Tokyo Steel Gets JIS at Tahara to Expand Flat Steel Sales to Manufacturers

Tokyo Steel Manufacturing started full scale marketing of flat steel from Tahara plant in Aichi for manufacturing after the plant got Japan Industrial Standard certification at the plant in June. The plant has made flat steel with same quality as JIS since the rolling operation start in November 2009. With the certification, the plant expects order from manufacturers including automobile, appliances, heavy electric machinery, construction and industrial machinery makers. With the major step, Tahara plant increases the operation rate and Tokyo Steel’s presence will increase in the domestic flat steel market.

Tahara plant got JIS certifications including hot rolled plate, sheet and strip for automobile structural uses, SAPH310-410, which is used for automotive inner structural parts. Other certifications include hot rolled carbon steel strip for pipes and tubes, SPHT1-4, hot rolled mild steel plate, sheet and strip, SPHC-E, rolled steels for building structure, SN, rolled steels for welded structure, SM and rolled steels for general structure, SS.

The firm starts the sales from Tahara plant as JIS products in August order shipping in as early as in September. Tahara plant launches new flat steel sizes with 16-22 millimeters thick, 1,320 mm width and 1,630 mm width, which Okayama plant doesn’t make.

Tokyo Steel expects domestic manufacturers including automakers, appliances and office equipments makers could increase the purchase flat steel from Tokyo Steel when they are interested in recycling as a part of environmental friendly actions. Tokyo Steel appeals electric furnace steel’s around a quarter of carbon dioxide emission compared with integrated steel makers’ products with iron ore and coking coal. As the eco friendly advantage, Tokyo Steel expects the users expand the purchase.

Tokyo Steel tries to shift the production weight from long products to flat steel products. The firm already produces monthly 80,000-90,000 tonnes of hot rolled coil while the H-beam production is less than 70,000 tonnes. The newly started Tahara plant makes only 5,000 tonnes per month of flat steel products but the firm expects with higher operation at Tahara, the flat steel production rate will increase from current 40% to 60% level.