Japan Major 5 Steel’s Raw Steel Output drops by 42.3% in February

Raw steel output by Japanese major 5 integrated steel makers decreased by 42.3% to 4.179 million tonnes in February from a year earlier, which represented the low level since November 1968 and showed year-to-year decrease for 5 months in a raw. The output by Nippon Steel decreased to almost half and JFE Steel’s decreased by around 40% while Sumitomo Metal Industries, Kobe Steel and Nisshin Steel expanded the output reduction. Nippon Steel and JFE recorded the lowest output since the companies established. JFE’s output exseeded Nippon Steel’s for the first time.

Raw stee output by Nippon Steel decreased by 48.8% to 1.4 million tonnes in February from a year earlier while the firm accelerated the relining outage of No.1 blast furanace at Oita works to February 1 from original schedule. The output at Oita decreased by about 60% to 295,000 tonnes from a year earlier. At Kimitsu works, the firm halted No.2 blast furnace operation on February 28. The output by the firm would decrease more in March.

JFE’s output decreased by 39.7% to 1.458 million tonnes in February from a year earlier while the firm continue the significant output reduction, halted a blast furnace in Fukuyama.

Pig iron output of integrated steels declined by 37.3% to 4.394 million tonnes in February from a year earlier.