Japanese watching Baosteel move on domestic tinplate prices

SteelGuru: "Tex reported that Japan's integrated steelmakers are set to watch how China's Baosteel Co Ltd will settle its domestic sales price of tinplate for shipments in the January to March quarter of 2009. There are forecasts that Baosteel will inform domestic customers November 20th at the earliest of its domestic prices of various steel products for shipments in the first quarter of next year.

At present, most of the world's steel transaction prices are way down. With tinplate bearing closely on foodstuff, though, market conditions for tinplate differ from those for other steel products such as commodity-grade HR coils, hot-dip galvanized sheets, and shapes. As a result, Japanese integrated steelmakers keep attention to how Baosteel will work out its domestic tinplate price for January-March shipments in 2009."

Chinese tinplate prices nosedive

Percy Schneider, 271108: I am subscribed to your weekly Newsletter Tin in the News. I am acting as a business consultant for a tin can maker in Lima, Peru. My client is quite concerned about tinplate prices for 2009. I have followed strictly current trends and your words and comments. Sounds like we are facing a buyer´s market.

For your information, prices in China has dropped dramatically in the last 2 weeks. From my readings, most of the 8 big tinplate (ETP sheets) chinese suppliers, are decreasing prices of about US$ 100 per MT each week. We refer to end user tinplate sheets. Moreover, on November 21st, Chinese Council has eliminated some export taxes on specific steel and tin products in order to reactivate exports due domestic market has plunged a little bit. 

Peter, my 64,000 dollar question will be how deep tinplate sheet market could go down ???? Eager to have your keen comments.

Percy Schneider

Business Consultant

Lima, Peru

Telephone: + 51 1 264 3270

Email: pejurajo@gmail.com

The German tinplate packaging market

EUWID:: "The dominating topic for suppliers of packaging and closures made of tinplate is the development of costs. 

The packaging industry is confronted with a number of cost increases that were recently implemented, eg, sealing compounds, coatings or print. Moreover, participants are faced with increased transport costs, following the increase of fees for lorries travelling on German motorways and increased wages resulting from the last round of negotiations between labour and industrial representatives. Against this backdrop, suppliers of upstream products announced drastic price hikes for tinplate as of January 1, 2009."

Biodegradable PET bottle hits market

packagingnews.co.uk: "Wells Plastics has responded to the challenge set by the Planet Green Bottle Corporation (PGBC) to make a biodegradable plastic bottle with the additive Repete.
PGBC has started accepting orders for the additive, preforms and plastic bottles that have been manufactured so as to render PET oxybiodegradable.

Oxygen, heat and UV light triggers the oxy-biodegration process, which can occur in landfills, ditches, rivers and oceans."

Asia Can Tech 2008 review

cantechonline: I believe in today’s tough economic times that small, cost-effective conferences are extremely important to help can makers keep abreast of the latest developments the industry can provide. 

Our trade has to deal with ever-increasing costs of raw materials, fuel, transport and logistics, as well as currency fluctuations. Therefore, the importance of an efficient manufacturing process takes on a whole new urgency. And that’s why a niche, well targeted technical conference and tabletop exhibition such as Asia CanTech, with our professional venues, excellent networking opportunities and proficient organisation, provides an unmissable prospect. 

We are delighted to be in Kuala Lumpur this year, where Kian Joo takes the lead in Malaysia as a progressive and innovative can maker. The company is hosting two plant tours on Thursday, 4 December and we would like to thank them for their help and co-operation on these visits.

This year, our opening keynote speaker, See Tiau Kee (an executive director of Kian Joo) will be looking at the cost efficiencies of moving from 211 to 200 ends. I will also be looking forward to hearing Teh Kok Lim, (general manager, two-piece, Kian Joo) who will be joining him on stage to talk about can making in Malaysia. Another keynote speaker, Bushen Raina of Tata Tinplate, will be revealing his views on the tinplate market.

On the second day, keynote speakers Jozef Salaerts and Gary Fishlock (Crown Asia Pacific) will discuss Crown Holdings and SuperEnd, and later the same day we invite Simon Jennings (Rexam Beverage Can Asia Pacific) to give us his thoughts on the sustainability of beverage cans 

Indian canmakers condemn import duty on tinplate

Steel Business Briefing: Indian demand for tinplate amounts to almost 400000 tonnes/year, and current domestic production of around 220000 t/y is monopolised by Tata Steel’s...

Fragment from subscription-based service

Atotech to open furthers TechCenter in CZ, Italy, Taiwan & India

evertiq.com: "Atotech has officially opened its new European TechCenter for corrosion protection applications in Trebur, Geinsheim near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Another 4 new TechCenters of this kind will be opened in 2009 in Taiwan, the Czech Republic, India and Italy.

The newly constructed Trebur TechCenter occupies a total area of over 2000 m2 for equipment, laboratory, office and training rooms. It is equipped with a fully automatic plating line for zinc, zinc alloys, phosphate pretreatment and Cr(VI)-free post-treatment processes including auxiliary equipment for environmental sound production and on-line analysis for process control."