Kobe Steel aims to increase capital investments

Japanese steelmaker Kobe Steel Ltd. aims to make capital investments of Yen 110 billion ($960 million) in fiscal 2006 ending March 31, 2007. This indicates an increase of 77 percent compared to estimated Yen 62 billion ($541 million) in fiscal 2005. Most of the investments will be made in iron and steel segment and aluminum and copper segment. The company will renew the blast furnace in an effort to stabilize the production of steel products and improve the manufacturing capabilities of upper-end products in order to increase the competitiveness of the company.