The project idea of establishing a High-Tech Foundry and Forging Complex on north-east of the country goes back to the 1980's and even the late 1970's. The central aim or target for building such Industrial Complex was and still is to produce the strategic advanced material locally and being independent from foreign sources and/or foreign powers. In the early 1990's the Government decided to materialize this project and therefore, established the Heavy Foundry and Forging Project (H.F.F) based on an Agreement between Ministry of Industry and IDRO (Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran) as the executing part and Plan Organization of Iran as the financing part. For the realization of this project the City of Esfarayen has been selected and an area of about 1320 hectares in the Northern part of Esfarayen City in the kilometer 12 of Esfarayen- Bojnord highway has been developed for the purpose. The original idea and concept for this project was to produce 158.000 t/a of forged and casting (foundry) parts from approximately 240000 t/a of liquid metal.

Esfarayen Industrial Company (EICO) has some main shops and also one steel center (for research and training) now. These are as follows:

• Melting shop
• Press shop
• Radial forging shop
• Steel center (Training Center)

In development plan some other complementary shops will be added.

• Continuous casting and ESR Plant for Melting Shop
• Complementary treatment shop (straightening and peeling)
• Machining shop (for medium and heavy parts)
• Heat treatment shop (for medium and heavy parts)