Japan Electric Cable Shipment Keeps AAGR 1.2% by F2012

Japanese domestic shipment of electric copper wire and cable is expected to grow at an average annual growth rate of 1.2% in copper conductor weight during 5 years by fiscal 2012 ending March 2013, announced by Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Makers’ Association (JCMA) on 25 September. The shipment volume is forecasted to be 910,000 tonnes in fiscal 2012, increasing by 6.3% from fiscal 2007. Domestic shipment of optical fiber cable is estimated to grow at an AAGR 1.6% for fiscal 2007-2012, which could increase by 8.4% to 10.7 million kilometers of fiber core in fiscal 2012 from fiscal 2007.Copper wire and cable shipment is expected to grow at AAGR 2.5% for domestic power companies toward fiscal 2012 with the projects to establish new electric generating plants in Japan. The shipment for domestic construction market, where copper metal is most consumed in volume, would grow at AAGR 0.9% for fiscal 2007-2012. JCMA expects recovery of private housing and capital expenditures in the mid term.The shipment AAGR is 0.6% for an automobile related sector toward fiscal 2012. Vehicle production is expected to maintain increasing in emerging countries while copper cable consumption per vehicle might keep flat because of more demand for small cars, thinner copper cables and aluminium cables.Domestic copper cable shipment for electric machines and appliances could increase for such applications as heavy electric machineries and automotive appliances toward fiscal 2012. On the other hand, AAGR shows minus for home and electronic appliances since the end products are more manufactured at overseas plants.Japanese copper cable export is expected to keep steady growth by fiscal 2012 thanks to the strong demand from power transporting networks and chemical plants in the Middle East region.Japanese domestic shipment of optical fiber cable is estimated to maintain gradual increase to fiscal 2012, when FTTH subscribers could increase in the mid term and domestic telecom carriers would continue capital expenditure to reinforce their optical networks.