Kobe Steel Ltd reportedly plans to invest approximately 1.8 billion yen to increase the production capacity of its steel powder plant in Takasago, Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan. It plans to install another reduction furnace to enable higher treatment temperatures than the current furnaces, and another mixer for its SEGLESS powder. The company’s production capacity of steel powder products will increase to 110,000 metric tons per year, from the current 96,000 metric tons per year. Mass production is scheduled to begin in the April-June quarter of 2021. Of the total production capacity of 110,000 metric tons per year, SEGLESS will comprise 60,000 metric tons per year, an increase from the current 40,000 metric tons per year.
Kobe Steel's steel powder products are mainly used to make automotive sintered parts such as engine parts and transmission parts. In the steel powder field, the company estimates that it has nearly a 50% share of the domestic market, making it the top producer in Japan. Kobe says that demand for steel powders are set to grow in the future due to an increase in car production.
This story uses material from Kobe Steel,with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
