China Steel to Complete Wire Rod Mill Expansion in 2010

China Steel Corporation of Taiwan completes the renewal of wire rod plant Kaohsiung works in September 2010, which started the working in January 2007. The 6.7 billion new Taiwan dollars renewal is to expand the output of low alloy products and high tensile items along with higher output volume. The output capacity will increase to annual 1 million tonnes from current 700,000 tonnes. The firm expands the high grade items output to more than 40% through the renewal from current 30%.The firm tries to improve the production ability for high valued products under the mid-term plan, in which the firm also expands the group output capacity to annual 20 million tonnes. The firm tries to improve the high valued items especially at Kaohsiung and the wire rod mill renewal is one of the strategy. The firm produced and sold 1.7 million tonnes of steel bar and wire rod including existing wire rod and bar mills in 2006. The firm concerns higher wire rod import mainly for commodity grade products from China in recent years. The firm tries to seek higher valued products segment to avoid direct competition with the lower grade import. The firm already started the wire rod renewal in January to expand and convert the mill and facilities. The firm will increase the high end products sales including low alloy and high tensile items for automobile and tool makers.