Nikkei English News reported that JFE Holdings Inc may restart its Kawasaki blast furnace as early as October as steel orders recover.

Nikkei said that if demand continues to improve, JFE may restart another furnace next spring in Kurashiki. JFE's steel unit, which has annual crude steel production capacity of about 30 million tonnes a year, is now running at 24 million tonnes. Output would increase to 28 million tonnes a year if the two idled furnaces restart.

It may be noted that the furnace, with an annual capacity of 500,000 tonnes, has been out of commission since the end of 2008.

(Sourced from Nikkei)