Godo Steel and Tokyo Tekko Raise Rebar Price by 1,000 yen/t

A sales joint venture between Godo Steel and Tokyo Tekko raises its selling price of concrete reinforcing steel bar by 1,000 yen per tonne on and after May 22. The JV raised the price for the first time after May 8 and the price increases by 2,000 yen per tonne totally in May. The JV aims to pass increasing production costs on the selling price when the firm is suffering from surging costs of electric power charge, ferroalloy, other raw materials and transportation due to the increase of crude oil price.Rebar production costs seem increasing by average 1,500-2,000 yen per tonne at Japanese electric furnace steel makers since April. Electric power charge, some material prices, including electrode and refractory, and transport costs are surging when crude oil price jumped up to around US$ 70 per barrel. Electric furnaces are seriously impacted by the cost expansion despite their cost cut efforts.In addition ferrous scrap price is also increasing, the main material for rebar. Electric furnaces around Tokyo recently purchase ferrous scrap at 26,000-27,000 yen per tonne for H2. The price became closer to the level in 2004 when the price jumped up to near 30,000 yen per tonne. Electric furnaces are unlikely to absorb expansion of rebar production costs any more and the price hike movement should spread among makers.