Sumitomo Metals to Consign Hot Coil Production to Nakayama Steel

Sumitomo Metal Industries starts to consign hot rolled coil production to Nakayama Steel Works in the month. Sumitomo Metals provides slab from Wakayama works to Nakayama Steel for high carbon hot coil production. Sumitomo Metals will increase the consignment as a part of alliance with Nippon Steel and Kobe Steel. Sumitomo Metals invests 275 billion yen to renew upper stream operation of Wakayama works. Raw steel output of the works increases to annual 4.5 million tonnes in July 2009 when the new no.1 blast furnace starts operation. The firm builds new no.2 blast furnace at Wakayama as replacement of no.5 furnace commissioning in October 2012 when the raw steel output capacity reaches 5.2 million tonnes. The firm tries to increase the output of high grade sheet steel at Wakayama. The firm, which already stopped hot strip mill as a part of alliance with Nippon Steel and Kobe Steel, will increase consignment production through the alliance including Nakayama Steel. Sumitomo Metals tested potential consignment to Nakayama Steel and confirmed the quality and availability. Sumitomo Metals starts the framework in the month to increase output of high grade cold rolled sheet steel at Wakayama. The firm tries to expand the volume and grades of the consignment depending on the condition.