EoW September 2009

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EuroWire – September 2009 14
corporate news
India’s Tata Steel, the world’s sixth-largest
steelmaker, hiked prices for hot-rolled
and cold-rolled coils by up to 2% across
some regions in the country.
Prices have been raised by Rs 500 to
750 per ton, based on market conditions,
said the company’s spokesperson.
Hot-rolled and cold-rolled coils are
mainly used in automobiles and con-
sumer durables such as refrigerators and
washing machines.
The company has seen strong demand
from its Indian operations, which
account for about a quarter of the
group’s annual global capacity of
30 million tons.
Its Indian operations posted a 31% rise
in sales in April, and 18% in May.
Tata Steel – India
Website:
Japan’s steelmaker JFE has agreed with
Australia’s BHP Billiton to cut fine iron ore
prices by 33% matching a benchmark
deal already reached by miner Rio Tinto
and non-Chinese Asian customers. BHP
signed the deal with the world’s number
three steelmaker but other Asian
steelmakers including Nippon, South
Korea’s Posco and Chinese firms are still
negotiating. JFE also agreed with BHP to
cut iron ore lump prices by 44.47%.
BHP declined to comment, saying it
will only release information on its
iron ore settlements when the bulk of
agreements were reached. Steelmakers
in Japan and South Korea are concluding
their annual pricing talks by agreeing to
a 33% cut with Rio Tinto and 28% with
Brazil’s Vale.
BHP Billiton – Australia
Website:
China Steel Corp, Taiwan’s largest steel
maker, will increase domestic prices
for the first time this year as demand
improves. Prices will rise by an average
of 7% in July, the Kaohsiung-based
company said. The mill last increased
prices for Taiwan customers in the fourth
quarter last year.
Spending on public works and other
infrastructure projects by nations
including China, Taiwan’s biggest
overseas market, is lifting steel demand.
The global recession had curbed
consumption of the metal by builders
and carmakers.
“We’re less pessimistic now,” executive
vice president Chung Le-min said.
China Steel Corp – China
Website:
Tata Steel raises HR and CR prices
Winter spools on show
AstroPlast Kunststofftechnik GmbH &
Co KG attended wire Moscow in May,
placing the emphasis on the company’s
plastic spools for wires, cables, tapes
or optical fibres. Many visitors showed
particular interest in the SC-ABS winter
spools, suitable for low temperatures
with special chemical stability even
for the most extreme production
conditions.
Managing director Dr Wolfgang Kemper
commented: “The global recession
naturally meant that the atmosphere
was not particularly elated, but the
response at our booth was definitely
satisfactory. And wire Moscow even
succeeded our expectations.
“Together with our representatives
on the Russian market, we were able
to establish a large number of new
contacts and open up possibilities for
business after the trade fair.“
AstroPlast Kunststofftechnik GmbH –
Germany
Fax: +49 2933 84010
Email:
Website:
The AstroPlast stand at wire Russia ▲ ▲
...but in Taiwan
Price cuts
elsewhere