Usiminas celebrated the 50th anniversary of its commencement of operation
Oct. 29, 2012
Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
Usiminas celebrated the 50th anniversary of its commencement of operation
On October 26, Usiminas (President: Julián Alberto Eguren), an equity method affiliated company in South America of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (Chairman & CEO: Shoji Muneoka, “NSSMC”) celebrated at its Ipatinga Mill the 50th anniversary of its commencement of operation.
The commemorative ceremony was attended by Antonio Anastasia, Governor of Minas Gerais, Mr. Akira Miwa, Japanese Ambassador to Brazil and other honorable guests as well as by Chairman Penido and President Eguren of Usiminas, Chairman Rocca of the Ternium Group, NSSMC Chairman & CEO Muneoka and many other persons concerned.
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[Summary of Press Release by Usiminas on October 26] Today at our Ipatinga Mill we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our commencement of operation. Usiminas, started with a production capacity of 500,000 tons a year, has now evolved into the largest flat steel complex in Latin America that is capable of producing 9.5 million tons of flat steel a year and has subsidiaries in mining, engineering and distribution services. From this day forward, we will forge the Usiminas of the next 50 years with an innovative spirit and always in synergy with our shareholders, the community and other stakeholders. We have focused our efforts on improving customer services and enhancing technological excellence through the modernization of our industrial plants and substantial investment in our high quality steel production facilities including the second continuous galvanizing line (No. 2 CGL) in Unigal and CLC heavy plate technology. No other player in our market place has invested so heavily to play an important part in Brazilian economic growth. We are aware of the economic challenges. Nevertheless, Usiminas is becoming more competitive by improving the customer service and strengthening its industrial structure and strives for its further development. |
Usiminas, which was founded in 1958 with financial assistance from Japan and technical cooperation from NSSMC and other Japanese enterprises and put its No.1 Blast Furnace into operation in 1962, marked the 50th anniversary of its commencement of operation on October 26, 2012. With its long history and tradition, Usiminas is one of the leading steel manufacturers in South America in terms of production capacity and technological level.
In recent years, Usiminas has made large-scale investments in its high quality steels production facilities, including an expansion of its production capacity of automotive steel plates by establishing a new CGL in Unigal, a zinc-coated steel plate manufacturing joint venture established with NSSMC, and construction of a new hot strip mill in Cubatão. Besides introducing new production technologies for high quality steel plates from NSSMC to cope with the increasing demand in energy and shipbuilding sectors to capture the promising demand for high quality steel in the South American market, Usiminas has acquired iron mine concessions and made investments to expand them, and is expected to make further development.
While the business environment surrounding Usiminas continues to be harsh due to increased global competition among the steel manufacturers, NSSMC is determined to make efforts to further enhance the corporate value of Usiminas, as an important base for NSSMC’s global strategy, by making the best use of its technological advantage and improving its cost competitiveness in cooperation with the Ternium Group, which joined the management of Usiminas earlier this year, and Usiminas employees. 
Contacts: Public Relations Center, General Administration Division
TEL: +81-3-6867-2146,2147,2976
[Reference: Outline of Usiminas]
1. Name in English: Usinas Siderúrgicas de Minas Gerais S.A. - Usiminas,
Abbreviation “USIMINAS”
2. Description of business: Production and sale of steel products in South America and other areas
3. Locations: Head Office in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Steel works in Ipatinga, MG. and Cubatão, SP.
4. CEO: Julián Alberto Eguren
5. Capital: R$12,150 million
6. Net Sales: R$11,902 million (2011, consolidated)
7. Net income after tax: R$404 million (2011, consolidated)
8. Production: 670 million tons of crude steel (2011)
9. Start of operation: October 26, 1962 (Founded in January 1958)
