JFE Steel to Suspend Blast Furnace in Mid-May Due to Sluggish Steel Demand

Japan's JFE Steel to Suspend a Blast Furnace in Mid-May

Japan's second-largest steel producer, JFE Steel Corporation (hereinafter referred to as JFE), recently announced that, in light of the continued sluggish demand for steel both domestically and overseas, the company will temporarily suspend the No. 3 blast furnace at its Kurashiki plant of the West Japan Works from mid-May 2025. It is reported that the blast furnace will cease air supply and completely halt production operations before the suspension, until market demand recovers and conditions for restarting are met. This measure is expected to reduce JFE's annual crude steel capacity by approximately 4 million mt, accounting for 15% of the company's total capacity. JFE's annual crude steel production is projected to decrease from the originally planned 26 million mt to around 22 million mt. This marks the first time since 2020 that JFE has reimplemented its blast furnace suspension strategy.