Maruichi Steel Tube Expands Welded Pipe Share in F2005

Japanese electric resistance welded steel pipe output decreased by 4.6% to 3.58 million tonnes in fiscal 2005 ended April 2006 from fiscal 2004. Major 8 makers decreased the output when the demand was slow for construction applications. JFE Welded Pipe Manufacturing decreased the share rank to top 8 from 7th after the parent company, JFE Steel shuffled the production system in April 2005. The top maker of Maruichi Steel Tube decreased the output by 0.4% in fiscal 2005 from fiscal 2004 while the share increased by 0.8 percentage points. The no.2 of JFE Steel decreased the output by 5.1% keeping the share. Nippon Steel kept the share despite of 5% output reduction. The no.4 of Nippon Steel Metal Products decreased the output by 4.9% keeping the share. The no.5 of Sumitomo Pipe & Tube increased the share by 0.4 points despite of 0.7% of output reduction. Nittetsu Steel Pipe increased the share by 0.1 point while the output decreased by 2.4%. The no.7 of Nisshin Steel kept the share rank despite of 2.1% of lower output. The no.8 of JFE Welded Pipe Manufacturing decreased the output by 16.3% decreasing the share by 0.5 points. JFE Welded Pipe Manufacturing reduced the output widely when the domestic demand was slow for construction applications in fiscal 2005 while the automotive demand kept firm. Integrated steel makers enjoyed higher export of line pipe. The demand condition is expected to continue in fiscal 2006 and the welded pipe makers keep low level output.