NSSC Completes Capacity Expansion of Dual Phase Stainless Plate

Nippon Steel & Sumikin Stainless Corporation (NSSC), Japanese largest stainless steel maker, announced on Monday the firm completed capacity expansion of dual phase stainless steel, named duplex stainless steel, and started commercial operation in August. The firm introduced new pickling line and cold leveler machine in Yawata works with 6 billion yen investment to expand the production capacity of duplex stainless plate to 3,000 tonnes per month from previous 1,000 tonnes.

The works became able to produce duplex stainless steel with the world largest size of 4-meter width. NSSC supplies the product for seawater desalting facility, oil-chemical plant or chemical tanker. The firm tries to build up competitiveness with duplex steel against other Asian stainless makers.

NSSC’s stainless plate production capacity is world largest class at 11,000 tonnes per month. The output capacity of double phase stainless steel now catches up with Outo Kumpu and Inda Steel by latest expansion. NSSC will export the products mainly for Asia and Europe. Meanwhile, the products are already delivered to domestic major dealers. NSSC regards duplex steel, ferrite series stainless sheet (NSSC-FW1) and stainless bar-and-wire as 3 strategic products to compete in global market.

World stainless crude steel production was 24.58 million tonnes in 2009. Stainless plate accounted for 1 million tonnes and dual phase plate represented 1-2%. In Europe, stainless steel users are increasing usage of dual phase plate since whose raw material costs are relatively stable.