日本鋼鐵製造廠撤回在越南設廠計画

A few weeks ago the NHK News on-line reported the following:

ＪＦＥスチール ベトナム製鉄所計画撤回

9月17日 0時00分

大手鉄鋼メーカーの「ＪＦＥスチール」は、ベトナムでの製鉄所の建設計画について、中国メーカーの台頭で鉄鋼製品の供給が過剰となり十分な収益を確保できる見通しが立たなくなったとして、計画への参加を撤回したと発表しました。

ＪＦＥスチールは、おととし３月、台湾の大手鉄鋼メーカーとの間で、ベトナム中部の工業団地に鉄鉱石から鉄を作る「高炉」を備えた製鉄所の建設事業を検討する基本合意を結んでいました。
早ければ再来年、稼働させることになっていましたが、ＪＦＥは１６日、基本合意を解消し、この建設計画への参加を撤回したと発表しました。
その理由として会社側では、中国の鉄鋼メーカーの台頭でアジア市場での鉄鋼製品の供給が過剰となり、十分な収益を確保できる見通しが立たなくなったためとしています。
今回の計画は、この会社にとって海外で初めてとなる高炉を備えた製鉄所を建設することで、東南アジアでの経済成長をみずからの業績拡大につなげようというものでしたが、ＪＦＥは「国内の鉄鋼需要の大幅な拡大が見込めないなかで、中長期的には海外での製鉄所が必要だ」としており、世界のどこで高炉の建設を検討するのかなど海外戦略の見直しを進めることにしています。

(試譯文)

"JFE steel", a major iron and steel maker, announced its withdrawal from participating in a plan to build an iron mill in Vietnam noting that the prospect regarding the supply of iron and steel would be excessive due to an increase in Chinese makers, and the ability to secure sufficient profit there no longer held.

JFE steel had connected with a major iron and steel maker of Taiwan in March two years ago with an initial agreement to examine the setting up of an iron mill equipped with a "blast furnace" which could made iron from iron ore for the industrial complex in central Vietnam.

Although it could start work as early as in the year after next, JFE announced on the 16th (September) to cancel the initial agreement and withdraw from participating in this building program.

The reason for the company was that the prospect on the supply of iron or steel in the Asia markets would become superfluous due to an increase in Chinese iron and steel makers, and it could no longer stood to secure sufficient profit.

It was said for this company, it was the first time to plan building an iron mill equipped with a blast furnace overseas, and the economic growth in Southeast Asia could tie to its earning growth. JFE supposed that "while being unable to expect a large expansion domestically in the demand for steel, overseas iron mill is required on a mid- and long-term basis", and thus pushed forward an overseas strategy of examining where in the world to construct a blast furnace.

   It seems that the competition from China in steel making is affecting Japanese companies.