Tokyo Steel Manufacturing Keeps H-beam Top Share

Tokyo Steel Manufacturing was Japanese top share holder for H-beam output in the first half of fiscal 2006 ending March 2007. The firm specializes in the shipment for specific projects under the trend H-beam makers deliver the products more directly to the users than to distributors. Yamato Steel held the 5th output share and Japanese 2 independent electric furnace steel makers accounted for over 50% share. JFE Steel held the 2nd share and Nippon Steel the 3rd, whose share orders did not change from a year ago.

The output share of Nippon Steel and its group companies, Godo Steel and Topy Industries, decreased by 0.1 parentage point to 19.3% in 1H of fiscal 2006 from a year ago. The share of JFE Steel and JFE Bars & Shapes Corporation decreased by 0.3 points to 17.7%. Sumikin Steel increased the share by 2.1 points to 13.1%.

Total H-beam outputs increased by 1.2% to 2.24 million tonnes in 1H of fiscal 2006 from a year ago. Monthly outputs kept high level at 370,000-390,000 tonnes other than 330,000 tonnes in April. Integrated steel makers group decreased their output for distributors. However, total outputs did not decrease when the shipment seemed to increase for specific projects. In the last half of fiscal 2006, the output share is expected to remain unchanged when the demand maintains active mainly for large projects.See attached graph.