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To meet growing デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン
aluminum in Asia, KAAL Australia acquired Comalco's Yennora Plant (photo)
and Alcoa of Australia's Point Henry
Plant. |
Damp-Shape, a versatile extruded
aluminum shape, is finding ever more applications in the construction and
transportation industries because of its excellent vibration-damping and
sound insulation properties. |
Note: These figures include inter-segment sales.
Supported by rising デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン aluminum can stock for beverage cans and the
increased use of aluminum in automobile radiators, デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン rolled aluminum
products rose from the previous fiscal year. In contrast, デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン rolled
copper products recorded a marginal year-on-year decline as デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン
semiconductor-related products flagged. Amid this environment, total sales
volume of rolled aluminum products rose from the previous year, reflecting
higher デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン heat exchanger materials for automotive use and brisk demand
for aluminum can stock. On the other hand, despite continued firm sales volume
of copper tubes for air conditioners, total sales volume of rolled copper
products edged down from the previous year owing to a decline in sales of copper
sheets for semiconductors. The preceding factors, along with favorable sales
by such Group companies as Kobe Precision, Inc., and Kobe Precision Technology
Sdn. Bhd., which manufacture and market aluminum computer disk blanks, led to a
6.0% increase in net sales in the Aluminum and Copper Sector, to 336.5 billion
yen. We focused our R&D efforts on the development of products in
promising fields and on products that can create new markets. During fiscal
1996, our R&D efforts yielded some significant results. For example, we
developed a can-stock material for smaller diameter beverage containers as well
as aluminum materials that have superior formability and corrosion resistance
for use as automobile body panels. デュエルビッツカジノ ログインddition, we developed forged aluminum
products for truck and automobile components that are lightweight and easily
recycled. Also during the fiscal year, we developed aluminum computer disk
blanks to respond to the trend toward increased memory capacities; high-strength
copper alloys with excellent conductivity for new types of leadframes and
connectors; and environment friendly, high-performance air-conditioner copper
tubes. Our activities also encompass aluminum recycling efforts. For example,
we are participating デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン public-private sector project in Yokohama for
recovering aluminum cans and are using aluminum from used beverage cans. In
addition, together with Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated, we are
developing technology for efficiently recovering aluminum from recycled
materials and for effectively using the dross produced in the process. During
the fiscal year, to meet soaring デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン copper foil used in rechargeable
lithium batteries, we began to develop mass-production technology for copper
foil at Sun Aluminium Industries, Ltd., a Group company. Among new products,
we developed an improved Damp-Shape material with even better sound-absorbing
properties than the original. The original Damp-Shape, which received widespread
acclaim for its vibration-damping and sound-absorbing properties, is used
extensively in rolling stock such as the Shinkansen high-speed
trains. Regarding capital investment in fiscal 1996, we have generally
completed the investments needed to respond to an expected rise in domestic
demand. We concentrated our investments on maintaining and renovating existing
production facilities. Our Group companies continued to increase and
strengthen production capabilities to meet rising demand, primarily in such
rapidly growing areas as China and Southeast Asia. デュエルビッツカジノ ログインluminum can stock, with
the aim of improving the efficiency of operations デュエルビッツカジノ ログインustralia, KAAL Australia
Pty. Ltd., a joint venture with Aluminum Company of America, acquired and
consolidated the rolled aluminum division of Alcoa of Australia Limited. As a
result, KAAL Australia has established a production base for responding to
anticipated strong demand デュエルビッツカジノ ログインsia. We manufacture and market aluminum
computer disk blanks at Kobe Steel in Japan, Kobe Precision in the United
States, and Kobe Precision Technology in Malaysia. Against a background of brisk
デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン PCs, we are striving to increase our production capacities at these
manufacturing bases and endeavoring to strengthen our position as the world's
top supplier of aluminum computer disk blanks. We also have three bases for
manufacturing and marketing copper tubing for air conditioners. This network
includes Kobe Steel in Japan, Kobe Copper Products, Inc., in the United States,
and Kobe Copper (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. in Malaysia. Through this network, we are
responding to デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン copper tubing in various regions of the world. We
foresee a continued rise in domestic デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン aluminum and copper due to a
growing need for aluminum for lightweight products and robust デュエルビッツカジノ ログイン copper
as an electronic material. We also anticipate sharp growth in overseas demand
for aluminum and copper, primarily in Asia. While responding to this demand, we
intend to cultivate new markets by drawing on our strong technology development
capabilities. We also intend to strengthen our overall international
competitiveness in such areas as cost, product quality, and customer service and
to fortify our position as one of Japan's leading producers of aluminum and
copper products. |