On April 21, Japanese steel producer JFE Steel announced that its blast furnace No. 3 at the company's West Japan Works (Fukuyama) is expected to complete a revamping that began in January and be recommissioned around May 14.
The resumption will enable JFE Steel to idle its blast furnace No. 2 in Fukuyama for enhanced production efficiency. With the changes, annual crude steel production capacity will rise to 13 million mt at Fukuyama and 23 million mt at the larger West Japan Works. JFE Steel's total capacity will rise to 33 million mt.