Japan Cemented Carbide Tool Shipment Keeps Increasing in Nov

Japanese cemented carbide tool shipment increased by 9.2% to 29.065 billion yen in November 2006 from a year ago, which exceeded 29 billion yen monthly for the first time and increased from a year earlier for 51 months in row, according to survey of 43 member of Japan Cemented Carbide Tool Manufacturers’ Association. The demand maintained steady mainly for cutting tools to manufacture auto parts.The shipment value is expected to hit annual record through fiscal 2006 ending March 2007 and 4 fiscal years in a row. However, the value increase in fiscal 2006 is due to not only the demand growth but the number increase of the Association members and the influence of members’ price hike to pass tungsten price upsurge on their selling prices since spring 2006, the main material for cemented carbide tool.The actual growth rate became slower in fiscal 2006 than in fiscal 2004 and 2005 consequently. Without shipment by 3 additional members, the monthly shipment increased by 3.4% to 27.111 billion yen in November 2006 from a year ago. The growth rate seemed to become slower when Japanese major automaker put off domestic capital investment for expansion due to products quality issue. As a result, Japanese carbide tool shipment growth is supported by active export rather than by domestic demand after October 2006.