Firm Plate Steel Price in Tokyo

Plate steel market price is firm at around 120,000 yen per tonne for standard size with 19 millimeters thick, 5 feet width and 10 feet length and around 140,000 yen for cut processed materials at dealers’ sites around Tokyo. The dealers seek higher reselling price under makers’ additional hike pressure when the limited supply reduces the dealers’ inventory. The domestic supply is very tight due to strong demand for shipbuilding and industrial and construction machinery. The plate makers increase the selling price for all applications. The makers started study for potential price hike for dealers’ market in and after October. The demand for building applications is slow especially for small- and mid-sized building. The dealers have trouble to realize higher reselling price under the low demand condition. However, the price is expected to increase when the dealers’ inventory gets lower and the inventory of some sizes is getting stock out.