Hubei Province-based Chinese steelmaker Echeng Iron and Steel Co., Ltd has issued the capacity replacement details relating to one 120 mt converter furnace it plans to build at its current facilities, which will replace its two 35 mt converters.
Accordingly, the new converter will have an annual steelmaking capacity of 1.35 million mt, with construction starting in January 2019 and due to be completed in March 2020. The two smaller converters had a combined annual steelmaking capacity of 1.10 million mt. Additionally, Echeng Iron and Steel has also had the rights to a steelmaking capacity of 260,000 mt transferred to it by Shanghai-based Baoshan Stainless Steel Co., Ltd. Accordingly, a total steel capacity of 1.36 million mt (1.10 million mt plus 260,000 mt) will be replaced by the new steelmaking capacity of 1.35 million mt.