OREANDA-NEWS. May 03, 2011. Kashima Steelworks of Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo Metals) opened all the tuyeres of its two blast furnaces on April 30, 2011 for the first time since they were struck by the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11.

The blast furnaces are now ready to operate normally with all forty tuyeres for each furnace open. Sumitomo Metals aims to increase pig iron output of the furnaces and achieve overall normal operation at Kashima by the end of May.