In June 2006, the world's largest company, Mittal Steel (Netherlands), merged with the second largest, Arcelor (Luxembourg), forming a massive steel manufacturer occupying a 10% share of global steel production.
Global-scale restructuring continues to accelerate, likely exerting a great influence on the Japanese iron and steel industry. Important issues are to preserve growth and to survive in the 21st century. As a necessary action of that purpose, it is important to maintain improvement against huge material suppliers and influential users to take the effective purchase preventive measures from huge competitors, and to build appropriate partnership with other companies.
It is expected not to plan cost competitiveness predominance and scale expansion but also to take action on new issues such as the environmental safeguard in order to realize sustainable development. New value creation is demanded from the Japanese iron and steel industry.
