Japan Cold Sheet Output Rises by 2.1% in 1H

Japanese cold rolled sheet steel output decreased by 2.1% to 12.7 million tonnes including materials for downstream operations in the first half year to September from same period of 2005. The top 5 makers’ ranking was same as last year with no.1 of Nippon Steel, no.2 JFE Steel, no.3 Sumitomo Metal Industries, no.4 Nisshin Steel and no.5 Kobe Steel. The rerollers’ ranking was also same with no.6 of Yodogawa Steel Works, no.7 Nippon Steel & Sumikin Coated Sheet and no.8 Toyo Kohan.

Nippon Steel increased the output by 0.7% in the first half from same period of 2005. Sumitomo Metals increased the output by 0.2% and Kobe Steel increased the output by 5.4% while JFE Steel decreased the output by 3.7% and Nisshin Steel reduced the output by 4.0%. Nisshin was apparently suffered from operation trouble.

Nippon Steel increased the share gap with JFE Steel to 3.6 percentage points in the first half from 2.1% in same period of 2005. Sumitomo Metals increased the share by 0.3 points and Kobe Steel increased the share by 0.5 points while Nisshin Steel decreased the share by 0.2 points.

The rerollers reduced the output by 7.0% for Yodogawa Steel Works, by 8.4% for Nippon Steel & Sumikin Coated Sheet and by 19.8% for Toyo Kohan in the first half from same period of 2005. They reduced the market share. They apparently shifted to high valued items when they had trouble to secure sufficient materials sheet.