Japan Major 5 Steel’s Raw Steel Output Rises by 3.0% in 1H

Raw steel output by Japanese major 5 integrated steel makers increased by 3.0% to 45.57 million tonnes in fist half of fiscal 2008 ending March 2009 from same period of last year. The output represents about 91.00 million tonnes for FY2008 but the output could slow down under worldwide slower economy. The weight of the output by the 5 makers increased by 0.1 percentage point to 74.1% for Japanese total output.

Nippon Steel’s output in 1st half of FY2008 increased by 2.2% to 16.82 million tonnes compared with same period of last year. Output reduction in Yawata works due to the fire at coke plant was covered by operation in other works.

JFE Steel’s output increased by 3.0% to 15.49 million tonnes in 1st half from same period of last year. The West Japan works’ output increased by 3.1% to 11.01 million tonnes and the output at East Japan Works increased by 2.9% to 4.48 million tonnes.

Sumitomo Metal Industries’ output increased by 6.4% to 7.04 million tonnes in 1st half from same period of last year. The output at Kashima works increased by 12.2% to 4.21 million tonnes and the output at Wakayama Steel works increased by 2.1% to 2.14 million tonnes.

Kobe Steel’s output increased by 2.0% to 4.18 million tonnes in 1st half from same period of last year. The production both at Kakogawa and Kobe works increased while the output at Kakogawa increased by 1.5% to 3.40 million tonnes from a year earlier.

Nisshin Steel’s output increased by 0.6% to 2.04 million tonnes in 1st half from corresponding period of last year while the output in Shunan works decreased by 4.5 % to 0.297 million tonnes due to stainless steel output cut.