Plate Price Rises in Tokyo

Plate steel market price is looked to be further rise around Tokyo. The inventory is reducing with tighter supply. Distributors have strong selling stance. Makers’ selling price hikes for building materials are pushing the market price. The market price is 80,000 yen per tonne for product with 19 millimeters thick, 5 feet width and 10 feet length around Tokyo. The cut processed plate price is about 95,000 yen. The demand keeps firm for shipbuilding, construction and industrial machinery. The demand for bridge and construction also recovers. Domestic plate inventory increased by 3.7% to 461,996 tones in the ended of January 2007 from December 2006 while decreased by 6.3% from a year ago, according to Japan Steel Plate Shearing Industrial Guild. The inventory trends to drop since autumn 2005. Domestic plate makers keep the tight rolling schedule due to good demand. Dealer source said his firm is struggling to get the plate. Steel plate supply is tighter due to starting big project such as the expansion work of Haneda airport. Steel plate makers are raising their selling price including to revision of extra for bridge and building material. In the present circumstances, their price hike has slow pace due to users’ resistance. However, many dealers recognized their most themes in this year are their price hike.