JFE Steel to Supply JAZ in China and Europe

JFE Steel establishes the supply system of the highly-lubricated galvannealed steel sheet, JFE Advanced Zinc (JAZ), which the firm launched last year, in Japan, China and Europe to meet the growing demand from Japanese automakers. The firm established the supply system at existing continuous galvanizing lines at Fukuyama and Chiba and new no.4 line at Fukuyama, which started the operation in January. The firm also licensed JAZ to ThyssenKrupp of Germany and Chinese joint venture, Guangzhou JFE Steel Sheet to start the supply in the year. Galvannealed steel with higher lubricity, which brings better workability, design flexibility and productivity, is required as steel sheet with corrosion resistance for automotive body. Steel makers have supplied galvannealed steel with electroplating, phosphate, metallic salt and other coatings on the surface to improve the lubricity. JFE Steel succeeded to make nano-thick modified surface layer on galvannealed steel without coating as before. JAZ can reduce adhesion to press forming dies, which provides better formability in press forming process. The new material is already used as inner parts with complicated forming process. JAZ is environmental friendly material compared with traditional materials with phosphate and heavy metals while the coating surface control technology can be applied to global sites of the partners including Guangzhou Iron and Steel and ThyssenKrupp.