Zinc Coated Steel Sheet Production Share by Topside Blast Furnace Steel Makers to Increase

The domestic zinc coated steel sheet production in the first half of fiscal 2005 became 7.12 million tonnes, up 0.5% from the same period last year. Topside blast furnace steel makers’ production share of the products was expanded. On the other hand, Yodoko, JFE Galvanizing & Coating, and Nittetsu Steel Sheet lowered the share. As for the share increase ratio in the same period last year, JFE Steel was the highest at 1.0 point. The production share of Nippon Steel was 30.6%, up 0.4 point. That of JFE Steel was 24.6%, up 1.0 point. Difference of the share between topside 2 zinc coated steel sheet makers was 6.0 points, approaching 0.6 point from the same period last year. Tightness of steel sheet supply and demand reached its peak in the second half of fiscal 2004. Afterward, there was increase of zinc coated steel sheet production by blast furnace steel makers in the first half of fiscal 2005. In this period, they dealt with increase of the demand in the background of promotion of high-level car production and capital investment, etc. The total of the topside 5 blast furnace steel makers’ share increased 2.1 points to 85.0%. Meanwhile, only Kobe Steel’ decreased 0.3 point to 7.7%.