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Kashima Steelworks Restarts Operation of its No. 3 Blast Furnace
03/21/2011 - Sumitomo Metals Group’s Kashima Steelworks has restarted its No. 3 Blast Furnace, and is planning to restart the No. 1 Blast Furnace within the next several days.
Sumitomo Metals Group’s Kashima Steelworks has restarted its No. 3 Blast Furnace, and is planning to restart the No. 1 Blast Furnace within the next several days.
Kashima Works suspended operation of its two blast furnaces when the earthquake struck on March 11, 2011. Both blast furnaces have internal volumes of 5370 cubic meters.
Kashima Steelworks is focusing on restarting facilities that produce products that will be used to rebuild the communities in the earthquake-stricken areas of Japan. On Thursday March 17, Sumikin Welded Pipe Company, Ltd. restarted its Welded Spiral Tube Mill, and on Friday March 18, the Kashima Works’ Lightweight Welded H-Beams Mill came back on-stream. Pipe piles and line pipe from the Welded Spiral Tube Mill will be used for construction and engineering, while H-beams from the Lightweight Welded H-Beam Mill will be used in the construction of temporary housing for earthquake evacuees, and for pre-fabricated steel houses.
On the 19th of March, the plant restarted its Large Welded Pipe Mill, and on Sunday, March 20th the plant restarted its No. 3 Blast Furnace. The No. 1 Blast Furnace is scheduled to restart within the next several days.
The company said it is currently carrying out checks and repairs at the Plate Mill and steel sheet mills. These mills have restarted some of their equipment for secondary processes, so the plant has been able to finish work-in-process and ship its products. Total shipped tonnage (by ships and trucks) of lightweight welded H-beams, piping piles, gas pipes, steel plates, steel sheets and other products have exceeded 15,000 tonnes in the days following the earthquake.
The Sumitomo Metals Group is focusing all its resources to restart Kashima Steelworks and deliver products as soon as possible.
