In 1960 the government purchased 123 ha (300 acres) of land at Oruwala for the purpose of establishing a domestic steel industry.

[3] The plant was built with financial aid from the Soviet Union and had an annual capacity of 60,000 tons.

In 1968 renowned architect, Geoffrey Bawa, was commissioned to design the corporation's offices at Oruwela.

The three-storey building, which projects over the adjoining reservoir, is constructed from framed reinforced concrete, with an external breathing wall formed from pre-cast rectangular concrete grills, which diminish in scale from floor to floor.

[4] The design was for open-plan offices in order to maximise natural light and ventilation.