ThyssenKrupp Stainless to Keep World Top Position

World largest stainless steel maker, ThyssenKrupp Stainless will expands the raw steel output capacity by 900,000 tonnes through start up of US plant in 2011. The firm expands the market share in North America with 650,000 tonnes of cold rolling capacity including Mexican operation, which is second largest in North America. The firm expands the US operation step by step to meet growing demand while the firm increases the cold rolling capacity in Europe when the firm can use additional steel source, which is now shipped for North America. The firm tries to keep the world no.1 position by improving competitiveness with lower cost structure and higher ferritic stainless output. The chairman said the firm tries to keep the market share at least at interview with Japan Metal Bulletin at venue of Kyoto conference of International Stainless Steel Forum on Monday. The firm will expand the capacity to meet growing market with annual 3-6% growth rate. The firm increases the ferritic steinlss output from current 30% of total output to follow the market. The firm starts to build new plant with annal 1 million tonnes of stainless steel making capacity in Alabama, USA in the year starting the cold rolling opearation in early 2010. The plant will start the melting shop at annual 900,000 tonnes of output rate in 2011 after the carbon steel sister company starts up carbon steel hot rolling mill. The stainless plant will ship hot band at 35% volume of the output to Mexican cold rolling mill, ThyssenKrupp Mexinox. The new plant will increase the stainless steel output and eyes expansion of cold roling mill depending on the market.With the US plant, the European operations can use additional steel source including hot band supply for Mexico and cold rolling export to USA. The frim expands the capacity along with the market growth to keep 35% share in Europe.