Japan steel Coil Processing Volume Drops by 20.4% in November

Japanese coil centers’ processing volume is reducing rapidly when Japanese automobile output decreased by 20.4% in November from a year earlier and production activity of Japanese manufacturing industry is slowing. The processing volume decreased by 24.1% to 1.217 million tonnes in November 2008 from a year earlier, the record low in fiscal 2008 (Apr08-Mar09), according to Japan Coil Center Industry Association. Their operation rate remains at 73.2% of capacity.

Arrival volume of steel coils decreased by 17.6% to 1.329 million tonnes in November from a year earlier and shipment volume decreased by 20% to 1.314 million tonnes. Stock volume increased by 0.8% to 1.827 million tonnes, which exceeded 1.8 million tonnes for 2 consecutive months. They are in need of stock adjustment.

Stock rate was 156.9% of shipment for hot-rolled steel coil, 135.3% for pickled steel coil, 126.3% for cold rolled steel coil, 187.3% for electro-galvanized steel coil, 129.6% for hot-dipped galvanized steel coil and 129.4% for other steel coil.