Aichi Steel to Keep 80% Capacity Utilization for F2010

Aichi Steel expects the steel products output level keeps 80% of the capacity in fiscal 2010 starting in April as current production since September 2009. The firm tries to keep the level while the monthly production could decrease slightly depending on the condition including automobile production and subsidiaries for automobile purchase.

The production level decreased to around 30% of the capacity in January-March 2009 due to major production cut by automakers under severe economy condition since autumn 2008. The production increased to 50% in June 2009 after gradual recovery from 40% in April and 45% in May when automobile production recovered. The production level reached 80% in September while the production kept recovering to 60% in July and 70% in August. The firm regained profitability in September.

The firm keeps 80% production since then while the forging unit keeps 80% production and the stainless unit keeps 75% production since September.