Posted on 24 Apr 2012
Tokyo Steel Manufacturing has received Thai Industrial Standards (TIS) certification for its pickled and oiled
coils and aims to expand its exports of the grade to Thailand, the company announced on Monday.
In March the mini-mill received TIS approval for the 1.7-6mm thick P&O produced at its Okayama works in
western Japan and earlier this month for P&O made at its Tahara works near Nagoya.
“Our P&O exports to Thailand are almost zero at present but with these standards we believe we can start
exporting regularly there,” Kiyoshi Imamura, Tokyo Steel marketing director said, adding that initial volume
will be just several thousand tonnes for customer trials.
Imamura said Tokyo Steel sought TIS approval because domestic Japanese customers asked that its steel
carry the TIS logo so their transplant-customers in Thailand can use Tokyo Steel material.
A Tokyo-based trader noted that Tokyo Steel’s products have been accepted by auto parts, home
electronics and office appliance makers so the quality and price of its P&O will be comparable to Japanese
integrated mill products.
But he noted that though Thailand has high demand for P&O, the Japanese integrated mills are competing
with each other to export there. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry has estimated that demand
for Japanese P&O in Thailand is around 940,000 tonnes/year, but the tariff-free quota for this year is only
520,000 t, as Platts Steel Business Briefing has reported.
