Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Makers’ Association announced on Monday around 130 members’ shipment increased by 2.9% to 58,400 tonnes in copper volume in December from a year earlier. The shipment for electric power decreased by 12.8% to 3,900 tonnes, which decreased to less than 4,000 tonnes for the first time since August 1974. The total shipment decreased by 0.1% to 680,600 tonnes in 2011 from 2010. The shipment for electric power hit 35-year low.
The shipment for construction and wholesalers reached 25,000 tonnes for 3 months in a row through December. The shipment in December increased by 4.3% to 26,400 tonnes from a year earlier. The shipment for automobile increased by 20.9% to 6,800 tonnes. The shipment for domestic market increased by 3.3% to 56,300 tonnes in December from a year earlier. The export decreased by 6.5% to 2,100 tonnes/ The shipment of optical fiber increased by 21.2% to 3.295 million kilometers core in November from a year earlier, which kept 3 million km core for 3 months in a row. The export increased by 53.2% to 2.545 million km core while the shipment for domestic market decreased for 5 months in a row. The annual shipment for automobile recovered in second half of 2011 while the annual shipment decreased from 2010 due to sharp drop after the major earthquake. The shipment for construction and wholesalers increased for the first time in 6 years.