• JFE Steel Corporation, Fukuyama Works, 3A&B Coke Oven Batteries
• Number of oven : 52 ovens per battery
• Production capacity : 360,000t/y per battery

Paul Wurth IHI Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “PWIHI”) is pleased to announce that it has completed the pad-up project for Coke Oven Batteries 3A&B at JFE Steel Fukuyama Works. Batteries 3A and 3B started operation in November 2019 and June 2021, respectively.

PWIHI was awarded the order for engineering, manufacturing and commissioning of batteries 3A&B. This is our second pad-up project for JFE Steel following the first one for batteries 2A&B at Kurashiki Works.

For this project, JFE Steel adopted PWIHI’s proposal to commence the revamping of battery 3A first, followed by battery 3B based on the pad-up rebuild method in which the existing foundations are reused.

Unfortunately, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic happened during the course of revamping of Battery 3B, preventing engineers of Paul Wurth Italy S.A. from coming to Japan. Despite such adverse circumstances, PWIHI engineers stationed at the job site provided technical supervision and solved issues throughout the erection period with the cooperation of JFE Steel and through online communication with PW. This enabled the successful start of batteries 3A&B operation meeting the contractual delivery time.

The launch of the renewed batteries 3A&B enables JFE Steel to reverse the declined production capacity of the former batteries after 50 years of operation, and increase the self-production of coke which leads to cost reduction as the market price of coke continues to be high.