日本高炉钢厂经营分析与展望

自2002年以来，日本高炉钢厂-盈利增长主要归功于生产的高级钢材具有强劲的竞争力。日本高炉钢厂一直致力于研发海外钢厂难以生产的高级钢材产品，并由此形成市场竞争优势。然而，未来主要用钢行业的战略调整将使得日本高炉钢厂的高端战略受到挑战。日本汽车制造业实施低价战略，意味着今后减少使用国内高炉钢厂独有的板卷，转而使用成本更低、海外钢厂也能生产的中端板卷。日本高炉钢厂需要对这一变化做出更积极的回应。

SURVEY AND PROSPECT OF JAPANESE BLAST FURNACE STEELMAKERS

We surmise that the earnings improvement at blast furnace steelmakers from 2002 onward was largely attributable to their strong competitiveness in high-grade steel. Since 2002 blast furnace steelmakers have focused their energies on developing high-grade steel materials on which overseas manufacturers cannot quickly catch up, successfully building a competitive advantage in this area. However, likely strategy shifts by major customers do not bode well for the steel industry. Japanese automakers＇ shift to low price car strategies poses the risk of future need for automotive steel sheet migrating from high-grade material that only Japanese steelmakers can produce, to midrange steel materials where there is competition with overseas steelmakers. Japanese blast furnace steelmakers need to respond more aggressively to the mega-trend of a shift to midrange materials.