JFE Steel Starts No.3 Blast Furnace in West Japan Iron Works

JFE Steel announced on Thursday the firm decided blowing-in of no.3 blast furnace in Fukuyama area of West Japan iron works on May 14, which expands furnace cubic measure of no.3 blast furnace for efficient production system, while closes down no.2 blast furnace in Fukuyama area. West Japan iron works operates 3 blast furnaces, no.3, no.4 and no.5 in Fukuyama area and 3 blast furnaces, no.2, no.3 and no.4 in Kurashiki area.

The firm plans to build up standalone crude steel output system of total 33 million tonnes per year which is 23 million tonnes in West Japan iron works and 10 million tonnes in East Japan iron works. West Japan iron works increases the capacity to 23 million tons by expansion of no.3 blast furnace and introduction of no.7 continuous casting equipment in Fukuyama and Kurashiki areas, while Fukuyama area has the capacity at 13 million tonnes.

The firm increased total crude steel output by 11.5% to 28.8 million tons in fiscal 2010 from fiscal 2009 which increased by 10.5% to 20.04 million tonnes in West Japan iron works and recovered at over 20 million tonnes for the first time in 3 years, while increased by 13.8% to 8.76 million tonnes in East Japan iron works. The firm maintained high production under low demand for building construction and expiration of automobile bounty system.

The firm worked expansion project of no.3 blast furnace with the investment of 29 billion yen from January 2011, which expanded cubic furnace volume to 4,300 cubic meters from 3,223 cubic meters and increased the production capacity of pig iron by 1 million tonnes per year. On the other hand, Fukuyama area introduced no.7 continuous casting equipment and slab cleaning equipment with the investment of about 50 billion yen, and resolved scarce capacity of steel making process.

Furnace volume of no.2 blast furnace is smallest at 2,828 cubic meters in Fukuyama area, which started operation on September 1998. After shutoff of no.2 blast furnace, 6 blast furnaces volume is 28,960 cubic meters in West Japan iron works. Mr. Yoshio Ishikawa, vice president of JFE Holdings, said the firm brings down no.2 blast furnace by banking mode within a few weeks after blow-in of no.3 blast furnace, but will start operation if the need arises.