Japanese Blast Furnace Steel Manufacturers Perform Price Revision

The average steel products price of Japanese integrated steel manufacturers below at the level of around fiscal 1990 at the ended of March although the price is continuing up trend from fiscal 2003. Otherwise, the raw materials and fuels price rose significantly while back. Each maker’s business performance is improving by mainly their rationalization. It seems that their selling price is in the process of improvement. Additionally, they are forced to spend fortunes to research and development or equipment for the needs of users. Their big theme is the maintenance of the profit by the price improvement for specific users. The average steel product prices of Japanese major 5 blast furnace steel manufacturers reached peak around fiscal 1990 and bottom in fiscal 2002 although the production order, the export volume and the exchange rate changed in these period.Nippon Steel’s price was peak at 83,600 yen per tonne in fiscal 1991 and was bottom at 49,700 yen in fiscal 2002 and was at 73,400 yen in the first half of fiscal 2005. There is disparity of the price has between it for distributors and specific users such as car makers. Additionally, the price has disparity between each specific user.It is expected that raw material price remain higher in fiscal 2006. Sub material price such as zinc or aluminum are continuing high. Consequently, they will go into the price negotiation with specific users about after the contract in April. They are in important phase for sustainable growth.