Posted on 19 Jun 2018
Japanese steel producers did not find any damage to their steel mills after carrying out investigations following the 6.1 magnitude earthquake which hit the Kansai area, around Osaka in western Japan, early Monday, officials from the steel mills located in the affected area said.
Three of Japan’s integrated mills — Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp, JFE Steel and Kobe Steel — host their production bases in the area hit by the earthquake. Officials from NSSMC, who commented on behalf of Osaka Steel Works, Amagasaki Works and Sakai area of Wakayama Works, and officials from Kobe, who commented on behalf of Kobe and Kakogawa Works, said no damage was found and the companies planned to restart operations once detailed safety checks were completed.
JFE Steel confirmed that its Nishinomiya area of East Japan Works was not impacted by the earthquake and had already resumed operations.
The powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Kansai area, around Osaka in western Japan Monday morning at 7.58 am local time, and killed at least three people, with over 150 injured.
As for the electric furnace mills in the affected area, most were not in operation when the earthquake struck as electric furnace mills typically operate only at night.
Japan’s largest rebar producer Kyoei Steel whose Hirakata plant is located north of Osaka did not suffer any damage, a Kyoei Steel spokesman said.
“We will be able to have our productions as usual at night, but after conducting safety checks,” he said.
Osaka Steel, a major section producer also said its plants and group of companies in the area did no suffer any damage to its facilities.
“We normally operate 10pm to 6am local time. So, the quake did not hit during operation time, it supported us to have no impact,” he said.
An Osaka-based trader said steel producers did not report of any damage to production facilities, but partially in the area, water and gas deliveries had stopped and transportation remained disrupted.
“Stoppage of some manufactures were already reported, it may influence to steel deliveries, we have to check their operation plans,” he said.
A Daihatsu Motor spokeswoman said the company had decided to stop operations at its plants in Osaka and Kyoto because employees were not able to travel to the plants as train services were disrupted by the earthquake. The company was also concerned about the delay of material arrivals.
The spokeswoman, however, was not able to comment as to when the plants would resume operations.
