Opening ceremony of NIPPON STEEL, SUMIKIN METAL JV

NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN METAL PRODUCTS VIETNAM CO., LTD. (General Director & President: Kenjiro Dodo; headquarters: Que Vo, Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam; hereafter, "NSMV") held its opening ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam on Tuesday, March 19, 2013.

NSMV was jointly established in October 2012 by Nippon Steel & Sumikin Metal Products Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Corporation, Sumisho Tekko Hanbai Co., Ltd., and Kyoei Steel Ltd., in collaboration with Bacviet Steel Joint Stock Company, for the purpose of manufacturing and selling steel products for architectural and civil engineering use.

The opening ceremony was attended by guests Yasuaki Tanizaki, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, and Vietnam governmental members representing Bac Ninh Province, the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Transport.

President Masuda of Nippon Steel & Sumikin Metal Products gave a speech on behalf of the investors. An investment license was presented to President Dodo of NSMV by the representative of Bac Ninh provincial Department of Planning and Investment, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

NSMV will start off by manufacturing and selling structural steel pipes, and will widen its business domain by launching new products into the market. The company also aims to introduce processed steel products for architectural and civil engineering use in line with the market needs of not only Vietnam, but its neighboring countries as well.