Nippon Steel Chemical to Expand Needle Coke and Pitch by 20-30%

Nippon Steel Chemical announced on Monday the subsidiary, C-Chem expands the output capacity of needle coke and pitch by 20-30% to increase the supply for steel making electrode for more than 5 billion yen including coal tar distilling capacity expansion. The firm expects around 4 billion yen of higher sales through the expansion by 2009. The firm procures coal tar from Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Industries. The firm tries to expand valued added on the coal tar through expansion of coke making capacity while the firm tries to meet higher demand for electrode and other carbon products. Needle coke demand for steel making electrode expanded to 1 million tonnes per year, which is higher than 900,000 tonnes of world output. The demand increases for especially for high grade products in China. The firm, which has annual 800,000 tonnes of coal tar distilling capacity, expands the capacity to 900,000 tonnes.