Japan Cold-rolled Steel Sheet Production Decreases in F2005

The amount of Japanese cold-rolled steel sheet production decreased by 4.7% to 24.85 million tonnes in fiscal 2005 ended March 2006 from fiscal 2004. Nippon Steel kept the same share point from fiscal 2004, while JFE Steel lost the share due to higher output reduction than other steels. Sumitomo Metal Industries and Nisshin Steel increased the share when both companies reduced their output volume at smaller range. The top 5 makers were Nippon Steel, JFE Steel, Sumitomo Metals, Nisshin Steel and Kobe Steel, the same order as in fiscal 2004. Toyo Kohan achieved 7th largest share and Nittetsu Steel Sheet Corporation became down to 8th in fiscal 2005, while Toyo Kohan was 8th and Nittetsu Steel Sheet 7th.Nippon Steel held 34.5% share point in Japanese cold-rolled steel sheet production in fiscal 2005, which was as same as fiscal 2004, while JFE Steel decreased the share by 0.7 percentage points to 31.9%. The share difference between Nippon Steel and JFE Steel widened from 1.9 points in fiscal 2004 to 2.6 points in fiscal 2005. Nippon Steel reduced the output by 5% in fiscal 2005 from fiscal 2004, while JFE Steel by 6.9%.The reduction rate in output was 1.3% at Sumitomo Metals and 2.2% at Nisshin Steel, both of which were relatively narrower range. Consequently the output share of cold-rolled steel sheet increased to 10% in fiscal 2005 from 9.7% in fiscal 2004 at Sumitomo Metals and to 8.8% from 8.5% at Nisshin Steel. Kobe Steel’s share was unchanged at 5.5% and the output reduction rate was 5.4%.Among steel sheet makers other than integrated steels, Toyo Kohan increased its cold-rolled steel sheet production volume by 7.7% in fiscal 2005 from the previous year and the share points rose to 2.6% from 2.3%. Nittetsu Steel Sheet’s output volume decreased by 13.2% and the share decreased to 2.4% from 2.6%.