Japan Electric Wire Shipment Hits 32-Year Low in December

Japanese electric wire shipment decreased by 17.7% to 57,600 tonnes in copper volume in December from a year earlier, according to report for around 130 members of Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Makers’ Association. The shipment was the lowest level after 55,572 tonnes in August 1976.

The optical products shipment decreased by 6.9% to 2.531 million kilometers core in November from a year earlier, which decreased for the first time in 3 and half years.

The copper electric wire shipment decreased for all major applications including automobile, construction and electric machinery in December from a year earlier. The demand for construction is usually peak in October-December but the demand was very slow in 2008. The shipment for construction and wholesalers hit 21 years low as December.

The shipment for electric machinery was also 33-year low in December. The shipment for automobile decreased for 3 months in a row hitting the lowest level since August 2005.