Nippon Steel decides to reline No. 3 blast furnace

In light of a decline in domestic steel demand, intensified competition in the overseas market, and need of large-scale investment for renewal of the Company’s steelmaking facilities over the medium- to long-term, Nippon decided on February 7, 2020 to implement new production facility structural measures according to Nippon´s basic policy to establish an optimal production structure centered on competitive upstream integrated production.

The Nagoya Works is one of the world’s leading steelworks in optimal integrated manufacturing technology of steel sheets for automobiles. It is also positioned as Nippon Steel’s main integrated manufacturing base of high-grade steel sheet, with competitive capability in product development and response to customers. The Nagoya Works plays a role by supplying upstream-processed materials of high-grade steel sheet to other steelworks. As about 20 years have passed since its last relining, we have decided to reline the No. 3 blast furnace at this time in order to maintain and further enhance competitiveness of the Nagoya Works’ upstream integrated production, which is a key to appropriately respond to customer needs and to prevail jointly with customers in global competition.

After the relining, advanced IT and other leading-edge technologies from Japan and abroad will be adopted in the No. 3 blast furnace to realize stable production and higher productivity.

Source: Nippon Steel, Photo: Fotolia