JFE Steel to Stop One BF to Expand Production Cut

JFE Steel announced on Thursday the firm stops one of 3 blast furnaces at Kurashiki area of West Japan works in mid-January. The firm expands the raw steel production cut to around 4 million tonnes for the second half year to March 2009 from announced 1.5 million tonnes compared with the first half year. The firm tries to improve the supply balance when domestic automobile and users reduce the activity.

The raw steel output will decrease to 11.5 million tonnes in the second half from 15.49 million tonnes in the first half. The annual production is around 27 million tonnes in fiscal 2008 ending March 2009.

The firm, which operates total 9 blast furnaces, stops the operation of no.3 furnace at Kurashiki. The firm decided to stop the furnace with 4,359 cubic meters of capacity, which started current campaign in June 1990 and the nearest furnace to reline. The furnace with 3.25 million tonnes of annual output capacity produced 1.51 million tonnes of pig iron in the first half.

Integrated steel makers try to reduce the output by reducing the operating rate, increasing the hot metal ratio and adjusting the blast to furnace. JFE Steel already entered into such production adjustment. The firm reduces the operation in the rolling mills and coating lines to reduce steel products output. The firm could stop lines temporally to adjust the shipment.