Sumikin Steel & Shapes Increases Sheet Pile Share in Fiscal 2008

Sumikin Steel & Shapes increased steel sheet pile share by 4.9 percentage points to 23.6% in fiscal 2008 ended March 2009 from fiscal 2008 while its output remained about 160,000 tonnes. Nippon Steel, the largest maker of sheet pile increased the share by 0.7 point to 40.1% while JFE Steel reduced the share by 1.4 point to 32.3%. Yamato Steel and Tokyo Steel Manufacturing reduced the share by 2.1 points each. The share was 3.5% for Yamato Steel and 0.5% for Tokyo Steel.

The sheet pile output decreased by 21% to 690,000 tonnes in fiscal 2008 compared with fiscal 2007. The demand plunged after the global recession in autumn 2008. The production was 880,000 tonnes, up by 22.2 % in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006. The export of sheet pile increased to 240,000 tonnes in fiscal 2007 from 150,000 tonnes in fiscal 2006 and 90,000 tonnes in fiscal 2005. However, the import was 130,000 tonnes in fiscal 2008.

The output of Nippon Steel declined by 20% to less than 300,000 tonnes in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007 while JFE Steel’s production decreased by 25% to less than 250,000 tonnes.

However, the output would increase in fiscal 2009 compared with fiscal 2008 when the export increased by 48% to 60,000 tonnes in April-June 2009 from same period last year responding the firm demand in China and Southeastern Asia. At the same time, the demand for domestic civil work could increase after fall 2009 as a result of stimulus package. The output could increase by slightly in fiscal 2009 from fiscal 2008.