Japanese Copper Cable Shipment Increases by 6.5% Y/Y in April

Japanese domestic shipment of electric wire and cable was 55,800 tonnes of copper in April, increasing by 6.5% from a year earlier, according to a survey on approximately 130 makers those who belong to Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Makers’ Association. Compared with April 2008, the volume decreased by 21.2%. The domestic market size is 70-80% of the demand level before Lehman Shock. The actual shipment of optical fiber products in March was 3.25 million kilometers of fiber core (kmf), up by 26.3% from a year earlier.

Copper wire and cable shipment for constructions and related wholesalers represented below 25,000 tonnes for 16 straight months including April. Domestic demand for building wires and cables maintains stagnant when private sectors’ capital expenditures and condominium constructions are inactive.

Copper wire and cable shipment increased by 48.1% to 14,600 tonnes for electric machines and appliances in April from a year earlier while by 49% to 6,100 tonnes for automobiles. The demand has steadily recovered in response to the market upturn of digital appliances and automobiles. Compared with April 2008, the shipment volume is 80-85% for both application fields.

Copper cable shipment for domestic power companies is estimated at 6,000 tonnes of high level in April despite of year-to-year minus. Power companies keep stable investment for their power network renewals. Meanwhile, aluminium wire and cable shipment for domestic power companies is estimated to represent year-to-year minus in April after the first year-to-year minus in March after 16 months.

Optical fiber products shipment kept year-to-year plus for 10 straight months and exceeded 3 million kmf after 4 months. The shipment increased by 25% to 2.53 million kmf for export and by 31.3% to 726,312 kmf for domestic market in March from a year earlier. The active export continued.