NKK Seamless Steel Tube’s Domestic Share Widely Downs in F2009

NKK Seamless Steel Tube’s output share downed to forth in domestic seamless steel tube market in fiscal 2009 (April 2009-March 2010) from third in fiscal 2008. The firm’s oil well tube export decreased largely because American users entered inventory adjustment for 13% chrome seamless steel tube. Sanyo Special Steel’s output share upped to third from forth instead.

Japanese seamless steel tube production decreased by 34.4% to 1.32 million tonnes in fiscal 2009 from fiscal 2008. Demand for oil well steel tube dropped globally. Steel tube demand has also declined from automobiles, construction machines, industrial machines and special steel tubes.

Major 6 seamless steel tube makers decreased their outputs in fiscal 2009. Sumitomo Metal Industries’ production decreased by 33.3% while the share increased by 1.1 points to 60.8% thanks to the high rate of long-term contracts compared with other makers.

JFE Steel’s production decreased by 17.6% while the share upped by 4.5 points to 22.3%. Sanyo Special Steel’s output decreased by 29.8% while the share upped by 0.4 points to 6.6%. NKK Seamless Steel Tube’s production shrank by 70.9% and the share lowered by 6.4 points to 5.1%. Nippon Steel’s output decreased by 31.2% while the share upped by 0.2 points to 4.1%.