Japanese Special Steel Output to Stay around 80% of Peak

Japanese special steel makers expect the products’ output in fiscal 2010 started April would stay at 70-80% of the peak in the first half of fiscal 2008. The output of Daido Steel and Aichi Steel increased to around 80% level of the peak by March due to the recovery in automobile demand. However, the firms expect the steel output could decrease in the second half of fiscal 2010 when the tax reduction for purchasing environmental friendly car ended in September.

The special steel output of Daido Steel decreased by 20% in fiscal 2009 from fiscal 2008 while Aichi Steel’s output decreased by 12% and Nippon Koshuha Steel’s output decreased by 46%. The total output of 3 firms is estimated to increase by 20% to 2.18 million tonnes in fiscal 2010 from fiscal 2009. However, the output is 2% lower than the level in fiscal 2008, which the demand plunged in the second half.

The output of Daido Steel is expected to increase by 26% to 1.15 million tonnes in fiscal 2010 from fiscal 2009. Aichi Steel’s output is expected to increase by 12% to 940,000 tonnes when the output increased by 3% to 250,000 tonnes in January-March 2010 from October-December 2009, which was 81% of the level in April-June 2008. Nippon Koshuha Steel plans to increase the shipment by 30% to 88,500 tonnes, which is 70% of the peak.