Japan Raw Steel Output Hits July Record

Japanese raw steel output increased by 1.7% to 10.189 million tonnes in July from a year earlier, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Wednesday. The output increased for 26 months in a row. The volume was more than 10.141 million tonnes of former July record in 1974 and 11th monthly high. The output keeps higher level under strong demand for manufacturers than pace in fiscal 2007 ended March 2008 when the output hit annual record. The converter steel output increased by 1.3% to 7.676 million tonnes in July from a year earlier, which was increase for 26 months in a row. The electric furnace steel output increased by 2.9% to 2.513 million tonnes, which increased for 2 months in a row. The daily output was 328,700 tones, which was less than 345,700 tonnes in June due to seasonal maintenance outage. The carbon steel output increased by 0.6% to 7.928 million tonnes in July from a year earlier, which increased for 26 months in a row. The special steel output increased by 5.7% to 2.261 million tonnes, which increased for 7 months in a row. The hot rolled products’ output increased by 1.5% to 9.317 million tonnes in July from a year earlier. The carbon steel products’ output increased by 0.1% to 7.399 million tonnes, in which the flat products output increase by 1.3% to 5.325 million tonnes while the long products’ output decreased by 3.7% to 1.999 million tonnes. The output increased by 0.1% to 4.092 million tonnes for hot rolled wide strip and by 7.3% to 1.149 million tonnes for plate. The H-beam output increased by 4.9% to 417,000 tonnes, which increased for 3 months in a row while the rebar output decreased by 9.3% to 923,000 tonnes, which decreased for 11 months in a row. The output of special steel hot rolled products increased by 7.2% to 1.918 million tonnes, which increased for 9 months in a row.