Japan 4 Aluminium Re-Rollers Keep Steady Sales for Oct-Dec

Japanese 4 major aluminium re-rollers posted consolidated recurring profit for nine months of April-December 2010. Their product sales were steady while cost down measures contributed to profit improvement. For a full year of fiscal 2010 ending in March 2011, Nippon Light Metal revised up its financial result forecast while the other 3 re-rollers set the forecast figures unchanged.

The re-rollers enjoyed favorable sales of their major items for October-December. Nippon Light Metal’s sales volume kept high level for truck body material, aluminium foil used for capacitor, lithium ion battery and medical packages.

Kobe Steel’s aluminium & copper unit kept steady sales of aluminium rolled, casted and forged products for automobiles and liquid crystal panel manufacturing equipments. The aluminium can material shipment also maintained stable for can makers’ stocks despite of the non-demand season in usual years.

Furukawa-Sky Aluminum enjoyed steady shipment of aluminium plate for semiconductor and liquid crystal panel manufacturing equipments. Sumitomo Light Metal Industries’ profit was improved by its business restructuring measures including optimization of aluminium processing and aluminium extrusion profile businesses.

The re-rollers view the demand would slow down for January-March. Kobe Steel, Sumitomo Light Metals and Furukawa-Sky Aluminum set their full-year financial result forecasts unchanged from the previous estimation. On the other hand, Nippon Light Metal reviewed its full-year recurring profit forecast to 17 billion yen from previously estimated 14.5 billion yen to reflect favorable results for April-December.