SHANGHAI, May 21 (SMM) – Three blast furnaces of over 2,000 m³ and two converters of 120 t will be built in Jiangsu, China’s second-biggest steelmaking hub, according to the notice on the website of the Industry and Information Technology Development of the province released on Monday May 20.

Zhongxin Iron and Steel Group, formerly known as Xuzhou Huahong Special Steel, plan to start the construction of two 2,050-m³ blast furnaces and two 120-t converters in June, with the commissioning likely two years later. This was done through a swap of 4.36 million mt of iron-making capacity and 3.4 million mt of steelmaking capacity across Chengri Iron & Steel, Penggang Iron and Steel, Taifa Steel, and Rongyang Iron and Steel.

Another blast furnace, of 2,120 m ³is owned by Xuzhou Iron and Steel, and will likely begin construction also in June and commence operation in June 2021. A swap of iron-making capacity of 2.26 million mt contributed to this move.