Japan Stainless Steel Export Steadily Recovers in August

Japanese export of stainless steel products totaled 115,252 tonnes in August, including sheet, strip and pipe, according to Japan Stainless Steel Association. The export increased by 4.3% from July and represented month-to-month plus for 3 straight months. Sheet and strip increased while pipe decreased. The export increased mainly for Asian countries such as China and South Korea. In September, the export volume may decrease with a concern for inventory expansion in China.

The export increased by 12.9% to 94,843 tonnes for stainless steel sheet and by 4.1% to 11,871 tonnes for stainless steel strip in August from July. Stainless steel pipe export decreased by 43.3% to 8,538 tonnes. Strip export exceeded 10,000 tonnes for 2 months in a row. Sheet export approached 100,000 tonnes for the first time since July 2008. Meanwhile, pipe export hit the bottom in late 2 years due to wide volume down of seamless pipe for Asia.

The total export volume recovered by 2.1 times compared with the bottom in February 2009 thanks to the global demand increase. Sheet export volume is especially recovering, by 2.8 times compared with January 2009.