Linked with the modernization of the steelmaking plants and the hot rolling mills at Chiba Works, the No.1 continuous pickling line was constructed, as a replacement of two old pickling lines and started its operation in January 1994. For efficient processing of material strips, which are getting increasingly thinner on market demand, the pickling line was equipped with a newly developed high speed pickling method, using a box dam-spray descaling, and various automated facilities, realizing the highest line speed in the world.