Japanese steelmakers see tough prospects of tinplate export

Steel Guru: "According to market sources, Japanese integrated steelmakers see tough prospects of their tinplate export deals under negotiation for April to June 2009 period shipments to Asian destinations.

As per report, the Japanese steelmakers are contemplating struggling to maintain flat prices to meet the existing settlements for January to March 2009 period shipments. But local customers as a whole look set to press hard for a price reduction. As a result, the Japanese steelmakers admit that the negotiations with their customers will take a fairly long time to reach an agreement. The Japanese steelmakers have a feeling that they may have to live with a price reduction of around USD 250 per tonne as compared with the terms of October to December 2008 period shipments.

In Asian destinations, tinplate demand still holds steady in applications such as beverage cans and sanitary c cans, while tinplate demand is falling for industrial use such as paint cans. In prospect is enhanced tinplate demand for sanitary cans in the April to June quarter marking the demand season."