Commencing Commercial Operation of Automotive Steel Pipe/Tube Business in Mexico

NIPPON STEEL PIPE MÉXICO, S.A. DE C.V. (“NPM”), established by Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (Chairman & CEO: Shoji Muneoka, “NSSMC”), Sumitomo Pipe & Tube Co., Ltd. (President: Rempei Nakanishi, “SP”), Sumitomo Corporation (President: Kuniharu Nakamura, “Sumitomo”) and Metal One Corporation (President: Naoto Matsuoka, “Metal One”), has completed the construction and commissioning of all its plant facilities and started its commercial operation in late May 2013 on schedule.
 
In Mexico, the production of automobiles (four-wheeled vehicles) has grown to the world’s eighth largest, turning out 3 million cars in 2012. With Japanese automakers’ commencement of production or the expansion of production capacities in Mexico, car production is expected to continue to show a sharp increase in the future. In response to such increase, also expected is a fast expansion in demand for middle- to high-grade steel pipes/tubes where NSSMC and SP have competitive strength.
 
NPM, as the core production base of automotive pipe/tube in Mexico, will work to keep up steady supplies of high -accuracy and -precision and high quality products for Japanese, North American and European automakers and auto parts makers in Mexico, and to expand and enhance customer services.
 
NSSMC, SP, Sumitomo, and Metal One will continue to develop and expand their overseas operations aggressively in order to respond globally to demand for automotive steel pipe/tube.