakh tonnes every year, additional demand of 1 lakh tonnes every year, which is regular. And even in our current order book, out of the total seamless orders of Maharashtra Seamless of INR1,560 crores, INR541 crores is from ONGC and Oil India. These orders will be executed over the next four, four-and-half months, and we expect orders to get replenished and the strong position to continue, both in United Seamless and Maharashtra Seamless.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Understood. And sir, just once again, on your steady state EBITDA per tonne guidance because that INR800 crores, which is lower end seems to be quite conservative considering we can have a 10% to 20% volume growth next year.
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Right. So you’re right. And I don’t have any data with me, it was — it is the bare minimum number, which will come at very low EBITDA per tonne. However, our steady-state guidance for the current quarter would be around 18,000 for Maharashtra Seamless and around 23,000 to 24,000 in United Seamless.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Understood. Understood.
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
This is for the fourth quarter.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Yes. And lastly, what was the mix of the export orders this quarter?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
In the current quarter, in Maharashtra Seamless, exports — sorry, in the third quarter in Maharashtra Seamless, exports were 18% of total sales.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Okay. So despite that, we have done almost 30,000 EBITDA per tonne United Seamless?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Yes.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Understood. That’s all from my side.
Operator
Thank you. Our next question is from the line of Hemant Sony, Individual Investor. Please go ahead.
Hemant Sony — — Analyst
Thanks for the opportunity again. Sir, do we expect Q4 numbers to surpass Q3? And what kind of capacity utilization are we looking for in Q4? Because I think in Q3, we have 60% capacity utilizing, right?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Sir, in Q4, we expect the numbers to surpass that of Q3. In Q3, capacity utilization was at a lower level on account of preventive maintenance being undertaken in one of our mills. We have clarified that in the notes to accounts in the financial statements and also in Slide 10 of the presentation. Therefore capacity utilized — since the mill will now be working with improved efficiency as per our standards, we expect much better capacity utilization in the current quarter and increased levels of production in the current quarter.
Hemant Sony — — Analyst
Any number you can specify, sir, on the capacity utilization part for Q4?
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Sir, there will be better — I don’t want to specific numbers. There will be better capacity utilization, I can say for sure. And I’ve given the targets in Slide 18 of the presentation, and we are quite confident of achieving our targets. If we do not achieve our targets, then we’ll come very close to our targets. Right now we are — despite taking preventive maintenance shutdowns in two seamless pipe mills in the past three quarters, we have achieved 70% — 69% in Maharashtra Seamless and 68% in Maharashtra Seamless ERW segments in three quarters.
Hemant Sony — — Analyst
Okay, sir. Thank you.
Operator
Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, that was the last of today. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Vikash Singh for closing comments.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
On behalf of PhillipCapital, I would like to thank Maharashtra Seamless management to give us the opportunity to host the call. And I would like to hand over the dash to Maharashtra Seamless management for any closing comments. Over to you.
Saket Jindal — Managing Director
Thank you all the investors for the queries. And I hope we deliberated and answered the necessary queries. So we are confident that we will meet the expectations of the investors in the coming year and also in the future. So we are constantly vigilant on the financial numbers and also the operations. So we take proactive decisions in our operations day-to-day for improvements and for — also on the marketing side for lucrative orders and to maximize margins, returns, control our raw material cost. And also we are doing ERP for operational efficiency, the new version of ERP. And we are also, as we mentioned, adding value-added products. And also we are doing ventures in license agreements for value-added products. So we are upbeat, means the domestic market, ONGC and others. Oil sector, there is a good demand coming for new wells as well as replacement demand. So there is no shortfall of orders, 1 lakh tonne in oil sector, domestic is in the pipeline. So besides, I just mentioned, Canada has opened up. So the industry as such is upbeat and oil price is holding also. So I would say the outlook is very positive, and investors should be looking at good returns. Thanks.
Kaushal Bengani — Senior Manager and Investor Relations
Thank you, Mr. Jindal. Thank you, Vikash, and thank you, investors, for taking time out.
Vikash Singh — Analyst
Thank you, everyone.
Operator
[Operator Closing Remarks]