JFE Steel to Expand No.3 BF at Fukuyama

JFE Steel announced on Wednesday the firm decided to expand No.3 blast furnace at Fukuyama area of West Japan works for around 29 billion yen. The pig iron output capacity will increase by around 1 million tonnes through the expansion from 3,223 cubic meters of inner volume to 4,300 cubic meters. With the expansion along with higher steel making capacity at the area, JFE Steel steps forward to the targeted annual 33 million tonnes of raw steel output capacity.

The firm plans the expansion from January to May 2011. The firm will decide when it restarts the furnace depending on the demand condition.

The firm finished a series of expansion of steel making capacity at Fukuyama area started in May 2008. The area added No.7 continuous caster with annual 2.4 million tonnes of output capacity to make slab with 235 and 260 millimeters thick and 750-2,100 mm width for sheet steel. The area built slab scarfing machine with annual 1 million tonnes of treatment capacity for slab with 650-1,700 mm width. The area also expanded No.5 vacuum degasser to annual 3.1 million tonnes of capacity by doubling vacuum space and speeding up the treatment. The area started operation for No.7 continuous caster in April and for slab scarfing machine in May.

JFE Steel tries to expand the raw steel output capacity to annual 33 million tonnes to meet growing demand for high valued steel products. With expansion of No.3 blast furnace at Fukuyama, the raw steel output capacity reaches 13 million tonnes for Fukuyama and total 23 million tonnes for West Japan works.