The Welding Business is one of the business units managed by Kobe Steel, Ltd. Since the covered electrodes for mild steel were first produced in 1942, the product range has expanded to include covered electrodes, solid wires, flux-cored wires, and welding fluxes for such materials as mild steel, high strength steel, low temperature steel, heat-resistant low-alloy steel, stainless steel, nickel-based alloy, and cast iron. In addition to such welding consumables, the Welding Business offers highly efficient welding processes and designs and produces high performance equipment such as welding robots, welding power sources, peripheral devices, and the optimized welding systems tailored for individual customers.