As per media report, India’s leading steel producers may not go for upward revision of listed prices after expiry of the three month self imposed moratorium today.

Indian government had advised public sector units Steel Authority of India Limited and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited to hold price for a few months last week. They had also warned private players to be prudent in this matter.

JSW Steel has announced earlier this week that it will not increase prices of its products after the agreed moratorium with the government ends on August 7th. Mr Sajjan Jindal vice CMD of JSW had said that "We are not going to increase steel prices at least in this month."

TATA Steel CFO had also said that they are not in hurray to increase price earlier this week.

In this scenario, other steel majors like Essar Steel and Ispat Industries Limited may also follow the line.

LPPI – Long product price index

PI is product index

(Sourced from www.steelprices-india.com)

TATA Steel, India’ first and largest integrated private steel company of India which celebrated its centenary year has made its maiden entry in the list of Global 500 Companies released by the Fortune magazine. In an official clarification issued on the Website of Fortune magazine, Tata Steel now ranks 231 in the list of Global 500 Companies and not 315 as mentioned in the Fortune magazine.

Based on the consolidated 9 months financial results of TATA Steel, Fortune magazine ranked TATA Steel at 315th position. However, post the announcement of the Annual Results of TATA Steel, which was after the deadline of the publication of the Fortune magazine listing the Global 500 Companies, Fortune in a clarification on its website mentions that the Company would have been placed at the 231st position on the list and not 315.

To quote the website of Fortune magazine, TATA Steel's revenue for fiscal year end March 31st 2008 released by the company after the Global 500 publication deadline was USD 32.8 billion. Had the information been available, the company would have placed 231 on the list. The company ranked 315th in the listing, based on revenue for the four quarters ended December 31st 2007 of USD 25.7 billion.

This is the first time that the company has made an entry into the prestigious list of top 500 Companies of the World. Of all the Companies featured in the list Global 500 companies, TATA Steel has registered the biggest increase in revenues with a percentage change of 353.2 % from 2006. TATA Steel has registered revenue of USD 32.8 billion.

The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 companies across the Globe measured by their gross revenue.

PTI reported that ArcelorMittal's Jharkhand project may hit a roadblock with local villagers deciding not to give away an inch of land to the company for setting up the INR 40,000 crore Greenfield steel project. Of the total land requisitioned by the steel major, nearly 75% belongs to private owners spanned across 14 villages, while the rest is owned by the government.

Owing allegiance to Adivasi Moolwasi Astitva Raksha Manch the villagers adjoining Torpa-Kamdara blocks where the company has proposed setting up its 12 million tonne steel plant, have out rightly rejected Jharkhand Government's R&R Policy and vouched not to part away with their land.

Mr Dayamani Barla AMARM coordinator told PTI that "The recently announced policy of the government is an attempt to grab land from villagers on the pretext of industrialization. We won't let it happen. Villagers will not give even an inch of land to ArcelorMittal.”

On the other hand, the company said that it was making good progress on the Jharkhand project. Mr Sanak Mishra CEO of ArcelorMittal Jharkhand and Orissa projects said that "Things are moving in right direction. We have applied for land and are extensively carrying out corporate social responsibility works in the state.”

He, however, declined to comment on the likely protest by villagers over land issue.

It is reported that TATA Steel Global, the recently formed holding company for steel and raw material assets outside India, would not go for listing on the stock markets.

Mr Koushik Chatterjee group CFO of TATA Steel Limited on the sidelines of ICT-East seminar told reporters that "There are no plans to list TATA Steel Global".

He said that with the takeover of Corus, TATA Steel Global is looking for securing raw material sources for which it is looking for acquisitions. Mr Chatterjee said that the focus of TATA Steel Global is raw material security. This was particularly important since it did not captive sources of raw materials. He added that the size of the acquisition would depend on case to case basis.

IANS reported that about 40 sponge iron units in Chhattisgarh will stop production this month following a severe iron ore shortage.

Mr Anil Nachrani president of the Chhattisgarh Sponge Iron Manufacturing Association said that “Most of the units are left with raw material stock of just 12 days to 15 days. He added that if the crisis continues about 40 units will start suspending operations from this month.”

He said that the state has 125 sponge iron units which require 12 million tonnes of iron ore per annum. Against these units get only 3 million tonnes from the state owned mining company NMDC Limited. Mr Nachrani said that “Sponge iron manufacturers in Chhattisgarh have for long been demanding that the quota for the local units be increased, but NMDC has brushed aside our genuine demand.”

The association has urged the steel ministry and the Chhattisgarh government to intervene to save sponge iron units in the state.

In September 2006, the state’s sponge iron units faced a similar crisis and about 30 units had to stop operations. Chhattisgarh contributes about 35% of India’s total annual sponge iron production of nearly 20 million tonnes.

Bloomberg reported that Hyundai Heavy Industries Co and India's Simplex Castings Ltd jointly won a INR 625.8 million order from Steel Authority of India Limited for a torpedo ladle car.

Simplex Castings in a statement to the Bombay Stock Exchange said that the share of contract awarded to Hyundai Heavy, the world's largest shipbuilder was USD 4 million.

It said that the torpedo ladle cars are used to transfer hot metal from a blast furnace to steel melting shops.

As per a report by Reuters, Bangladeshi workers, dismantling ships and recycling the vessels' parts, said that they know their jobs are dangerous but they have no better options to feed their families.

At least 10 workers were killed in mishaps and explosions on board ships while they were being dismantled over the past year, to raise the toll to over 1,000 since 1996. About 30,000 workers, only a few wearing boots and almost none with helmets, work in some 22 ship breaking yards in Bangladesh to dismantle around 80 giant, out of service ocean going vessels and oil tankers on average every year.

Mr AKM Shafiqullah director general of Bangladesh's department of shipping said that "As the industry is vital for us we have taken steps to reduce mishaps, by imparting training and creating awareness among employers and workers." He added that the department is the leading authority issuing permission for importing, beaching and dismantling scrapped ships.

The workers use primitive hammers, axes and acetylene flames to extract some 1.8 million tonnes of steel per annum as against Bangladesh's needs of 3 million tonnes. The rest of its demand is met by steel imports.

Bangladesh's 800 steel re rolling mills consume all the metal retrieved from scrapped ship to produce construction rods and roofing sheets. Ship breaking is the most dangerous among all recycling jobs in Bangladesh, including of batteries in which workers, some of them women and children, can receive serious acid burns.

It is reported that another feather was added to the cap of Heavy Engineering Corporation. The company bagged its largest ever order of INR 742 crore from Rourkela Steel Plant of SAIL in consortium with Shapoorji & Palonjee Company Limited, Kolkata.

HEC has been asked to set up the new ore bedding and blending plant & base blending facilities.

Mr Abhay Kanth secretary of HEC said that in the era of cut throat competition, the company has carved a remarkable place for itself in the field of turnkey execution of raw materials handling system by receiving the prestigious order.

Mr Kanth said that "There was stiff competition from 2 leading engineering companies Larsen & Toubro and Mcnally Bharat Engineering Company. HEC has successfully executed a similar raw materials handling plant at the Rourkela Steel Plant in 1996."

Balasore Alloys Limited has posted a growth of 318.34% YoY in its net profit at INR 22.53 crore for the Q1 to June 30th 2008 as against INR 5.38 crore in the year ago period.

Balasore Alloy’s turnover for the period increased by 96% YoY to INR 187 crore as against INR 95.36 crore. Export turnover for the quarter grew by 114% YoY to INR 156.32 crore as compared with INR 73 crore during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. Profit before tax surged by 278.61% YoY to INR 34.55 crore as against INR 9.12 crore.

The fast developing Indian steel industries are continuing beyond what most believed was possible. As one of the world's fastest growing economies, India has become the most happening place among world steel market over last few years and thus is in the radar of not only Indian but most of global players associated with steel industry. But due to fragmented nature of industry, a comprehensive list of smaller steel makers is not readily available.

"Indian Steelmakers Directory 2008" is one the top sources of information available on steel making companies in India. Indian Steelmakers Directory' is one of the most comprehensive and accurate directory of Indian steel companies that have ever been published. This powerful directory is your connection to the entire Indian steel industries sector.

Published in February 2008, “Indian Steelmakers Directory 2008” has been comprehensively researched and prepared, to bring you a fully up to date guide to India's rapidly growing steel makers. This Directory will be extremely useful to businesses that deal specifically with companies in the iron and steel industry, ferroalloys, consumable suppliers, raw material sellers, equipment makers and others.

Whether you are a product manager, in charge of marketing, raw material seller, in equipment business or simply interested to remain in touch with the latest developments in the Indian steel industries, this directory will save you time and effort in finding the information you need.

Why spend hundreds of hours searching for new contacts? Invest in a copy TODAY!

This directory covers name and details of 720 of Indian steelmakers in Alphabetical as well as location wise order.

Look at the information you'll get in the 'Indian Steelmakers Directory'

• Company name -723 entries
• Address-723 entries
• Phone number-723 entries
• Fax number -590 entries
• Email -446 entries

Report Summary:
1. Published: Feb 2008
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Price: USD 1250 or equivalent in INR
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You can order your copy to reports@steelguru.com

ENS reported that Paradip Port Trust proposes to build four more berths, two POL berths for the proposed refinery of the Indian Oil Corporation and two multi purpose cum container berths.

The report quoted Mr K Raghuramaiah chairman of PPT as saying that the oil berths would be built by PPT, while the other two berths would be constructed on build, operate and transfer basis.

He added that the proposal is awaiting the approval of Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee.

It is reported that India’s power ministry has finalized the JV between NTPC and Bharat Heavy Electricals. The JV will focus on manufacture of balance of plant equipment mainly coal handling plants, ash handling plants and water dematerializing plants. The proposed venture will be in a position to bid for these packages by October 2008 so that actual contracts will be on hand by January 2009.

The JV will also simultaneously take up engineering procurement construction contracts. By end August 2008, NTPC and BHEL will examine one complete EPC contract from their existing portfolio that will be offloaded to the joint venture solely for the purpose of kick starting the new company's operations. Thereafter, contracts will be won only through competition.

O&M work is a third area of activity for the joint venture in Phase I itself. Once the company is in place, it will pursue this with state utilities particularly. Presently, boiler and turbine manufacturing will not be the focus for the joint venture since adequate capacity is being built up in companies like BHEL, Larsen and Toubro and Alstom. The CEO of the JV will be in place by August 7th2008 by which time there will also be two full time directors each from NTPC and BHEL and two part-time directors each from NTPC and BHEL.

It is reported that India's biggest electricity generator Tata Power Ltd is bidding for Singapore's largest power utility Senoko Power Ltd.

TATA Power in a statement after the Business Standard reported that Senoko Power may be sold for more than USD 3 billion and TPC will get access to generation capacity of 3,300 MW should it win the bid.

Malaysia's YTL Power Bhd, France's GDF Suez, Japan's Mitsubishi Corp and Marubeni Corp and OneEnergy Ltd jointly with Hong Kong's CLP Holdings are the other bidders short listed by Singapore's Temasek Holdings Pte to bid for Senoko.

It said that the sale of Senoko Power, alongside Temasek's third utility PowerSeraya will be completed by the end of 2009.

The acquisition will be TATA Power's second large investment overseas. The utility spent USD 1.2 billion on buying two mines in Indonesia last year to secure coal supplies. TATA Power has invested INR 240 billion (USD 5.7 billion) to build 5,600 MW of thermal and wind power capacity across India.

BL cited Mr Sushilkumar Shinde power minister as saying that the electricity trading platform would help bridge the overall demand supply mismatch situation in the sector.

Mr Shinde said that “Initial volumes of trade on the exchange are very encouraging and this is going to provide a stronger signal to the power sector.”

Indian Energy Exchange has witnessed over a 2 fold increase in purchase bids since it began operations on June 27th with bids surging from slightly over 13,000 MW to upwards of 30,000 MW as on July 15th.

Mr Shinde said that “The establishment of the exchange is necessary for meeting the demand and supply gap of electricity that exists in the country.” He added that IEX placed the Indian power market at par with the most sophisticated exchanges in the world.

He said that “The technology comes from an alliance between Financial Technologies Limited and OMX Technology of Sweden the technology provider to the world’s leading power exchange, NORDPOOL which I believe is the most efficient power exchange in the world and also the most liquid in Europe.”

Besides Financial Technologies, the bourse has PTC India Limited, Infrastructure Development Finance Company, Adani Enterprises, Reliance Energy, Lanco Infratech, Rural Electrification Corporation and TATA Power as its stakeholders. Financial Technologies has a 90% share in IEX, while the remaining is shared by the others.

Jiji Press reported that Japanese trading firm Sojitz Corp will open two new branches in India late this month.

Sojitz Corp hopes that the new branches one in Kolkata and the other in Chennai will boost its presence in the fast growing emerging economy. It has already branches in Delhi and Mumbai. In addition, it opened a representative office in Pune .

Sojitz opened an Indian unit in 2005, so far focusing on automobiles, machinery, telecommunications and chemical products. The company sees growth potentials in such sectors as steel, distribution and food.

BL reported that the proposed international container transshipment terminal at Vizhinjam near here has received security clearance from the Union Defense Ministry.

As per report, the implementation of the project had recently been awarded to a consortium led by the Hyderabad based Lanco Kondappally Company after a global tender. The other members of the consortium are Lanco Infratech and Pembinan Redzai of Malaysia.

The project which is estimated to cost INR 5,400 crore is envisaged to be implemented in 3 phases. The State Government had formed a company Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited to coordinate the execution of the project.

It is reported that the New Mangalore Port Trust has registered a growth of 59.61% in container handling in the first four months of the current fiscal.

Mr P Tamilvanan chairman of NMPT said that the port handled 10,338 TEUs of containers in the 1st four months of the current financial year as against 6,477 TEUs in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Mr Tamilvanan added that attributed this growth to the calling of more mainline container vessels at the port and to the increased frequency of feeder vessels to the port. More facilities have been provided at the port for handling container cargo.

It is reported that the board of state owned hydro power generator NHPC recently approved the proposed initial public offering of the company to raise funds for its future expansion.

As per the report, NHPC would sell around 167 crore equity shares amounting to 10% of the post issue equity capital to the public. In addition, the government is also planning to divest 5% of its stake in the company.

Mr SK Garg CMD of NHPC said that “We will submit the draft red herring prospectus with market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India in 1 or 2 days.”

The report added that it has appointed SBI Capital Markets as the lead manager for the public offer, while Kotak Mahindra Capital and Enam Securities would be the other lead managers.

BS reported that the JSW Group’s power generation subsidiary recently cited it will invest INR 475 crore to set up a 400 KV transmission evacuation system in Maharashtra in a JV with Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company.

Mr Sajjan Jindal vice CMD of JSW Steel said that JSW Energy is talking to Karnataka government for a similar project.

Mr SS Rao joint MD & CEO of JSW Energy said that the debt equity ratio for the Maharashtra project is 70:30 and the debt portion has already been tied up.

Both JSW Energy and Mahatransco have formed a special purpose vehicle, Jaigad Power Transco. JSW will have a 74% stake in the SPV, while the balance 26% will be held by Mahatransco.

JSW is setting up a 1,200 MW project at Jaigad, in Ratnagiri district and the SPV will evacuate power from this plant. The company said the SPV has applied for becoming a transmission license in the state.

GAIL India announced plans to invest about INR 769 crore in oil and gas exploration in India and abroad during the current financial year ending March.

A senior executive of GAIL said that "This year, our investments in exploration will be nearly double compared with 2007 or 2008, when we spent around INR 350 crore to INR 400 crore."

The executive said GAIL will invest INR 146 crore in a block in Assam Arakan Basin in which it holds 80% interest. The official said that Delhi based Jubilant Enpro is the operator of the block with 20% interest which was awarded under the fourth round of New Exploration Licensing Policy.

GAIL plans to invest INR 1 crore as its share in an offshore block located in the northern part of the Cauvery Basin. The company holds 25% interest in the block CY-OS/2, while Hardy Exploration Production India is the operator holding the remaining 75%. The official said that oil and gas discoveries have been made in this block and it is currently in the appraisal phase. The operator is likely to undertake drilling of three wells and 2 contingent wells in the block which is expected to start in October.

He said GAIL also plans to invest around USD 26.9 million in foreign currency on exploration and appraisal in its overseas blocks in Myanmar and Oman. The company holds 10% interest each in A-1 and A-3 offshore blocks in Myanmar, estimated to hold 4.53 trillion cubic feet gas, while it own 25% interest in Block 56 in Oman. The executive said that "Investments in Myanmar blocks could be around USD 18.2 million, while for Oman block is seen around USD 8.7 million."

The gas transmission major also plans to invest more than INR 33 crore in the three coal bed methane blocks it holds.

UK based MEPS said that "In the flat products category, our July 2008 forecasts are little changed from the previous month. Transaction values are expected to continue climbing from September 2008 onwards. An increase in the price of oil products, electricity and railway freight costs in China are likely to put upward pressure on selling figures throughout the second half of 2008. Asian mills are also likely to push through further advances in a bid to recover the higher cost of iron ore since the conclusion of the 2008 annual contracts. POSCO is due to begin work on the Gwangyang mini mill in October 2008. Consequently, there will be reduced export quantities from South Korea during the fourth quarter. This could help to restrict supply across the region. As such, steel selling figures are forecast to rise faster over this period.

It added that transaction price growth is likely to persist into the New Calendar Year. However, smaller increases are envisaged as more moderate rises in raw material costs are predicted for 2009. Demand is expected to remain strong. Consumption in China should climb further, particularly in the earthquake hit regions as reconstruction continues.

MEPS said that "Transaction values in the long products sector are likely to rise in the final quarter of this year as markets recover from the seasonal lull. We envisage escalating energy and freight costs pushing steel prices higher. However, a softening in scrap values is possible in the short term. This should limit the size of the increases in transaction figures. Export opportunities are expected to remain strong. Low levels of inventories are unlikely to be sufficient to feed any upturn in demand in the next trimester. Consequently, supply shortages could fuel the upward price movement."

It further added that "Increased construction activity in China, as a result of the recent earthquake, is likely to keep consumption high in the medium term. Output cuts by some mills in the region are expected to restrict supply in the market. This is predicted to help push transaction values higher next year. As such, Asian average prices are forecast to move closer to other international levels by the beginning of 2009."

The intimation given by Chairman EH Gary of the Steel Corporation last week that railroad rail prices might be advanced became a fact yesterday when increase of USD 5 a tonne for Bessemer and open hearth rails were decided upon. After May 1, contracts placed for rails to be delivered after May 1st 1917, will be USD 35 a ton for open hearth and USD 33 a ton for Bessemer rails has been in force for thirteen years without change.

Dispatches from the Pittsburgh district said the independent companies were also adding USD 5 a ton to their rail prices. In fact, it may be a question whether the corporation or its competitors first broke away from the old quotations. The railroads, it is understood, had warning more than a month ago that the rail market was in shape to move upward at any time, and heavy buying of rails of late has shown that they took the hint. It is estimated that between 1,000,000 and 1,500,000 tonne of rails have been sold since March 1 for delivery next year.

The leading makers of rails outside the steel corporation are the Canbria, Lackawanna, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Maryland Steel companies. Officer of some of these concerns were in favor of the increase before Jan 1 but the steel corporation management was not ready to take the step at that time. Since the movement was started conditions in the industry have changed so that the old rail prices stood far below quotations for other products of the same class. Steel bars are selling at 2 half cents a pound, double the current Bessemer rail price and rounds, used in the manufacture of shells, are bringing more than three times as much as rails. Billets from which rails, bars and rounds are rolled are quoted at USD 45 a ton compared with USD 20 a ton a year ago.

Judge Gary has told railroad men frequently in the past five years that the time was timing when standard because the carriers were constantly making their specifications more severe thus adding to the cost of manufacture. The inclusion of more costly materials caused the price for certain qualities of rails to rise but there was no more profit in making them than before. Adding to greater cost of manufacture there has been a substantial increase in the cost of basic materials and steel men say the advance put into effect yesterday was inevitable.

The highest level for rails on record was USD 166 a ton in 1867, when a rapidly expanding demand, because of ambitious railroad building in the West came upon a limited manufacturing capacity. In 1873 the average price was USD 120.58 and in 1880 the quotation had dropped to USD 67.52 per ton. By 1885 the average level was USD 28.52 but in 1890 USD 31.78 was recorded. From 1893 to 1898 the quotation receded from USD 28.12 to USD 17.02. When the steel corporation was formed in 1901 an effort was made to stabilize the rail market, and in 1903 the price of USD 28 was established for Bessemer rails that lasted until the new rate was decided upon yesterday.

This article has been sourced for the archives of NY Times to take us back by almost 100 years that how steel was prices during those days.

The Sofia City Court declared insolvent Bulgaira's largest steel mill Kremikovtzi on Wednesday. The procedure to declare the mill's bankruptcy has also been opened, and the Court had appointed a temporary assignee in bankruptcy.

The court said in a statement "The Sofia City Court took a decision today, with which it declares the insolvency of Kremikovtzi."

The court said it has opened a bankruptcy case and appointed a temporary receiver for the plant, which employs about 8,000 people and indirectly supports a further 90,000 livelihoods. It did not provide any additional information.

The insolvency claim was filed with the Court by one of the companies of the Ukrainian businessman Mr Konstatin Zhevago along with several other businesses.

Bulgaria's Economy Minister stated earlier that the approval of the mill's insolvency by the Court would finally make possible the sale of 71% of the mill to a strategic investor.

The trade unions at the mill have declared repeatedly that they supported the insolvency as the best solution for the future of the mill. According to trade union representatives, declaring the mill insolvent would facilitate the issuing of a complex environmental permit for Kremikovtzi by the Environment Ministry, and the execution of a rehabilitation plan, offered by the Ukrainian company Vorskla Steel.

Ternium SA announced its results for the second quarter and first half ended June 30th 2008. It has modified the accounting treatment for its investment in Sidor.

Summary of April to June 2008 quarter results

In USD million
*Shipment in tonnes

Summary of January to June 2008 period results

In USD million
* Shipment in tonnes

North Europe

Quarto Plates are the sole product remaining quite strong mainly for those categories where full EU certifications such as CE marking, AD2000W1 and MTC EN 10204/3.1 are required. For this kind of material origins are restricted to EU Mills (but not even all of them) and a restricted number of major Chinese Mills.

To read the full article, please visit to www.steelprice-india.com

Blaze Recycling & Metals LLC has acquired a site in Albany that the company intends to open as a scrap metal buying facility. Blaze said that it expects the Albany location as well as the company’s recently acquired site in Montgomery to open during the third quarter of 2008.

The yards will support the company’s new automobile shredder in Phenix City, which is also expected to begin operating in the third quarter.

Mr Gary Blase co president & co CEO of Blaze said that “We are excited to be able to establish a facility in Albany. We have been sourcing a significant amount of scrap in that market for about a year. This facility will allow us to further exploit the Albany market.”

He added that “Within weeks of our Phenix City, shredder becoming operational later this summer, we will have 8 full service facilities. We believe our new facilities will allow us to quickly ramp up the throughput at our new shredder.”

Blaze Recycling & Metals is a wholly owned subsidiary of Blaze Metals LLC. It also owns Ocala Recycling, which operates two yards in the Ocala market.

LME announced that the 1st delivery has been made for the Mediterranean (FM) steel billet contract.

Mr Thom Lant of LME informed that a total of 2405 tonnes of steel billets has been delivered / put on warrant at Tekirdag in Turkey.

North Europe

Prices are still edging down with spot cargoes coming form major East European Mills such as Dunafer, US Kosice and AM Sendzimira, offered at levels around EUR 770 per tonne DDP……

To read the full article, please visit to www.steelprice-india.com

Besides the chronic crisis of this product, whose consumption is progressively being restricted by thin gages HR resulting in decreased traded quantities, prices are heavily affected by Chinese offers.

To read the full article, please visit to www.steelprice-india.com

Argentine steel maker Siderar SA has posted net earnings of ARA 1 billion in April to June 2008 quarter up by 167.5% YoY as against ARA 379 million in April to June 2007 quarter, citing an increase in the price of its raw material inventories. EBITDA rose to ARA 484.2 million as compared to ARA 401.7 million.

Siderar SA in a press statement, said that "The change was generated principally by the larger results of our holdings, due to the impact a sharp increase in raw material prices had on inventories."

Siderar doesn't announce quarterly revenues. It had revenues of ARA 1.2 billion in the January to June 2008 period as compared to ARA 944 million in the first half of 2007.

Siderar SA is Argentina's biggest producer of flat rolled steel and forms part of the international conglomerate Ternium, the largest steel producer in Latin America.

The decision of the EU Commission to delay any response on the AD case against HDG of Chinese origin till March 2009 has given the opportunity to some buyers to book some quantities for September – October shipment.

To read the full article, please visit to www.steelprice-india.com

China remained the world's number one producer of stainless steel in 2007 accounting for more than one quarter of 27.6 million tonnes of global output. China had overtaken Japan as the world's biggest stainless steel producer in 2006 with 6.6 million tonnes in 2006 up by 21.7% YoY. Japan followed China as the second largest producer in 2007 with an output of 3.7 million tonnes. In 2006, China's per capita stainless steel consumption hit 4.6 kilograms, rising above the world average of 4.3 kilograms.

China produced 7.206 million tonnes of stainless steel in 2007 up by 1.906 million tonnes or 35.96% YoY. Import volume hit 1.698 million tonnes down 32.08% YoY and export volume reached 1.303 million tonnes up by 44.78%. Thus net imports totaled 395,000 tonnes including 204,000 tons of semi products and 115,000 tons of narrow plate and exports of HR sheet reached 328,000 tonnes resulting in self sufficiency rate climbing by 15.6% to 75.6%. However, growth of apparent consumption slowed down. Apparent consumption recorded 6.58 million tonnes in 2007 up 630,000 tonnes or 10.59% YoY but 3.61% lower than that in 2006.

As one of the world's fastest growing economies, China has become the most happening place among world steel market over last few years and thus is in the radar of most of global players associated with stainless steel industry. But due to fragmented nature of industry, a comprehensive list of smaller steel makers is not readily available.

Published in July 2008, “Directory of Stainless Steel Supply Chain in China” is one of the top sources of information available on stainless steel related companies in China. It is one of the most comprehensive and accurate directory of Chinese companies that have ever been published. This powerful report is your connection to the entire Chinese stainless steel industries sector.

This report will be extremely useful to businesses that deal specifically with companies from stainless steel industry, ferroalloys, consumable suppliers, raw material sellers, equipment makers and others. Whether you are a product manager, in charge of marketing, raw material seller, in equipment business or simply interested to remain in touch with the latest developments in the Chinese stainless steel industries, this directory will save you time and effort in finding the information you need.

Why spend hundreds of hours searching for new contacts? Invest in a copy TODAY!

This report covers name and product details of 246 of Chinese stainless related firms in Alphabetical order and product category based. Look at the information you'll get in this directory

• Company name - 246 entries
• Address – 246 entries
• Contact person – 241 entries
• Mobile number – 168 entries
• Ph