Dowa Metaltech to Expand Tin Plating Capacity for Rolled Copper

Dowa Metaltech, an operating company for metal processing business in Dowa Holdings Group, will expand reflow tin plating capacity to 1,700 tonnes per month at Dowa Metal which is the productive subsidiary of Dowa Metaltech and located in Iwata City of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The current capacity is 1,100 tonnes per month. Dowa Metal will introduce another reflow tin plating line and improve processing efficiency and volume of existent plating lines. Dowa Metaltech needs to increase plating capacity when the firm has expanded output capacity for copper sheet and strip in a series of capital investment since 2004.Dowa Metal will have 4 reflow tin plating lines after introduction of another line with 400 tonnes of processing capacity per month. The new plating line will start commercial operation in January 2007. The firm also plans to raise processing speed of existent 3 plating lines by around 20%. Totally the output capacity will increase from 1,100 tonnes to 1,300 tonnes per month.Tin plated copper sheet and strip are used more for automotive parts and connector pins for consumer electronics than non-plated products. Dowa Metaltech produces brass and alloyed copper sheet and strip, 50% of which are reflow tin plated before shipment.