Japan Major Steels to Expand Special Steel Bar, Wire Rod Output

Japanese major steel makers including Nippon Steel and Kobe Steel try to increase the output of special steel bar and wire rod for fiscal 2008 ending March 2009. They try to meet strong demand from automakers and construction machinery makers. The steel makers, which already operate at full capacity for the mills, will inch up the output by utilizing marginal expanded capacity and reducing inventory and steel grades. Nippon Steel increased the steel bar and wire rod output by 5% to around 3.2 million tonnes in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006 through expansion at Muroran, Kamaishi and Kimitsu works. The firm tries to increase the output by 4-5% for fiscal 2008. Kobe Steel plans to increase the special steel bar and wire rod by 6% to 2.56 million tonnes in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007. The firm tries to utilize the streamlined facilities after the optimization investment at Kakogawa and Kobe works. Sumitomo Metals (Kokura) tries to increase the special steel bar and wire rod despite of the full capacity operation at 1.44 million tonnes of raw steel output in fiscal 2007. The firm utilizes additional steel source for the output increase after the firm terminated the order receipt and production of steel code and some items. JFE Steel plans to increase the special steel bar and wire rod sales by 14% to 650,000 tonnes in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007 after the expansion at Kurashiki area of West Japan works.