Apr 13 2006
Smorgon Steel Group Limited has signed an LSB™ marketing licence agreement with Maruichi Kokan (MKK). The agreement was signed during a visit to Japan by Graham Smorgon, Chairman of Smorgon Steel, Ray Horsburgh, Managing Director and CEO, and Mark Vassella, Chief Executive, Distribution.
The agreement will give MKK exclusive marketing rights for the LSB in the Japanese market which, based on extensive market research undertaken by Smorgon Steel, is between 4 and 5 times larger than the Australian market. Applications for approval of the LSB under the Japanese building code have been lodged and a manufacturing facility will be established in Japan once those approvals have been obtained.
MKK is a listed company and a leading pipe and tube maker with 5 mills in Japan, as well as production facilities in the USA, Indonesia and China. Among the products they manufacture are twenty-inch diameter tube, zincalume and a range of pipe and tube products not manufactured in Australia.
“MKK and Smorgon Steel have an existing technology exchange agreement and this new agreement will reinforce the strong connection that has developed between the two companies”, said Graham Smorgon. “I would like to acknowledge the excellent cooperation of MKK’s President, Mr. Suzuki, in helping create this growing relationship between our two organisations”, he added.
http://www.smorgonsteel.com.au