Japanese steelmaker JFE Steel Corporation has announced that it will shut down the upstream processes and hot rolling equipment at its Keihin plant by September 2023, in accordance with the decision to revamp blast furnace No. 6 at its East Japan Works (Chiba) by December 2022, which had previously been set for 2023. The revamping of the blast furnace will take place in the September-December period of 2022.
According to the company’s statement, JFE Steel will implement structural reforms to switch the company’s operating configuration from eight blast furnaces to seven and reorganize production operations to focus more strategically on key products for enhanced competitiveness.
Following the shutdown, other Keihin facilities will continue to support the East Japan Works’ manufacture of steel pipes and steel plates mainly for construction. Semi-finished products will be supplied from West Japan Works and other areas.
JFE Steel expects these various structural reforms to contribute a total of approximately JPY 85 billion to annual profit.