Marubeni Metals to Establish Aluminium Plate Supply Chain in China

Marubeni Metals Corporation, Japanese major trading house of nonferrous metal products wholly owned by Marubeni Corporation, plans to establish a supply chain of aluminium plate for liquid crystal panel industry in China in 2011. Marubeni Metals achieved half-year revenue at 40 billion yen for April-September 2010, as high as planned at the beginning of the fiscal year. In the second half year ending in March 2011, the firm targets six-month revenue at 45 billion yen though global economy is unstable.

Marubeni Metals expects the demand would increase for aluminium plate applied to liquid crystal panel manufacturing equipments in China since South Korea’s Samsung and LG Electronics are likely to start production of liquid crystal panel television in China in or after 2011. Production of aluminium plate for liquid crystal panel manufacturing equipment seems difficult for Chinese re-rollers. The material may be supplied from re-rollers in Japan, South Korea or Taiwan.

Marubeni Metals aims to establish an integrated supply system of aluminium plate from re-rollers to final users by utilizing its network with Japanese and Chinese re-rollers as well as coil centers and press makers.

In the first half of fiscal 2010 (April-September 2010), Marubeni Metals enjoyed favorable sales of aluminium rolled products in Japan and at overseas. Can material sales increased for both export and domestic market, which is the firm’s main sales item. Export of alumimium blank for hard disk was also steady. Domestic sales of brazing sheet for heat exchanger, flat aluminium for capacitor and general machines were stable, too.

The firm’s sales also keep steady for electric power cable and lighting appliances such as LEDs (light emitting diodes).