Major Plant Buildings to Support Slow Japan Electric Wire Demand

Japanese major electric wire makers prepare for major building projects including new Sakai plant of Sharp Corporation in Osaka and expansion project of Amagasaki plant of Matsushita Electric Industrial in Hyogo. The wire makers build inventory mainly for high voltage crosslinked polyethylene insulated PVC sheathed cable (XLPE) with large diameter. The major building projects could recover the slower general building demand due to confusion for new building standard law. Japanese electric wire shipment for construction application was 32,600 tonnes in November, which was 6.8% lower than a year earlier and 6% lower than October, according to Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Makers’ Association. The demand decreases more for vinyl insulated vinyl sheathed flat-type cable (VVF) since mid-December. Despite of the slower demand, the electric wire makers keep high level operations to build inventory for major building projects, for which they will ship wire in March. They commit to serve for the major projects through summer 2008.