Japan’s Kobe Steel inaugurates plant for aluminium panel material in China

Japan’s Kobe Steel, Ltd. today announced that Kobelco Automotive Aluminum Rolled Products (China) Co., Ltd. has opened a plant in Tianjin, China for the production of automotive aluminium panel material. The company produces and sells automotive aluminium panel material.

Kobelco Automotive Aluminium Rolled Products (China) is the first production base for aluminium panel material in China.  It has a production capacity of 100,000 tons per annum.

Kobe Steel explained: “China is the world’s largest automobile market. Current production of approximately 28 million cars is anticipated to grow to about 33 million vehicles in 2025. Due to environmental issues, automotive emission regulations and fuel efficiency standards are expected to become stricter, and the need to reduce the weight of car bodies is increasing.”

“As a result, demand for 50,000 tons of aluminium panel material in 2016 is expected to grow to 300,000 tons per year in 2025.”

{googleAdsense}

Kobe Steel is a leading supplier of aluminium panel material in the Japanese market. The launching of Kobelco Automotive Aluminum Rolled Products (China) allows Kobe Steel to supply aluminium panel material in China.

Recently, Kobe Steel proclaimed that the company would form a joint venture with Novelis in South Korea. In addition, Kobe Steel plans to add an aluminium panel line at its Moka Plant in Japan.