- June sales strengthen on steady industrial demand
- Piping-grade welded pipes remain largest segment
Japan’s stainless steel welded pipe sales continued their gradual recovery in the first half of 2026, supported by stable demand from piping applications. According to the National Stainless Steel Distribution Association of Japan, total welded pipe sales reached 29,945 t during January-June 2026, up 2.1% y-o-y from 29,327 t in the corresponding period last year.
June sales improve m-o-m
Sales in June 2026 stood at 5,045 t, rising 9.8% m-o-m from 4,596 t in May and 2.1% y-o-y from 4,939 t in June 2025.
Piping-grade welded stainless steel pipes (TPA) remained the largest product segment, accounting for 2,716 t, or 53.8% of total June sales. This was followed by pipes for other applications at 1,155 t, decorative pipes (KP) at 1,017 t, and large-diameter piping products (TPY) at 158 t.
Market shows gradual recovery
The improvement in sales was primarily supported by stable demand for piping applications, while decorative and other industrial-use products also maintained balanced sales during the period. Despite the y-o-y growth, the pace of recovery remained moderate, indicating that Japan’s stainless steel welded pipe distribution market continues to improve gradually rather than witnessing a broad-based demand rebound.
Outlook
Japan’s stainless steel welded pipe market is expected to remain stable in the near term, supported by consistent demand from industrial and piping applications. However, market growth is likely to remain gradual amid cautious downstream purchasing and the absence of a strong recovery across end-use sectors.
Note: This article is published as part of a content exchange agreement between SteelDaily and BigMint.
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