|  | 03/08/2004 |
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Fukuda Metal Foil & Powder to Expand Chinese Operation
Fukuda Metal Foil & Powder expands production capacity of the electrolytic copper foil at Suzhou Fukuda Metal in China to meet increasing local demand. The firm plans to finish expansion by the end of the year for additional line to increase capacity from current 800 tonnes per month to 1,000 tonnes.
The firm operates the Chinese joint venture operation, which was established in 1994, at full capacity. Japanese users shift operations into China resulting in shift demand from Japan to China. Fukuda Metal Foil & Powder tries to meet the demand.
Electrolytic copper production capacity became excess against demand in the world after IT bubble burst in 2000 resulting in decrease of selling price. Japanese electrolytic copper makers continue to lose money while Chinese makers are getting to make money after price hike.
Fukuda Metal Foil & Powder decided in May to close Cookson Fukuda in UK, which is joint venture with Cookson Group of UK in 1989. The JV has lost money at 150-200 tonnes of monthly production against 300 tonnes of capacity after IT bubble. Chinese expansion covers the closing British production.
The production of electrolytic copper foil increases to 400-450 tonnes per month from bottom of 2003 in Kyoto plant. However, the plant still loses money targeting 500 tonnes of monthly output.
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 | Fukuda Metal Foil & Powder to Expand Chinese Operation
| | Official lead price reaches 160,000 yen since March 1990
| | Copper Alloy Scrap Market to Increase by 15 yen
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