Sumitomo Metals’ Domestic Plate Share Ups to Third in F2008

Sumitomo Metal Industries’ steel plate output share in domestic market upped in fiscal 2008 (Apr08-Mar09) from fiscal 2007. The firm rose to the third place in fiscal 2008 from the fourth in fiscal 2007. Meanwhile, electric furnace steel makers such as Chubu Steel Plate and Nakayama Steel Works lowered the shares year-to-year due to wide output reduction in the second half of fiscal 2008.

JFE Steel stayed at the top place with annual plate output at 4.74 million tonnes, increasing by 100,000 tonnes from previous fiscal year. The share upped by 0.3 point to 34.9%. The production increased when the firm introduced a new heating furnace in Fukuyama area and expanded output capacity of continuous casting facilities in Keihin area.

Nippon Steel’s production decreased by 4,000 tonnes to 4.48 million tonnes in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007, whose share lowered by 0.5 point. Sumitomo Metals’ output increased by 180,000 tonnes to 1.47 million tonnes with share up by 1.1 points, when a new heating furnace entered full operation. Kobe Steel’s output decreased by 1,000 tonnes to 1.47 million tonnes. The share downed by 0.2 point and the share lowered to the fourth despite of almost flat output volume from fiscal 2007.

The fifth place was Chubu Steel Plate, whose production decreased by 77,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes and share lowered by 0.7 point. The sixth was Nakayama Steel Works, whose output decreased by 25,000 tonnes to 466,000 tonnes and share downed by 0.3 point. Tokyo Steel Manufacturing was the seventh place. The production increased by 33,000 tonnes to 365,000 tonnes and the share upped by 0.2 point.