Japan Integrated Steels Gain Galvanized Steel Share in F2009

Japanese integrated steel makers increased hot-dip galvanized steel sheet output share in Japan in fiscal 2009 ended March 2010 from fiscal 2008 while other re-rollers than Yodogawa Steel Works decreased the share. Despite the low demand for construction, the integrated steels increased the share due to the rebound in automobile demand after second half of fiscal 2009. The major re-rollers, Nippon Steel & Sumikin Coated Sheet Corporation and JFE Galvanizing & Coating closed plants when the output decreased by slightly more than 30% due to stagnant construction demand. The Japanese output decreased by 7.5% to 9.02 million tonnes.

Five integrated steels stayed in same position in the galvanized steel sheet output share ranking in fiscal 2009 from fiscal 2008. Nippon Steel’s output share increased by 1.0 percentage point to 31.9% while the firm decreased the output by 1.0%. The production share of JFE Steel, which decreased the output by 6.8%, increased by 0.2 points to 24.6%.

Maruichi Steel Tube was up to 8th position in the galvanized steel share in fiscal 2009 from fiscal 2008 while Nippon Steel & Sumikin Coated Sheet Corporation was down to 9th position. The share of Maruichi Steel Tube was 1.8%, same as fiscal 2008 and the output decreased by 7.8%. Nippon Steel & Sumikin Coated Sheet’s share decreased by 0.5 points to 1.4% and the output decreased by 32.5%, which showed the widest drop among the makers.