Toho Titanium Builds up Titanium Ingot Production Capacity to 19,000 Tonnes

A Japanese major titanium ingot maker Toho Titanium will produce titanium ingots at 20-25 tonnes per ingot which is the largest weight in the world to use the large electron beam (EB) furnace introduced in Yahata Works of Nippon Steel in Fukuoka Prefecture, Western Japan. The EB furnace’s production capacity is at 10,000 tonnes per year. The firm aims at stable operation at 7,000 tonnes after the firm starts the operation from April 2008.Toho already has 2 titanium ingot production facilities that the vacuum arc remelting furnace in Chigasaki Plant has the capacity at 6,500 tonnes per year, EB furnace in Hitachi works of Nippon Mining and Metals has the capacity at 2,500 tonnes per year. The 2 furnaces are under full operation because the demand for the general industry mainly for the plant-related, etc.It is expected that titanium supply and demand will continue to be tight since the demand maintains its increasing trend in the world. Consequently, Toho decided to introduce new EB furnace in the Yahata Works. The firm came up with all investment at about 5 billion yen. The firm’s total titanium ingot production capacity would become 19,000 tonnes per year.