Japan 5 Integrated Steel Makers’ Crude Steel Output Decreases by 3.4% in CY2011

Japanese 5 integrated steel makers’ crude steel output decreased by 3.4% to 82.61 million tonnes in CY2011 from CY2010. Each steel maker’s output decreased due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, export slowdown under high yen rate and the influence of the flood in Thailand. The annual production was expected to reach 90 million tonnes in early 2011 while declined from March due to the earthquake. The output rebounded in and after July but lost speed by high yen rate and Thai flood. In December, the output decreased by 11.2% to 6.31 million tonnes from a year earlier. The 5 integrated steels’ output share in Japanese total crude steel production rose by 1.2 points to 76.8% in CY2011.

Nippon Steel adjusted raw steel output and accelerated suspension of no.2 blast furnace in Kimitsu iron works for relining ahead of the original schedule. Sumitomo Metal Industries focused on recommencement of Kashima ironworks which was hit by Tsunami and the Great East Japan Earthquake while the firm adjusted raw steel output in and after November. The monthly crude steel output increased by 15% to 1.04 million tonnes in December as a rebound of low output in December 2010 when Kashima iron works had trouble in its blast furnace. JFE Steel carried out brow-in of no.3 blast furnace in Fukuyama area of West Japan iron works in May 2011 while suspended no.2 blast furnace for optimization.

The 5 makers’ pig iron output totaled 81.03 million tonnes in CY2011, decreasing by 1.5% from CY2010. The monthly production decreased by 6.7% to 6.42 million in December from a year earlier.