Japanese steel firms to start tinplate and TMBP export talks

Steel Guru: "Japanese steelmakers have reduced prices in Asian deals for tinplate and TMBP exports for January to March 2009 period shipments, which they describe as a price revision that anticipates a fall in prices of raw materials imports for fiscal 2009. Therefore, they are contemplating giving the Southeast Asian users an explanation of why the Japanese steelmakers cannot respond to any request for a price reduction for April to June 2009 period shipments on grounds of a fall in raw materials prices.

As far as China is concerned, the Japanese steelmakers are on track to offer increased prices of tinplate and TMBP exports there for April to June shipments. They find it necessary to correct the present spread of as much as USD 300 per tonne between negotiated prices for shipments to China and Southeast Asia. 

In East Asia, meanwhile, Thailand's Siam Tinplate Co and China's Hainan Haiwoo Tinplate Co are scheduled to commission a new tinning line each at their works in 2009, assuming that the new capacity is used in tinplate production for export. Still, it is uncertain whether both tinplate manufacturers can move into export markets for tinplate during this year."