2025/03/25JFE Steel and Yamato Kogyo to collaborate in Japan’s section steel market

Yamato Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Yamato Steel Co., Ltd.
JFE Steel Corporation
JFE Bars & Shapes Corporation

Yamato Kogyo Co., Ltd. and JFE Steel Corporation, together with their respective subsidiaries Yamato Steel Co., Ltd. and JFE Bars & Shapes Corporation, announced today that they are planning a collaboration between selected operations in Japan.

As a first step, JFE Steel will introduce Yamato Steel as a supplier of selected H-beam products in response to customer requests beginning from April this year. The initiative is expected to result in an optimized production system that leverages the strengths of Yamato Steel and JFE Steel plants in order to increase productivity and achieve greater customer satisfaction, and ultimately maximize the synergy of the two groups for a more competitive H-beam business in Japan.

Japan’s structural steel market is experiencing a gradual decline, mainly in the construction and civil engineering sectors, due to factors such as a declining population, labor shortages and rising prices. Meanwhile, as the emphasis on carbon neutrality accelerates, the demand for green, eco-friendly products with reduced environmental impact is growing.

To respond flexibly and quickly to evolving needs, Yamato Kogyo and JFE Steel will collaborate on the following three strategies:

‣ Improve corporate value through stable, sustainable growth
Build a strong business foundation and further increase corporate value.
‣ Respond quickly to the diversifying needs of customers
Respond flexibly to changing customer demands and provide products and services that satisfy customers.
‣ Build an optimal production system
Establish an efficient and effective production system that maximizes the assets and strengths of both groups.

Going forward, the partners will continue to discuss concrete plans for a possibly wider business integration.