Strong Plate Steel Price in Tokyo

Steel plate dealers’ price hike progressed with makers’ price hike around Tokyo. Plate price increased to 120,000 yen per tonne by 1,000-2,000 yen for base size with 19 millimeters thick, 5 feet width and 10 feet length compared with the meddle of May, to 135,000 yen per tonne by 5,000 yen for cut processed plate around Tokyo. Dealers are raising selling price when Japanese integrated steel makers increased plate price for the shipping in June. Shearing processors source said the firm would like to raise selling price to 140,000 yen per tonne for cut procees plate including processing charge when the material price increased to the last half of 110,000 yen. Shearing processor source said order volume of cut processed plate decreased by 10-15% in May from April. Building construction project is decreasing when the project were stopped or were lied over. Dealers’ sales volume decreased to 38,942 tonnes by 13.2% in May from April around Tokyo, according to dealer association around Tokyo. Dealers’ inventory increased to 59,105 tonnes by 3.2% in May from April due to decreased sales volume. Makers’ supply volume keeps flat to dealers. Makers’ production capacity is short due to the expansion of the demand for shipbuilding, construction or industrial machinery. Dealers don’t anticipate inventory volume when the demand keeps slow. However, they are taking precedence to secure plate for the order in the future, and are keeping higher selling price.