Nippon Steel to Cut H-Beam Supply by 10% for Dealers

Nippon Steel announced on Tuesday H-beam inventory held by members of Tokiwa-kai, which is group of distributors dealing Nippon Steel’s products, increased by 2.1% to 248,100 tonnes at the end of August from a month ago. The firm cuts H-beam order receipt from distributors by around 10% for September order from a month ago when the firm expects the demand keeps slow mainly for small- and mid-sized building. The firm left the selling price unchanged. The inventory increased for 4 months in a row through August in month to month basis. The inventory was 2.36 months of shipment at the end of August increasing from 1.87 for a month ago.Nippon Steel analyzed the inventory increased when dealers’ shipment decreased due to slow demand and summer holiday in August while the makers reduced the supply. But Nippon Steel sees the inventory was still normal level when it was less than 250,000 tonnes.The stock increased by 2.7% to total 122,400 tonnes in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya at end of August from July while the stock increased by 1.6% to 125,700 tonnes in other areas.