SMI?s stainless steel plant to start operation soon

A stainless steel plant in Morowali, Central Suawesi, with a production capacity of 1 million tons per year owned by PT Sulawesi Mining Investment (SMI) is expected to begin operation soon, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Tuesday.

?The stainless steel plant is expected to begin operation in two months,? said Minister of Industry Saleh Husin, adding that the plant will process the nickel pig iron (NPI) production of PT SMI?s nearby smelters.

SMI, which is a joint venture between Indonesia?s Bintang Delapan Group and China?s Tsingshan, last year completed the construction of the first smelter, with a capacity of 300,000 tons per year, and is currently running trial operation of a second smelter with a capacity of 600,000 tons per year, in Morowali. It is planning to develop a third unit with a capacity of 300,000 tons per year.

SMI also plans to develop a second stainless steel plant with a capacity of 1 million tons per year, targeted to be completed in 2017. (*)