Tokai Carbon to Hike Graphite Electrode by 25,000 yen/t

Tokyo based major carbon products maker, Tokai Carbon will increase the selling price of graphite electrode for electric furnace by 25,000 yen per tonne for domestic shipment effective for October-March 2007 shipment. The firm decided the hike when the firm cannot absorb higher cost for needle coke and other materials despite of 25,000 yen hike in April. The firm keeps considering another hike after April 2007 depending on the demand and raw materials price when the domestic graphite electrode price is still lower than offshore price. Japanese leading needle coke maker, Petrocokes increased the selling price for July shipment after US major’s price hike. The higher cost pressures graphite electrode makers. Tokai Carbon decided to pass the higher cost on the selling price through the second hike in the year. However, the firm keeps trying to increase the domestic price more citing the domestic selling price is near 100,000 yen lower than the export price.