Sumitomo Metals Increases Steel Plate Output for Energy Field

Sumitomo Metal Industries expects the firm’s high-end steel plate output for energy field would increase to 750,000 tonnes by 8% or 150,000 tonnes in fiscal 2007 at the ended of March 2008. The demand for high grade steel plate is increasing for marine structure for oil or gas excavation due to the expansion of energy demand in the whole world. The firm established Energy Project Office in Steel Plate business department in April 2006, and is trying to embrace the demand for high grade steel plate.The firms’ output is at 1.8 million tonnes per year that 600,000 tonnes of the output is for energy field. About 500,000 tonnes of it is used to large diameter steel tube which is produced by the firm.The firm will keep the output at 1.8 million tonnes in fiscal 2007, which will increase the output for energy field to 750,000 tonnes when the firm will increase the sales to 250,000 tonnes from 100,000 tonnes for marine structure, tank and abrasion-resistant steel plate for large shovel used mine.World demand for steel plate for marine structure is at 700,000 tonnes per year. About 400,000 tonnes of the demand is high tension steel plate which has strength of over 60 kilogram. The firm received the order of high end steel plate at abut 80,000 tonnes in fiscal 2007 and accounted for about 20% of world share.The firm’s Kashima iron works is constructing additional heat furnace in steel plate mill and will start operation of it after November 2007. The firm will increase the steel plate output by 100,000 tonnes per year, and will increase the sales to 300,000 tonnes for energy field in fiscal2008. The firm’s steel plate shipment for shipbuilding was at about 750,000 tonnes in fiscal 2006, and is expected to be same level in fiscal 2007 from last year.