JFE Steel Maintains Pickling Sheet Top Share in F2009

Japanese steel makers’ share positions didn’t change for pickling steel sheet in fiscal 2009 ended in March 2010 compared with fiscal 2008. Domestic production totaled 18.2 million tonnes in fiscal 2009, minus by 3.1% from fiscal 2008 due to automobile output decline in the first half year. Nippon Steel only increased the production for export.

JFE Steel kept the top production share and Nippon Steel was the second. The third was Sumitomo Metal Industries and the forth was Kobe Steel, followed by Nisshin Steel and Tokyo Steel Manufacturing.

JFE Steel’s output decreased by 2.9% while the share increased by 0.1 point to 36.7%. Nippon Steel’s production increased by 4.9% and the share upped by 2.7 points to 35.5%. The share gap between JFE Steel and Nippon Steel narrowed to 1.2 points from 3.8 points.

Sumitomo Metal Industries decreased the output by 12.8% and the share downed by 2.0 points to 17.6%. Kobe Steel’s production decreased by 9.8% and the share downed by 0.6 points to 8.1%. Nisshin Steel decreased the output by 4.0% while the share didn’t change at 1.2%.

Tokyo Steel’ production decreased by 18.3% and the share downed by 0.1 points to 0.9% due to an accident in Okayama works and the demand decline in wholesalers’ market.