Sumikin Stainless Steel Tube Seeks Efficient Operations

Sumitomo Metal Industries’ subsidiary, Sumikin Stainless Steel Tube converts three 2-inch tubing lines for piping tube at Koga, Ibaraki for 270 million yen. The firm converts the line to finish additional processes on the line though the firm has now off line processes for heat treatment, straightening, cutting and tube end finishing. The firm started the works in August 2006 starting the operation in December. The stainless tube maker makes various tube products with stainless steel, high nickel alloy and titanium at Koga plant while the firm makes seamless stainless tube and high alloy tube at drawing tubing mill at Fujisawa plant in Kanagawa. Koga plant makes monthly 1,300-1,400 tonnes of products including 850 tonnes of tubing tube. The plant tries to improve the cost competitiveness through the process innovation and renewal and conversion of the facility for better performance under the 3-year plan to fiscal 2008 as a step to improve the value for long term growth. The firm is commissioning the conversion as a par of the growth strategy. The firm has additional processes for heat treatment, straightening, cutting and tube end finish after forming and welding at 2-inch tubing mill. The new mill with longer line can finish those additional processes on the line before pickling process. The efficient on-line process enables 50% shorter production time from current line. The firm expects better quality due to fewer number of transportation chances along with lower goods in process and better yield. The firm already introduced the on-line processing mill system for a 12-inch mill and two 4-inch mills. With the conversion of 2-inch mills, the firm finishes the shift to on-line processing system. The firm removes a 2-inch tube mill with monthly 150 tonnes of capacity when the efficient process increases the mills’ capacity. The firm already finished works for layout change of mills, electricity supply, cooling water supply and high frequency induction heat treatment facility after the start in August 2006 to complete the works by the end of 2007. The firm renewed the cutting machine for 12-inch tubing mill for 60 million yen in January 2007 to improve the function.