Mitsubishi Electric Metecs to Open Copper Alloy Strip JV in China

Mitsubishi Electric Metecs, Japanese copper fabricator, will establish a joint venture in Suzhou, China with its distributor, Denkishizai, and Nippon Steel’s affiliate company, Nippon Steel Trading. The JV will manufacture copper alloy strips and supply Japanese and Taiwanese electronic parts makers in East China region. The JV will increase the output to 150-160 tonnes per month as early as possible.The JV will be licensed in early August and start operation in spring 2009. The capital is 200 million yen, 75% shared by Mitsubishi Electric Metecs, 20% by Denkishizai and 5% by Nippon Steel Trading. The JV’s manufacturing site will be located in Suzhou Nippon Steel Service Center, Nippon Steel Trading’s subsidiary to manufacture and sell steel sheets in Suzhou.The JV will slit wide width sheets of phosphor bronze, nickel silver and other copper alloys, supplied from Mitsubishi Electric Metecs. The initial facilities are 2 slitters, those which would be expanded with demand increase in future.Mitsubishi Electric Metecs established another JV in Guangzhou, China in 2004 with Denkishizai and other companies. Guangzhou coil center currently manufactures copper alloy products at 150-160 tonnes per month. Mitsubishi Electric Metecs plans to increase Suzhou’s output as much as Guangzhou early.