Japan Copper Alloy Products Shipment Totals 729,000T in Oct

Japanese copper alloy fabricators’ shipment totaled 72,900 tonnes in October, according to Japan Copper & Brass Association. The shipment increased by 5% from a year earlier and represented year-on-year increase for 12 straight months. However, the range of increase was narrowest since January 2010.

The shipment for domestic market increased by 4.7% to 58,365 tonnes in October from a year earlier. The shipment for connectors decreased by 1.1% to 10,823 tonnes, which represented first year-on-year decline since September 2009. The shipment for semiconductors represented decline for 2 months in a row.

Meanwhile, the shipment for refrigerators represented the strongest year-on-year increase in October. Copper tube makers are likely to continue full capacity production by March 2011 when sales of residential air conditioners were very active in hot summer.

The shipment for export increased by 6.4% to 14,535 tonnes in October from a year earlier.