Japan Smelters Expects Better Profits for Electronic Material Units

Japanese major 7 nonferrous metal smelters expect higher profits for their electronic material business units in fiscal 2008 started April. The 5 smelters posted lower profits year-on-year for the units in F2007 due to cost expansion for materials, price down of liquid-crystal-television parts, worse inventory evaluation, higher depreciation and research expenditures, while Mitsubishi Materials and Toho Zinc gained better profits. In F2008, the smelters expect the sales increase by active investments while the depreciation will decrease compared with F2007.