Baosteel produces high value tinplate

Factiva: "Baosteel’s tinplate mill, which is located at its cold rolling mill in Shanghai, has commercially produced DI (drawing & ironing) tinplate with thickness of 0.225mm and width of 1,050mm, Steel Business Briefing learns from a Baosteel source.

The first batch 100 tonnes of the DI tinplate was delivered to Baosteel’s can-making subsidiary Shanghai Baoyi Can Making Co. The mill has been designed to produce the materials with minimum thickness of 0.2mm and maximum width of 1,020mm, the Baosteel official says. The plant plans to develop material down to 0.18mm thick as a next step.

The source says the plant currently has tinning capacity of 800,000 tonnes/year and tin-free steel capacity of 200,000 t/y. He says the plant usually produces 100,000 t of DI tinplate each year, for both import substitution and for exporting. Actual production will be determined by order volume.

Baosteel is the only domestic maker of DI tinplate. Ultra thin yet high-strength tinplate formed by DI processing, is mainly used in beverage can-making."