Nippon Steel’s Hirohata to Start Auto GA Sheet Shipment

Nippon Steel’s Hirohata works started trial shipment of galvannealed steel sheet for outer panel of automobile in July. The works already passed the preliminary approval from automakers for the quality and could get official approval by September. The works starts the commercial shipment as early as October. Hirohata works built no.2 continuous galvanizing line for 12 billion yen started the operation in December 2006. The works tries to expand the products mix and to improve the ability to serve automakers. The works can produce monthly 30,000 tonnes of products including galvannealed sheet at no.2 galvanizing line, which can make sheet with 0.4-3.2 millimeters thick and 700-1,700 mm width. The works already ships sheet steel for inner parts of automobile. The works now operates the no.2 line at monthly 10,000 tonnes level under pumping up process.