JFE Steel to Expand Thick Special Steel Bar Sales for Wind Power Generators

JFE Steel plans to expand sales of thick diameter special steel bar for wind power generators. Thick special steel bar demand is expected to increase for blades’ gear and other components of wind power generators when construction of wind power generators is increasing in Japan and at overseas. JFE Steel’s production lines are currently in full operations and the firm examines capacity expansion of finishing lines.

Thick special steel bar is used for shafts, gears and bearings inside nacelles of wind power generators. JFE Steel has tried to increase order receipts from the industry since fiscal 2009 as well as construction and industrial machine industries.

Investment for renewable energy is increasing in USA while offshore wind power plants are increasing in Europe. Japanese wind power generators are generally smaller than 2 megawatts while overseas generators are 2.4MW or 5MW currently. Larger generators need larger components and then JFE Steel’s order receipts are growing.

JFE Steel produces special steel bar in Kurashiki area of West Japan works. The factory introduced a LF furnace for finer product quality in 2008. The firm can supply largest size special steel bars in Japan such as square bar with 420 millimeters diameter round bar and 750 square millimeters cross section. The firm advances new steel development by own rolling and forging technologies.