Nippon Steel Starts New Degassing Equipment in Kimitsu Iron Works

Nippon Steel announced on Friday the firm started the fourth degassing equipment in Kimitsu iron works on Thursday to increase production capacity of high quality steels. The equipment will enter full operation in July 2010.

The degassing equipment cleans up carbon or hydrogen in hot dip steel, necessary to produce high quality steels such as plates for energy industry or sheets for automobile. Kimitsu iron works aims to increase degassing capacity to meet the demand growth for high quality steels. The works started construction of new degassing equipment in November 2007 with the capacity at about 2 million tonnes per year. The investment is about 10 billion yen.

Nippon Steel completed the introduction of two additional degassing vessels in Yahata iron works and Nagoya iron works in 2007. Nippon Steel’s total degassing capacity is expected to expand by 4-5 million tonnes per year including Kimitsu’s new equipment.