Initial indications suggest world optical fibre shipment volumes were a little over 14m fkm in the first quarter. Although fractionally down on similar levels in Q4, the most telling comparison is the 15 percent year-on-year fall from volumes of 16.6m fkm in Q1 2003. The primary reason for the retrenchment was the abysmal state of Japanese fibre demand in response to a 56 percent year-on-year collapse in cable shipments. In fact Japanese fibre manufacturers did well to limit their fall in output to 28 percent as a result of good and prompt inventory management and a brief successful foray into the international export market during February, when domestic business was at its worst. Fibre shipments were also down in each of the other regional markets compared to last year, in some cases because the effects of closures and mothballing have now fully fed through.
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