Shanghai Krupp Stainless Co. Ltd (SKS) began production on 2 November 2001, with a range of cold-rolled stainless steel products. Krupp Thyssen Stainless GmbH (KTS) and Shanghai Pudong Iron & Steel Co. Ltd (SPS) conceived SKS in April 1998 on the basis of a joint venture agreement signed in late 1997. Phase 1 of the project is a 72,000 tonnes per year cold rolling mill built in Pudong district, south of Shanghai; it will employ 359 people. KTS, a ThyssenKrupp subsidiary and the world’s oldest and largest stainless flat rolled producer, will have a 60% share, while the remaining 40% will be owned by SPS, part of the Shanghai Baosteel Group, one of China’s major specialty steel producers. ThyssenKrupp and Baosteel have determined to complete the cold rolling mill one year earlier than scheduled. Preparations are in progress for the second stage of construction. The first part, which incorporates a second cold rolling mill and an annealing and pickling line, is scheduled to begin operation by autumn of 2004, and will add 94,500 tonnes to the plant’s annual capacity. The final part of the cold rolling mill is intended to increase capacity to 268,000 tonnes per year by the end of 2005, according to the new schedule. The total approved investment is USD 1.4 billion; and the establishment of the integrated stainless steel plant will be completed by the end of 2006.
