Kobe Steel Ltd. plans to make capital investments of
approximately $460 million to enhance the hot-metal treatment capacity at its
Kakogawa Works and Kobe Works and the heat-treatment capacity for steel plate
at its Kakogawa Works. At Kakogawa Works, a new hot-metal treatment plant will
be constructed and desulfurization equipment and a dephosphurization furnace
will be installed. This investment will enable all the molten iron to be
desulfurized and dephosphorized. Start-up is scheduled for June 2014. In
addition, a new continuous heat-treatment furnace will be installed to double heat-treatment
capacity. Start-up is expected by the end of 2012.
New desiliconization and desulfurization equipment will be
installed at Kobe Works. The existing hot-metal treatment furnace will be used
only for dephosphurization. In the same way as Kakogawa, independent treatment
using separate equipment will enable highly efficient processing. Start-up is
scheduled for October 2012. These investments will improve production systems
and help expand sales of high-end steel plate for the energy industry.