Nippon Steel Restarts Kimitsu’ s No.2 Blast Furnace in October

Nippon Steel, Japanese largest steel maker, announced on Wednesday the firm restarts operation of no.2 blast furnace in Kimitsu iron works in early October. No.3 blast furnace takes more time to recover from cokes flow accident which emerged on August 28. The firm reduces the influence on steel products’ shipment by resumption of no.2 blast furnace.

Pig iron output has decreased by about 200,000 tonnes due to suspension of no.3 blast furnace. Nippon Steel requested the users to adjust delivery lead time and asked Sumitomo Metal Industries to support slab supply.

Nippon Steel stopped no.1 blast furnace in Oita iron works for scheduled refinement in early February, ahead of the initial schedule by one month due to economic downturn. No.2 blast furnace in Kimitsu iron works was suspended at the end of February.

Steel demand is recovering for export and domestic manufacturing industry, mainly automobile. The firm resumed no.1 blast furnace of Oita in early August. The firm keeps cautious operation even after restarting no.2 blast furnace in Kimitsu. The firm indicated a possibility to stop the furnace again if steel demand drops.

The firm’ s sales are expected to lower by a few billion yen for the midterm settlement at the end of September.