JFE Meranti Myanmar (JMM), a joint venture of Singapore-based Meranti Steel Pte. Ltd. (Meranti), JFE Shoji Trade Corporation (JFE Shoji), the trading division of JFE Holdings, Japanese steelmaker Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. (MISI), and Japan-based trading company Hanwa Co., Ltd. (Hanwa), will start steel production in December. It will supply aluminum-zinc alloy-coated and color-coated steel products to the local and export markets. The pre-order has already been started in September.
The galvanizing line will be capable of producing 180,000 mt of zinc and zinc-aluminium coated products per year, while the color coating line will have a capacity of 90,000 mt per year.
“Many new buildings will need to be created, and old ones will need to be renovated or replaced. In order to play a key role in building the Myanmar of the future, JFE Meranti is introducing ALZU, a durable coated steel product that is suitable for the Myanmar climate, so developers can create buildings with long-lasting integrity,” JMM’s CEO Dr. Sebastian Langendorf said. JMM is going to start production of three additional painted and coated steel products in 2020.
Steel demand in Myanmar has been mostly covered by imports, which amounted to 2.4 million mt in 2018, out of which 60 percent have been longs shipments, SteelOrbis has learned.