Kobe Steel of Japan recently began construction of a Netherlands-based welding consumables production facility, which is a joint venture between Kobe Steel Group, which own 95 percent of it, and the Japanese trading company Nissho Iwai Corporation, which has the remaining 5 percent. Called Kobelco Welding, the company will be Kobe Steel's first production unit in Europe, and Europe's biggest producer of flux-cored wire for welding stainless steel. As well as serving the European market, a proportion of the plant's production will be exported to the USA. The nominal production capacity of the 5,300 m~2 plant will be 800 t/year. Forming, drawing and annealing machinery is expected to be installed in May, with commercial production expected to begin in October. Headed by managing director Kinya Misaki, the company is capitalised at over 16 million Dutch guilders and will initially employ 36 people, only four of whom are from Japan.
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