Kobe Steel said in a statement that its "Kobenable Steel" will utilize a blast furnace process that involves charging a large amount of hot-briquetted iron. 

The company plans to start selling the new steels this fiscal year. Kobenable Steel will be manufactured at Kakogawa Works and the Kobe Wire Rod & Bar Plant. The HBI utilized in the process is produced by the MIDREX^® Process.
 
Kobenable Steel will be available for steel sheet, plate, wire rod and bar products, the company said.