Marubeni Itochu Steel Installs TWB Equipment in Indonesian Coil Center

Marubeni Itochu Steel announced on Tuesday the firm installs tailor welded blanking equipment (TWB) to Karawang factory of United Steel Center Indonesia (USC), Marubeni Itochu Steel’s steel sheet processing center in Indonesia. This is the first TWB in Indonesia. The investment is 250 million yen. TWB will start operation in January 2012. In Indonesia, automobile production is rapidly increasing. USC aims to increase steel sheet sales to automobile industry.

TWB’s capacity is 50,000 sheets per month. TWB is compact size while equips flexibile tool to cut steel sheet into various shapes. TWB will be able to provide integrated steel sheet processing service in combination with existing coil blanking equipment.

Automobile and motorcycle sales are increasing by more than 30% for several years in Indonesia. USC is increasing steel sheet sales along the market growth. USC also expects for steel sheet demand growth as building materials, house equipments and appliances. USC recently bought a land near Karawang factory with 25,000 square meters for next business expansion.

USC operates 2 factories in Karawang and Jababeka with 2 large levers, 2 large slitters, 2 mini-levelers, one mini-slitter, 9 shearing machines and one large coil blanking. The capital fund is US$ 3.9 million, 85.1% shared by Marubeni Itochu Steel and 14.9% by Metal One. The processing volume totaled approximately 170,000 tonnes in 2010. The net sales were US$ 82 million.