According to an announcement by the Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry, Japan's steel companies plan to produce a total of 28,398,000 tonnes of crude steel in January to March 2011 period or in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 (April 2010-March 2011), a high level since the definite production of 30,450,000 tonnes in the second quarter of fiscal 2008.

The announcement is based on METI's hearings from the nation's various steel companies.

As a result, Japanese crude steel production is estimated to total 111,490,000 tonnes in fiscal 2010, recovering to a level of 100 million tonnes for the first time in two years as in the case of the definite annual production of 109,600,000 tonnes in calendar 2010.

The steel companies plan to put out a total of 24,852,000 tonnes of finished steel products in January to March 2011 period, up by 4% YoY from the same period of 2010.

Of the total, ordinary steel products account for the first 19,432,000 tonnes, up by 1.9% YoY from the same period of 2010, and specialty steel products the remaining 5,420,000 tonnes, up by 12.4% YoY. As to finished steel products for construction, the steel companies plan to put out a total of 827,000 tonnes as H beams, up by 4.9% YoY from the corresponding period of 2010 and that of 2,117,000 tonnes as small bars, up by 8.1% YoY.

In this connection, definite production volumes in October to December 2010 period totaled 787,000 tonnes as H beams and 2,203,000 tonnes as small bars.

(Sourced from TEX Report Limited)