Nippon Metal Industry’s Original Low-Ni Alloy Sales to Reach 500,000T

Nippon Metal Industry, Japanese major stainless steel maker, announced on Monday the firm’s accumulative sales of NTK D series stainless steel, the firm’s original alloy which contains less nickel than SUS304, will exceed 500,000 tonnes at the end of March 2011. The firm started NTK D series sales to Asia in 2003 and to domestic market in 2008.

The alloy is adopted to diverse applications such as cellular phones, personal computers, tableware and freezing containers thanks to its high strength and nonmagnetic characteristics. In recent years, the demand is increasing as spacers for smartphones.

Nippon Metal Industry has established immediate delivery system of NTK D series to overseas slitting centers. The firm supplies the alloy products mainly to Japanese users in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The current sales total 4,000-5,000 tonnes per month including hot coil and cold rolled products.

In domestic market, the accumulative sales became approximately 5,000 tonnes as of September 2010. The alloy is used for structural materials, tablewarem cellular phones and many applications.

Nippon Metal Industry continues to appeal high strength and nonmagnetic characteristics of NTK D series and differentiate the alloy products apart from SUS200 series or SUS304 series. The firm expects for the sales growth as alternate material for SUS304. SUS304 price is unstable due to high nickel content.