Sumitomo Metal Industries (SMI) is planning to spend USD 55.5 million to boost production capacity for high nickel and high chrome stainless boiler tubes at its Amagasaki plant in western Japan. The money will be spent installing a third cold-drawing machine and a third heat-treatment facility to lift capacity to 18,000t/y from 12,000t/y. Both sets of equipment will be installed and commissioned between April-September next year. SMI melts and casts stainless billet, including those of its so-called Super 303H 18% Ni grade and HR3C 25% Cr grade, at its Wakayama steelworks nearby and trucks them a few kilometres to the Amagasaki plant.
