Japanese steelmaker JFE Steel has announced that it has officially started operations at a newly installed electric furnace at the No. 4 steelmaking plant of its East Japan Works in the Chiba area. The company invested approximately JPY 15 billion ($95.97 million) in the project.
Focus on increasing scrap utilization
The new electric furnace has a scrap melting capacity of around 300,000 mt per year.
The No. 4 steelmaking plant produces stainless steel using molten iron from blast furnaces together with internally generated scrap. With the introduction of the new furnace, JFE Steel aims to significantly increase the use of scrap in production.
Lower carbon emissions targeted
According to the company, the new equipment will allow part of the blast furnace molten iron input to be replaced with scrap, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Scrap melting capacity at the plant is expected to increase to nearly six times the previous level.
JFE Steel estimates that the project will cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 450,000 mt per year. The initiative forms part of the company’s broader strategy to transition toward lower-emission steelmaking. The company stated that the period leading up to 2030 will serve as a transition phase focused on gradually expanding low-carbon production methods and developing innovative decarbonization technologies.
