Core Technologies at Nippon Steel Corporation

Abstract: Nippon Steel is a multifaceted international corporation. Although they are traditionally one of the world\u27s largest manufacturers of steel, they have had to diversify their core technologies in order to survive, since demand for steel has dropped sharply in recent years. This drop in demand is due to the fact that many traditional customers, such as the automotive and construction industries, are switching to cheaper and lighter alternative materials for economic and environmental reasons.[3] In addition, there are currently many ongoing economic and political crises around the world which are causing the steel industry to stagnate. According to Kimura and Tezuka, Nippon Steel\u27s plans are to achieve diversification so that in the near future steel will account for less than 50 per cent of the company\u27s total sales. [2] In addition to its traditional role as a steelmaker, some of the areas that Nippon Steel has ventured into include engineering and construction, urban development, chemical research, and commercial power generation. [1]This article will look at some of the newer core technologies of Nippon Steel, and assess their implications for the company