DTI to review steel making technologies

The Department of Trade and Industry agreed to study new insights on the steel-making industry after the Philippine Induction Smelting Industry Association presented its position last month.

Benjamin Co of Wan Chiong Steel Corp. said China did not ban the use of induction furnace but issues of overcapacity and regulatory concerns were among the factors why the induction furnaces were shut down.

Most of closed induction furnaces found their way to the Philippines which became a concern for local steel manufacturers. Co said the equipment from these closed IF plants in China could not be used in the Philippines because they were not compatible with the existing power infrastructure.  Philippine power lines require 60 hertz of frequency while China power lines require 50 hertz.

Induction furnace is used for melting iron, steel, copper, aluminum, and other precious metals through heating an electrically inducting object, in this case a furnace, by electromagnetic induction.

Trade undersecretary for consumer protection Ruth Castelo said the new insights about induction furnace would be studied and validated by the Trade Department.  “The department, as with all industries, is committed in studying the steel-making industry, including all technologies at hand,” she said.