Yamato Steel Expands Steel Export to Asia

Yamato Steel, Japanese major electric furnace steel maker will enhance steel export to East Asia and Southeast Asia in fiscal 2010 starting in April. The firm plans to strengthen H-beam and sheet pile export in cooperation with the subsidiary in Thailand, Siam Yamato Steel, when Japanese steel demand stays low.

Yamato steel produces and sells H-beam, channel, I-beam, sheet pile, shaped steel for shipbuilding mainly for domestic market while only exports shaped steel for shipbuilding to China and South Korea on spot.

In Japan, building construction market maintains stagnant and Yamato Steel’s output was low in fiscal 2009. On the other hand, Asian countries continue stable economic growth and Asian demand for building construction and civil engineering is expanding. Japanese high quality steel products are needed in Asia.

Yamato Steel will exchange business information in Asia with Siam Yamato Steel and keep flexible product supply for Asian market considering both companies’ operating rates, order backlogs, shipping schedules and costs.

Yamato Steel will acquire KS standard of H-beam in South Korea in late May to export H-beam to South Korean general contractors. Yamato Steel aims to accept H-beam orders for building and infrastructure constructions in Middle East and Asia through South Korean general contractors. Nippon Steel, Japanese largest steel maker, already acquired KS standard of H-beam.