Sumitomo’s Kashima Steelworks makes first shipment after earthquake

On March 15, Japanese steelmaker Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo Metals) announced that its subsidiary Kashima Steelworks has made its first shipment to its customers after the earthquake of March 11. The products shipped include light-weight H-beams, pipe piles and steel sheets.
 
"Sumitomo Metal Industries will do its best to fulfill customers' needs by delivering products that help reconstruct the communities in the damaged areas," said the company in its statement.
 
As SteelOrbis previously reported, as a result of the earthquake, operations at all the production lines in Sumitomo Metals' Kashima Steelworks have been suspended due to damaged facilities at the plant, including gas holders, coke oven, blast furnaces and port facilities.
 
Sumitomo also announced on March 15 that it is continuing to work towards the resumption of operations at the production facilities at Kashima Steelworks, especially at the blast furnaces, adding that utilities at the steelworks such as water have been restored. 
 
Kashima Steelworks normally operates three blast furnaces with an annual crude steel production capacity of 500,000 mt.