Japan Major 5 Steels’ Raw Steel Output Increases by 30% in 1HF2010

Raw steel output by Japanese 5 integrated steel makers increased by 30% to 43.18 million tonnes for the first half of fiscal 2010 (April-September 2010) from the corresponding period of 2009. This is 95% level compared with the recent peak in the first half of fiscal 2008. Steel demand represented firm at overseas while gradually recovered from domestic manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, 3-month production decreased to 21.51 million tonnes for July-September from 21.67 million tonnes for April-July. Asian steel market entered adjustment phase.

Nippon Steel’s output increased by 39.1% to 16.42 million tonnes in the first half of fiscal 2010 from the corresponding period of fiscal 2009. JFE Steel’s output increased by 19.5% to 14.35 million tonnes. Sumitomo Metal Industries’ output increased by 33.7% to 6.78 million tonnes. Kobe Steel’s output increased by 29.2% to 3.72 million tonnes. Nisshin Steel’s output increased by 30.3% to 1.92 million tonnes.

As for July-September, Nippon Steel’s production increased to 8.29 million tonnes from 8.13 million tonnes for April-June. JFE Steel’s 3-month production decreased to 7.09 million tonnes for July-September from 7.26 million tonnes for April-June. Sumitomo Metals’ production increased to 3.43 million tonnes from 3.35 million tonnes while Kobe Steel’s production decreased to 1.75 million tonnes from 1.98 million tonnes. Nisshin Steel’s 3-month output kept flat at 960,000 tonnes.

The 5 makers’ monthly raw steel output increased by 11.4% to 7.15 million tonnes in September from a year earlier, which increased by 1.4% from August. The daily average increased to 238,433 tonnes in September from 227,452 tonnes in August.