Flat Japan Plate Demand Forecast for Oct-Mar

Japanese domestic demand for steel plate is expected to keep flat for October 2009-March 2010 from April-June 2009. The demand is estimated at around 3.8 million tonnes for domestic market and 1.5 million tonnes for export for April-June 2009, decreasing by 20% from the previous half year. The demand slowly decreased from construction machines and industrial machines while kept significantly low from building materials. The demand is expected to increase from civil engineering such for bridges or energy industry.

The demand from shipbuilding accounts for 50% of the all demand. The orders kept firm. Domestic shipbuilders have contracts for next 3 years. However, new order receipts of shipbuilding decreased by 70-80% year-to-year since last autumn.

The demand is expected to keep flat from construction machines while to rebound in East Asia from the first half of fiscal 2010. South Korean shipbuilders’ construction volume increased by 20% year-to-year for January-June 2009 but their new awards may be canceled. Japanese integrated steel makers expect plate export to South Korean shipbuilders could maintain flat or decrease in the last half of fiscal 2009 compared with the first half year.