Japan Pickling Steel Sheet Output Increases by 4.5% in F2007

Japanese pickling steel sheet output increased by 950,000 tonnes (4.5%) to 22.17 million tonnes through fiscal 2007 ended March 2008 compared with the previous fiscal year. Major makers increased the output when the demand was strong from manufacturing industries such as automakers.JFE Steel’s output exceeded 8 million tonnes in F2007, increasing by 5.2% or 400,000 tonnes from F2006. The share rose by 0.2 percentage points to 36.4%. Sumitomo Metal Industries increased the output by 300,000 tonnes (7.6%) to over 4 million tonnes. The share upped by 0.6 points to 18.9%. JFE Steel started a new pickling line in Keihin area of East iron works. Sumitomo Metals started a new pickling line in Kashima iron works, too.Nippon Steel’s output exceeded 7 million tonnes through F2007, up by 3.4% or 240,000 tonnes year-on-year. However, the share downed by 0.3 points to 32.4%. Kobe Steel decreased the output by 40,000 tonnes (1.9%) due to the refinement of a blast furnace and the share downed by 0.6 points to 9.3%.Nisshin Steel increased the output by 48.2% or 150,000 tonnes (48.2%) to 470,000 tonnes and the share upped by 1.5 points to 2.1%. Tokyo Steel Manufacturing decreased the output by 33.4% to 190,000 tonnes, whose share downed to 0.9%.