Japan 5 Integrated Steels Plan 613 Billion Yen of Expenditure in F2006

Japanese major 5 integrated steel makers plan 613.4 billion yen of non-consolidated capital investment in fiscal 2006 ending March 2007, increasing to 1.4 times of fiscal 2005. Blast furnace relining is scheduled at Nagoya works of Nippon Steel and West Japan works of JFE Steel in fiscal 2006. Some integrated steels plan to update or construct continuous galvanizing lines (CGLs) for steel sheet for automobiles and some to expand output capacity of seamless steel pipe.Nippon Steel plans to invest 210 billion yen in fiscal 2006, increasing to 1.3 times of fiscal 2005. The firm will construct new coke oven at Oita works, reline blast furnace at Nagoya works and introduce new continuous casting machine at Kimitsu works. The firm will also renew CGL at Kimitsu and Nagoya works and construct new CGL at Hirohata works in order to advance high grade steel production.JFE Steel plans to invest 163 billion yen in fiscal 2006, increasing to 1.2 times of fiscal 2005. The firm will reline blast furnace and construct new CGL in Fukuyama area at West Japan works. The firm will also introduce new pickling line in Keihin area at East Japan works, expand output capacity of small sized seamless pipe at Chita works and construct oxygen plant in Chiba area at East Japan works.