Shougang Group, China's No 9 steel mill in 2006 by production, yesterday announced that it will recruit more than 80 high-level professionals from home and abroad for its landmark relocation.

The government-controlled company will put the new recruits in key positions for its steel and machinery-making, real estate and cultural businesses, said Zhu Jimin, Shougang's chairman.

"We need talents badly to build Shougang into a first-class company in terms of products, environmental protection, management and economic efficiency," Zhu said.

Following a government order, Shougang plans to halt all of its steel production in Beijing, its current home base, by 2010, as part of efforts to alleviate pollution in the host city of the 2008 Olympics.

The group in March started constructing a 9.7-million-ton steel plant on a tiny island in neighboring Hebei Province with Tangshan Iron & Steel Corp, China's third-biggest steel producer.

However, Shougang will continue to keep its headquarters and non-steel businesses in the western outskirts of Beijing.

A group executive said it will provide "munificent pay and benefits" to those joining Shougang. The new executives will have a minimum yearly salary of 240,000 yuan and a one-off housing allowance of 300,000 yuan.

Zhang Guobao, vice-minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, said government departments concerned and Shougang will form a coordinating group to help the company hunt for talent.

"Shougang doesn't have sufficient talent as its relocation is an unprecedented move in the world's steel industry," Zhang said.

The group now has an annual steel production capacity of more than 8 million tons in Beijing and 4 million tons in Hebei. Last year, Shougang's crude steel production reached 10.54 million tons.

According to a plan revealed earlier, Shougang will raise its steel production to 20 million tons annually by 2010. The group also aims to double its turnover and profits by 2010 from 2005.