Nippon Steel, JFE Lose Hot-Dip Galvanizing Steel Share in F2008

Nippon Steel secured top position in hot-dip galvanizing steel production in fiscal 2008 ended March 2009. The share decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 30.9% from fiscal 2007. JFE Steel’s share decreased by 0.5 points to 24.4%. They reduced the production by more than 18% from fiscal 2007. The domestic major makers reduced the utilization to almost half of the capacity in January-March under the very slow demand.

Sumitomo Metal Industries increased the production share of hot-dip galvanizing steel by 0.3 points to 9.9% in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007 despite of the 14.7% lower production. Nisshin Steel’s production share increased to 15.4% from 13.6% while the production was 6.1% lower than fiscal 2007.

The smaller rerollers’ share decreased in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007. Their production decreased by more than 20% for Yodogawa Steel Works, JFE Galvanizing & Coating, Nippon Steel & Sumikin Coated Sheet and Maruichi Steel Tube due to very slow building demand.

Japanese hot-dip galvanizing steel production decreased by 17.1% to 9.75 million tonnes in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007 under slower demand when automobile production decreased to less than 10 million units for the first time in 7 years.