Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Makers’ Association announced Monday the members’ shipment of optical fiber products increased by 14.6% to record 38.487 million kilometers of fiber core in fiscal 2011 ended in March 2012 from fiscal 2010. The export increased by 21.4% to record 29.475 million km of fiber core due to strong demand for offshore telecommunication infrastructure. The members’ copper electric wire shipment increased by 0.4% to 685,449 tonnes of copper volume.
The optical fiber products export was less than 2 million km of fiber core in almost every month from October 2010 to May 2011. The makers reduced the export in the period when domestic shipment of optical fiber cable increased due to Japanese governmental policy to encourage building of internet network. The optical fiber products export increased since May 2011 and renewed monthly record in October 2011, February and March 2012. The total shipment and the export in fiscal 2011 renewed the record of fiscal 2009. The optical fiber shipment decreased by 3.2% to 9.011 million km of fiber core in fiscal 2011 from fiscal 2010. The shipment reached 2 million km of fiber core for 2 years in a row while the shipment decreased after the demand increased in fiscal 2010 due to the governmental policy. The shipment apparently increased for major telecommunication companies in February and March toward the fiscal yearend.