Japan’s Nippon Steel group will take measures to increase the efficiency of the blast furnace at Kure Works by mid-February 2020. A fire accident at Kure steel works in August 2019, had reduced utilisation rate of their two blast furnaces, with the output falling short of their target.
The steelmaker will conduct banking operation, a process which temporarily stops blast furnace production, making it possible to restart it later by stopping the air blast flow.
Kure steel works operates under Nippon Steel Nisshin, one of the two entities under Nippon Steel group. Nippon steel group’s other entity Nippon Steel Corporation will provide technical assistance to avoid significant supply disruption.
The two entities under Nippon Steel group will merge in April 2020 and will be operated in an integrated manner.