From STEEL GRIPS online business news JFE Steel aims at increasing crude steel capacity to 33 million t Jun 16, 2010 Continuous caster No. 7 started production With modernisation projects in their Fukuyama-works, JFE Corp. is raising capacity to meet envisioned increases in demand for high-end steel both in Japan and overseas. Their effort aims at an annual crude-steel production capacity of 33 million t. Especially in the West-Japan Fukuyama area, steelmaking equipment is modernised, simultaneously increasing capacity. After finishing construction, the new No. 7 single-strand continuous slab caster together with the new slab scarfing machine went live in the No. 3 steelmaking plant. Accordingly, the capacity of the adjacent No. 5 RH degasser was increased. Further, the decision fell to revamp blast furnace No. 3 at Fukuyama-works, which was idled February 2009. This project of approx. 258 million Euro will include an increase in the BF´s inner volume from currently 3223 to 4300 m³. The revamp is scheduled to be carried out within the first 5 months of 2011. When Fukuyama No. 3 blast furnace is revamped as planned in May 2011, JFE´s annual crude-steel production capacity will rise to 13 million t in Fukuyama, 23 million t in the larger West Japan Works and 33 million t companywide. JFE Steel Corp. told STEEL GRIPS that they will decide about blow-in time in accordance with the then actual market trends, as they want to flexibly adjust production to changes in demand. © Copyright 2007 by GRIPS media