Korea itself has been a big importer of Japanese coil, but price negotiations are always difficult. The re-rolling company Hysco (formerly Hyundai Pipe) should be a secure customer for HR coil because Posco holds down deliveries of its own coil to Hysco as a means of maintaining a maximum market share for its own downstream CR and coated coil output. This was in part a reaction to being excluded from supplying CR coil to Hysco's affiliate, Hyundai Motor. Hysco complained to the Korean Fair Trade Commission (FTC) that Posco was abusing a monopoly position. It won judgment, Posco was fined, ordered to supply Hysco and make a public apology, but the integrated mill appealed, and won a preliminary stay of judgment pending a final ruling.The two companies compete abroad as well as in their home markets. For instance, in the past they had both delivered electrolytic galvanised coil, to one Malaysian service centre, but in April Posco was reported to supply the whole business with an offer of 5,000 tonnes of EZ coil at US
展开▼
