Electric Furnace Accident at Japan Largest Ferro-Nickel Maker

An accident emerged at Hachinohe works of Pacific Metals, Japanese largest ferro-nickel maker, on Monday. No.7 electric furnace in the works blew up hot metal during a scheduled checking. Two persons were dead and one was badly injured. Pacific Metals halted operations of the all 3 electric furnaces in the works. It is unclear when no.7 furnace restarts the operation while the other 2 furnaces can start the operation immediately. The firm will meet the ferro-nickel delivery with the present inventory for a while.The firm is searching the cause of the accident. An expansion construction of no.7 furnace has just finished in November, which is one of largest furnaces in the world.Pacific Metals is the world no.3 largest ferro-nickel maker, 60% of whose ferro-nickel sales are bound for overseas stainless steel makers and 40% for Japanese makers. The firm has continued full operation these years due to strong stainless steel demand. The firm advanced the expansion of the 3 electric furnaces, increasing the output capacity by 10% to 44,000 tonnes per year by 10%. Recently the firm decreased the sales plan to 31,000 tonnes due to decreased stainless steel product output.