JFE Steel to Establish Vietnam Office for Support Steel Pile Plant

JFE Steel plans to establish sales office in Ho Chi Minh City to support steel pipe pile and steel pipe sheet pile making plant, J-Spiral Steel Pipe, which launched its operation in Vietnam. JFE Steel’s president Eiji Hayashida said at a press conference held on Friday in Hanoi the firm establishes sales office as early as possible to provide technical support to users. JFE Steel group tries to develop the local market for steel pipe pile while concrete pile is prevailing in Vietnam.

Mr. Hayashida commented steel pipe pile is easy to use product and JFE Steel group is committed to expand the consumption through better availability of the product and technology. He said JFE Steel group and the joint venture partners of Maruichi Steel Tube and Toyota Tsusho Corporation provide full scale support for J-Spiral Steel Pipe’s growth along with supply of Japanese steel materials.

Mr. Hayashida said steel pipe pile is more difficult to develop market due to the custom made nature compared with sheet steel products. He said JFE steel provides technical and knowhow advice and publication support. JFE Steel expects the local office will trade other steel products in future.

Maruichi Steel Tube’s president Hiroyuki Suzuki said the firm expects project information sharing synergy between the subsidiary, Sun Steel Joint Stock Company, which makes products with up to 400 millimeters diameter, and J-Spiral Steel Pipe, which makes products with 400 mm or more diameter. Toyota Tsusho’s president Junzo Shimizu said the firm tries to enter into infrastructure construction business in Vietnam to follow growing domestic demand while the firm has experience in local automobile industry.

JFE Steel, Maruichi Steel Tube and Toyota Tsusho agreed to acquire Vietnamese spiral steel pipe maker, Jeong An Vina in November. JFE Steel and Maruichi have each 35% share in the maker with 30% share by Toyota Tsusho. The plant started operation in December under the name of J-Spiral Steel Pipe with annual 50,000 tonnes of production capacity.