Japanese Fabricators’ Cu Alloy Strip Output Recovers in August

Japan Copper & Brass Association announced on Monday a quick estimation of Japanese copper alloy fabricators’ output volume in August was 55,700 tonnes. The production was 21% lower than a year earlier and represented year-to-year decrease for 13 months. Meanwhile, the minus range has shrunk for 5 straight months since record 60.2% in March. Fabricators’ operations are recovering for sheet and strip applied to semiconductors and automobiles. Output recovery is relatively delayed for other items such as copper tube.

Copper strip output is quickly estimated at 16,930 tonnes in August, down by 16.3% from a year earlier. The minus range narrowed thanks to the demand recovery mainly from semiconductors. Brass strip production totaled approximately 8,163 tonnes, down by 15% from a year earlier. The output represented year-to-year minus for 13 months while the minus range shrank from 81.6% in February. Phosphor bronze sheet and strip totaled 3,203 tonnes, lower by 18.3% than a year earlier. The minus range has narrowed for 6 months along the upward demand at overseas from digital appliances and cellular phones.

On the other hand, demand recovery is relatively delayed for brass bar and copper tube. Brass bar output decreased by 26.9% to 11,946 tonnes, whose demand maintained slow from construction related applications such as gas appliances and water taps. Copper tube production decreased by 21.7% to 7,870 tonnes, which represented below 10,000 tonnes for the first time since March. The demand from air conditioners was impacted by cool summer though the demand would seasonally decline in every August.