Nippon Mining & Metals’ Cu Alloy Output to Hit 3,660T/M in 1H

Nippon Mining & Metals announced on Wednesday its output plan of copper alloy fabricated products at average 3,660 tonnes per month for the first half of fiscal 2010 (April-September 2010). The planned volume is higher than 3,534 tonnes in the second half of fiscal 2007. The demand for copper alloy products is expected to keep steady from IT and automobile industries along the strong economy in Asian countries.

Nippon Mining & Metals’ main products are strips of phosphor bronze, corson series alloy and copper titanium alloy, and rolled copper foils, those which are mainly applied to cellular phones, flat panel televisions, personal computers and automobiles.

The output in the second half of fiscal 2009 was quickly estimated at 3,380 tonnes per month, higher than 3,100 tonnes of the initial plan announced in October 2009. The monthly production hit approximately 4,000 tonnes in March at Kurami plant to fabricate copper alloys including special steels.

In April-September 2010, the firm tries to expand the production of titanium-copper alloy, NKT322 (GIGALLOY), and corson series copper alloy, those which are applied to high tensile connector pins. The demand has rapidly grown from the users related to cell phones since fiscal 2009. The firm eyes the output expansion with new capital expenditure to meet the increasing demand.

The firm also advances development and commercialization of new products for next-generation environment and energy industries, such as HS1200 alloy for large capacity secondary batteries.