JFE Bards & Shapes Enhances Cost Reduction in Kashima Works

Kashima works of JFE Bards & Shapes Corporation, Japanese major electric furnace steel maker, renews aging equipment and takes environmental measures with the investment at about 2 billion yen. The works renews concurrent heating box for billet and shifts energy source to liquid natural gas (LNG) for the rolling process in February 2008 with a reform of rolling mill’s motor. The works was established in 1995 which is a relatively new works among JFE Bards & Shapes’ sites. Kiichiro Murakami, factory director, said the works seeks continuous cost reduction by the renewal.The works delivers the billet from continuous casting equipment of steel making process to heating furnace of rolling mill by 2 carrier cars because steel making process don’t be connected to rolling mill. The billet is covered by concurrent heating box during delivery.The works changes the energy source of rolling process to LNG in February 2008 for the reduction of CO2 gas and changes the energy source of steel making process to LNG after fiscal 2009 at the ended of March 2010.The works produces angle steel and rebar at about 50,000 tonnes per month and is enhancing the reduction of the production cost.